Kevin M. Tromer has succeeded Doug Bullington as president of the MacNeill Group, a 63-year-old MGA based in Sunrise. The firm provides capacity to more than 2,000 independent agents throughout the state, offering diverse property and casualty products in nearly a dozen admitted and non-admitted markets. Tromer is MacNeill's fifth president; he will continue in his position as chief operating officer of parent Focus Holdings. In this Q&A, Tromer discusses the company's history, future, business products, and the corporate culture that has enabled it to garner a trophy case full of employee- and marketing-focused awards.

Q: When was the last time a MacNeill was active in the company?

A: Malcolm MacNeill, who founded the business with his father, Frank, retired in 1989. Tom Rogan led the company from 1989 until 1997, when Doug Bullington, my predecessor, took over.

Q: What has your business model been over the years, and how has it been tweaked? What areas have seen the most growth? What have been some of your biggest challenges?

A: Our business model hasn't so much been tweaked as it has been expanded. We were founded in 1946 as a traditional MGA offering products and services in both personal and commercial lines, and this is still an important part of our business. In fact, this year we are expanding our offerings, adding transportation to our commercial suite of products and an excess flood program to our NFIP flood unit that can be written nationwide. Beyond our traditional MGA offerings, we have developed expertise and a full range of program management services for both the residual and private markets.

Many know we have been an underwriting service provider to Citizens Property Insurance Corp. continuously since its inception as the FRPCJUA in 1993. The model and scope of services has changed over the years, but we remain very proud of the work we have done with Citizens. We have been providing a wide range of services to the Florida-domestic personal property market since 1995: Financial and pro-forma modeling; product development and ratemaking; underwriting, policy issuance and administration and customer service; statutory and GAAP accounting; and a highly specialized set of tools to help client companies manage aggregates and exposures.

Our biggest challenges have come from portfolio transfers. Over the past 15 years, we have probably converted close to two million policies. Some have been from the residual to private markets; others have been between two (and sometimes more) private companies. We have even transferred portfolios between companies in the same group. Each time, the portfolio comes with its own challenges. The capabilities to handle these portfolio transfers and our tools for aggregate management are key differentiators for us in the market.

Q: You recently took over servicing the policyholders of Coral Insurance Co., now in receivership. How do you efficiently absorb and service these new customers?

A: We were very pleased to offer a solution to the Coral policyholders. We were asked initially by the executives at Coral if we could provide some market capacity for their policies valued at over $1 million. We had the capability in several markets, so we view it as an opportunity to help the policyholders, the agents, and the receiver. As portfolios go, this is relatively small by comparison to many portfolios we deal with, so servicing these policies will be easily integrated into our workflow.

Q: Your web site promises, “We shall continue to promote profitable relationships with our Insurance Companies and Agents.” Tell us how you have nurtured these relationships over the years. When did Focus Holdings enter the scene, and where does MacNeill fit today?

A: We are fortunate that we have had the opportunity to forge many great partnerships over the years, and I think that comes from the fact that we focus on building relationships that create value for all parties. On the agent side we have been dedicated to the independent agent distribution channel since our founding. We provide a wide range of products, competitive commissions, and excellent service. On the company side, we provide a menu of services at competitive pricing and a superior level of expertise. And last, but certainly not least, we have our people. We hire the best and the brightest, pay competitive wages, and foster an environment that allows for personal and professional growth. These are the absolute pillars to our success.

Focus Holdings is a purpose-built holding company we initially formed for the acquisition of MacNeill in 2000. Today it contains a diversified group of companies servicing many aspects of the property and casualty insurance space. In addition to MacNeill, there is Focus Underwriters, an MGA/wholesale broker located in Durham, N.C., and servicing the markets in North and South Carolina and Virginia. Focus Technologies provides IT services and print and mail services. Another affiliate, Focus Finance, provides premium finance services. In February, we signed an agreement to acquire a Florida-domestic commercial insurance carrier. Closing is pending the approval of the Office of Insurance Regulation and is anticipated in the next 30-60 days. This diversification and market expansion will allow us to continue to broaden our offerings both by product and geography.

There is another area of relationships of which we are particularly proud. In 2008, we accomplished a long-held objective: We incorporated and funded the Focus Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to contribute resources to ensure the comfort and well-being of our employees and their immediate families, the communities in which we live and work, and the insurance community from which we derive our livelihood. This foundation allows us to better target the resources we put back into our community.

Q: You have been recognized as one of the Best Companies to Work for by the South Florida Business Journal. You also were named MGA of the Year in 2006 by the Professional Insurance Agents' national group, and earned the designation of Certified Managing General Agent from the American Association of Managing General Agents. Talk about your corporate culture and workplace philosophy.

A: Actually, we were honored to be voted one of the best places to work in South Florida for three years running — 2005, 2006, and 2007. What makes this recognition special is that it is voted on by employees only; they are the ones who have to take the initiative. I can't say it enough: We are very proud of our staff, and believe they are the key to our success. When you have staff recruiting their friends and family members to work here, it says a lot about your organization and culture. I think we have every type of family relationship you can come up with working in our organization. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, mothers and sons, fathers and daughters, cousins — I can go on and on. How many companies can boast about having third generation employees? We have three! Good people who love to come to work, with a commitment to excellence — that's what sets us apart.

We consider ourselves very fortunate to have been recognized with so many awards. We were the first MGA in the country to receive the Certified Managing General Agent designation from the AAMGA. We were also the first recipient of PIA's MGA of the Year award. When you have an organization that is voted one of the best places to work by your employees and at the same time voted as the best by your customers, you can't help but be proud.

Q: MacNeill Group went through a major re-branding last year, and the results won recognition in the professional design world. Your old “sharper image” in logos and collateral materials has been “rounded off.” Almost everything visual — even the give-away tins of M&Ms — has rounded corners. Can you speak to the psychology behind the design change?

A: We began our re-branding effort several years ago, and are fortunate to have the effort recognized by both the advertising community and the insurance community. Our logos and letterheads have won numerous awards, but as you might expect, that was not one of our stated goals when we began the project.

After we acquired MacNeill we began to create the corporate identity we desired, one that will not only pass the test of time, but one that recognizes our stability in the market as well. You picked up on one of the most significant features, the rounded edges. The rounded edges, particularly those that make up the “m” in the logo, demonstrate strength and stability. Architectural types know that arches provide for a stronger and more stable platform from which to build, and that is a key element we want to demonstrate with our image.

Q: What does the future hold?

A: Going forward we have many initiatives, but all are focused (no pun intended) on a few key goals: First, expand our reach through product and geographic expansion. Second, continue to provide service that is beyond compare for our customers and their customers. Third, continue to provide a work experience that fosters personal and professional growth.

In the next month or two we will be launching our newest branding effort called the Focus Underwriting Network or F.U.N. The program is an online, web-based program that will facilitate rating, quoting and submitting many of the products we currently offer through our commercial and personal specialty lines departments. This new offering also begins a completely revamped online presence that will be implemented throughout 2009. The new site will not only provide for increased capabilities for agents and insureds, but also will be full a resource for information and news from the industry.

Special Reports /

Q&A With MacNeill Group's Kevin Tromer

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