Commitment to long-term goals vital, says high flying insurance executive

For one high flying industry veteran, the desire to grow as a professional in a stable environment has kept her from jumping ship for three decades

Insurance News

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High employee turnover might be the norm in many companies, but for industry veterans like Sonya Edwards the desire to grow as a professional in a stable environment and her loyalty to her employer - Bryan Insurance Agency - has kept her from jumping ship.

She’s been with Bryan Insurance Agency for 31 years, and continues to enjoy immense success and career growth.

“We live in an age where people just don’t stay at one job that long any more, but Sonya found a home at Bryan and has been a loyal and valuable employee,” said Tommy Dies, CFO of Bryan Insurance Agency.

Edwards started working at Bryan in May 1985, during the summer before her senior year.

“I was enrolled in what at the time was called VOE - Vocational Office Education,” she recalls. “I wanted to work in an office during my senior year as part of VOE. I really liked the agency and enjoyed the work, and 31 years later, I’m still here.”

She credits her innate inquisitiveness and strong desire to learn new skills as one of the major drivers of her success.

“No matter what your role is at your organization, listen and pay attention to what is going on around you,” she explains. “Remember when we used to have paper files and metal filing cabinets? One of my first jobs at the agency was filing and processing outgoing mail.

“That meant I spent a lot of time listening to the other employees on the phone with their clients or talking with them in person. I also paid a great deal of attention to the things I was filing and the mail I was preparing. This made for a much easier transition when I was asked to be a personal lines account manager. In other words, while it’s important to focus on the tasks given to you, use every task and position as a learning opportunity.”

She later decided to learn more about the commercial insurance side of the business, and now handles a number of large commercial insurance clients while continuing to be the personal lines team leader.

While individual success is important, employees also need to be committed to shared values. The staff at Bryan Insurance Agency believes in working as a T.E.A.M., because Together Everyone Achieves More.

Edwards epitomizes these values very well. “[She’s] been a model teammate and mentor to many of our other employees, as well as a friend,” said Denny Bryan, owner and CEO of Bryan. “We have been fortunate to have her here serving our clients for so long.”  

On another note, what advice does Edwards have for young women in college who want to break into the profession today?

“So often we hear stories like mine. I didn’t plan to be in insurance - I ended up here. If someone is working on their business degree and is considering a major or industry to pursue a career in, I [highly] encourage them to consider insurance. Look at the variety of positions available on both the agency and company side and you’ll see there are jobs [that suit] many different interests. The insurance industry offers a rewarding, interesting career.” 

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