Executive Insights: New Church Mutual President Alan Ogilvie
This steadfast insurance booster takes the helm at a carrier that has served nonprofits for more than a century.
Most school children take fieldtrips to museums, zoos and other nearby cultural institutions.
For kids in small-town Wisconsin, however, that list of frequent school-trip destinations includes the headquarters of several of the country’s largest and oldest mutual insurance companies.
Such childhood adventures instilled in a young Alan Ogilvie a fascination with insurance work, thanks to the industry’s legacy, stability and purpose.
Ogilvie is now a seasoned insurance pro who earned a risk management and insurance undergraduate degree as well as a law degree from the University of Wisconsin. He recently landed at the top of one of the mutual insurers he has followed and admired since growing up in Port Edwards, a village at the center of the state with fewer than 2,000 residents.
PropertyCasualty360 caught up with Ogilvie during his first week as president of Church Mutual to find out more about his outlook on the insurance world and his professional priorities in 2023.
PC360: What do you think sets Church Mutual apart from other insurance carriers/?
Alan Ogilvie: Number one, it’s a mutual company owned by its policyholders. I think that creates a very unique and special dynamic. Our owners are our policyholders. That really embeds in us an understanding of who we need to serve. Then you add 125 years of tradition. [The result is that] Church Mutual is deeply passionate about its commitment to its customers and its policyholders.
PC360: What are the distinct challenges and opportunities involved with insuring nonprofits, houses of worship, schools and camps?
Ogilvie: Because so many of them are focused on serving others, they tend to not always have immense revenue streams. Sometimes they’re really at the mercy of contributions from various groups. So depending on how the economy may sit or different factors, that can really affect their ability to serve. These aren’t Fortune 500 companies. The vast majority are smaller groups trying to do good work in their communities.
PC360: It sounds like a catastrophic loss for such an organization could be its end?
Ogilvie: It threatens their very mission. This is not just a threat to quarterly earnings, like with a public company. This is a threat to the very purpose for which they exist.
PC360: What risks and threats does Church Mutual frequently address with its policyholders?
Ogilvie: Our policyholders face many of the same challenges that other organizations feel, but they may feel them in a slightly different way. What I mean by that is, they’re subject to the challenges of the economy, inflation and catastrophic weather events; those same challenges that any insured in any business would be. They’re just unique in how they have to deal with them and how we can help them deal with it. So, for example, we were one of the first carriers to bring to bear water sensors for religious institutions so that if, for example, there’s a pipe break, there’s early notice and intervention. We’re really trying to find [solutions] that resonate with our customers and our policyholders.
PC360: What are your priorities for Church Mutual and its policyholders as we head into 2023?
Ogilvie: I’m getting out and meeting with our customers and our distribution partners to make sure I have a clear picture of what their concerns are and how we can assist them.
PC360: The insurance workforce and workplace is somewhat changed from when you got into the business in the Nineties. With this in mind, how can you best support Church Mutual employees in the New Year?
Ogilvie: I think that as a society, we are trying to figure out what this post-pandemic world looks like from a workplace standpoint. The workplace is a very dynamic situation right now as we all try to find the right balance. For example, Church Mutual uses the hybrid approach to our team being in the office. But we don’t have all the answers. So we want to be observant and make sure we listen to our team and what they need.
PC360: What do you say to young people who ask for your best pitch as to why they should get into the insurance business?
Ogilvie: It’s a tremendous industry. I talk to a number of younger people about why I think insurance is interesting. This is an industry that rewards innovation and creativity. It really gives people a chance to distinguish themselves. Not only are they in a business where I think they’re bringing a valuable service and product to different people. I think there’s a huge opportunity for this next generation in insurance.
We as an industry still have a lot of work to do in the diversity and inclusion space. But I think we’re making progress.
I just think it’s a fabulous business. It’s intellectually challenging. You’re dealing with really sophisticated issues at times — anywhere from technology modernization to evaluating risk, and from loss prevention to claim mitigation. I think there’s a lot of upside for anyone who wants to come into this business.
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