NIBA reveals NSW/ACT award finalists

The National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA) has revealed its NSW/ACT finalists for this year’s Broker and Young Professional Broker awards.

The 2022 NSW/ACT finalists for Broker of the Year are: Citadel Insurance Services Director Nicholas Bedggood, Aon Placement Director Property Sarah Worpole and Intuitive Insurance Solutions MD Shane Thaw.

The winner of each of the two categories will be announced on July 21 at the NIBA NSW Gala Lunch at Doltone House Hyde Park in Sydney. Five regional winners – from NSW/ACT, Queensland, Victoria/Tasmania, WA and SA/NT – will then go on to compete for the Stephen Ball Memorial Award for Insurance Broker of the Year, sponsored by QBE.

The finalists for Young Professional Broker of the Year are: Principle Insurance MD Elliott Morris, Austbrokers Client Service Manager (Corporate & Commercial) Brian Compay, DLB Insurance + Risk Solutions MD Dean Bowen and Ausure MD Sam Hunter.

The broker selected winner from those four finalists will join the prestigious Young Brokers Alumni Program of sponsor Vero and compete for the national Warren Tickle Memorial Award for Young Professional Insurance Broker of the Year.

Mr Bedggood is based in Newcastle and Mr Hunter in Young, while all other NSW/ACT finalists are located in Sydney.

Mr Bedggood says recent years have been “extremely tough,” and he “lost count of the number of people I’ve talked back off the wall from getting rid” of their insurance. “To be recognised as a finalist is a real pat on the back and it means all of the hours I’ve put in has been worth it,” he said.

Ms Worpole says the nomination is a great honour and she hopes to inspire others to pursue or develop their own career in the industry with “professionalism, integrity, respect and community spirit”.

Mr Thaw says he is proud and grateful. “I am passionate about delivering superior outcomes for my clients, and try my utmost to remove ambiguity, establishing a clear understanding between insured and insurer,” he said.

Mr Morris says the awards provide a platform to the wider community “to engage school leavers and the like to join our wonderful industry”.

Mr Compay says it is humbling to be nominated by colleagues. “To also have the support from my industry peers and clients really is the icing on the cake. I plan to continue to give back to the industry that gives me so much in return.”

Mr Bowen says becoming a finalist is an opportunity to reflect. “It’s allowed me to meet and spend some time with some well-respected leaders within our industry and learn something from them,” he said.

For Mr Hunter, the awards are “a nice time for me to sit down and reflect on what I think I am doing well in and what I can improve on”.

Last month, Hobart-based Gallagher Senior Account Executive Daniel Quintin was crowned this year’s Victorian/Tasmanian Broker of the Year while Aon/Affinity Insurance Brokers Client Manager Greg Shallard is that region’s 2022 Young Professional Broker.