“All three are winners,” Friedman said. “In selecting the finalists, I considered the stories they told about their approaches in their award essays, with those standing out who serve not just as policy peddlers pitching on price, but as true risk managers for their clients, providing loss control, claim management, risk management, alternative risk-transfer, employee benefits, and other services.” (Submission of an essay on “What Makes My Agency an Outstanding Sales and Service Organization” is one of the contest's requirements.)

J. Smith Lanier was chosen as this year's champion by a panel consisting of Friedman, Bobby Reagan of Reagan Consulting, and a representative of last year's champion, David Becker, president of Cottingham & Butler in Des Moines, Iowa. “We looked at their organic growth rates over the past three years, how they overcame certain challenges, reviewed their sample pitches for new or renewal business, marketing materials, and such,” Friedman said. “All the winners truly proved their mettle this year, standing firm as risk managers for their clients no matter what the pricing environment.”

Long-Term Strategies

Both of the honored Florida agencies grew from humble beginnings to multi-million dollar enterprises.

Lassiter-Ware, founded in 1912 as a two-man, one-office operation, today boasts more than $94 million in commercial lines premium volume, multiple locations, and partnership relationships around the world. In announcing the award, National Underwriter cited the agency's bedrock philosophy of helping clients make the right decisions for the long term, rather than being captives of the pricing cycle.

“Convincing the client or potential client to purchase something that is not in their best interest may gain us business in the short run, but in the long term we will have sacrificed our credibility,” said Lassiter-Ware President Ted Ostrander, Jr., in his essay. “You can't afford to stand pat in the current soft pricing environment, as the agency looks to delve into underserved markets, network with colleagues, and listen to clients and prospects to develop new ideas.”

Ostrander also told National Underwriter that the agency has restructured its organization in an attempt to streamline operations and assist with organic growth. “Previously, our seven offices were managed by a producer at each location,” he wrote. “Our current structure is more streamlined, with four executive vice presidents representing P/C, employee benefits, PEO services, and operations reporting to our president/CEO.”

The essay noted that the agency also places a strong focus on cross-selling services as an important soft-market strategy. In addition to the standard commercial and personal lines insurance programs, Lassiter-Ware offers risk management services; employee benefits and services; business financial planning; non-insurance business support, including employee leasing, individual employee retirement counseling, and employee payroll administration; and individual and family insurance planning such as long-term care, retirement plans, and individual life and disability.

Risk Management Is Key

Roger Bouchard Insurance in Clearwater, which today handles some $334 million in commercial insurance premiums, has had several evolutions. Founded in 1948 by its namesake, the family-run business was sold to First National Bankshares of Florida in 1999. “During a five-year period of bank ownership, we grew through acquisitions to serve the bank's 'footprint,'” wrote Tim Bouchard, the agency's chief operating officer.

When First National merged with Fifth Third Bankcorp in 2004, the family seized the opportunity to reacquire the agency. Back in control, the agency's leaders “decided to grow organically rather than by acquisition, because we wanted to concentrate on reducing the debt and because we found it more profitable to produce growth internally rather than running out and buying agencies,” according to Bouchard.

A sound decision. Despite today's soft market, National Underwriter noted that the agency has grown aggressively, going from 60 employees to 211 in about four years, and from one location to four over the same period.

The agency told National Underwriter that it keeps its accounts on board and grows its business organically by putting risk management and customer service front and center.

“By utilizing a consultative approach to risk management, we stay out of the competitive bid arena and focus on clients who see value in our resources,” Bouchard said. “Our sales philosophy is easy — show value in our capabilities and services rather than sell on price.”

This focus on proactive risk management produces long-term, bottom-line savings by reducing premiums, curtailing losses, getting claims paid promptly, and lowering the client's overall cost of risk, according to Bouchard.

“Our sales material highlights specific data on cases where we have reduced cost through aggressive claim management, correcting experience modifications, and implementing successful safety programs,” he said — adding that the firm, on average, “can document direct premium savings to our insureds of over $1 million annually.”