What makes an Insurance Business Canada Awards winner?

“We’re constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to things like sustainability; we’re constantly out there, growing and evolving and investing in the community,” he said.

Community was of vital importance for many winners – “for us it’s all about community,” said a Desjardins representative – and they said they believed that giving back and getting involved had helped set their entries apart.

“I hope this demonstrates that it doesn’t really matter how small or big you are, you can make a difference in your community and around the world,” said Brian Schryer, CEO of family-owned New Brunswick based Kent & White Insurance, winner of the Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility category.

Read more: Revealed – Insurance Business Canada award winners for 2022

A focus on bringing great service to clients in what can be a challenging environment was also highlighted as winning material. Inclusive cultures, and talent more broadly, were also of importance for winners when weighing up their victory.

Enabling people to bring their “authentic” selves to work and putting time into “building an inclusive culture” was key for CNA, said Terri Mason-Benjamin, CNA VP, marketing and distribution, Canada.

“We’ve obviously seen exponential growth over the last number of years but the thing that does it for us is we have, I believe, some of the best people in the business, and we’re having fun, and we’re a family and everybody’s in this together,” said Stephen Billyard, president of Billyard Insurance Group (BIG), winner in the big brokerage of the year category.

“We’ve got a lot of young people, with a great management team underneath us that helps us in pushing this every day, and we’ve got a lot of good insurance company partners,” said CJ Nolan, CEO and president of Munn Insurance, named brokerage of the year (10 to 100 staff).

Individual winners all had their own stories and different paths to achievement.

For Sukhdeep Kang, Armour Insurance Brokers CEO, being a “woman generally in insurance” can pose its challenges, being a “brown woman” at times even more so. Kang, who has led Armour since 2010, was named Leader of Change for her efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion.

Winning the award “gives me more responsibility to bring change, not only in my office but across the industry, and to bring more diversity,” Kang said.

“It’s always been that the journey is more important than the destination for me,” said Asima Zahid, Lloyd’s director of market development, winner of the Business Development Manager of the Year award.

As for what sets her apart, Zahid said: “Regardless of how a broker fits in with the Lloyd’s proposition, I always try to help them, even going outside of what is required.”

Tiffany Reider, Westland manager of client experience and Insurance Broker of the Year, reflected on a “whirlwind” year in which with her family brokerage Reider Insurance was snapped up by Westland.

“Going from eight offices in Manitoba to now a national company is a huge change, and it’s an honour to be able to represent Manitoba and Westland,” she said.

Read more: Westland Insurance Group continues acquisition spree

“I used to think kindness was an underrated virtue,” said Amy Stiller, Northbridge underwriting specialist and Underwriter of the Year. “But I do think that’s what makes me stand out from other people – empathy and a willingness to help.”

Insurance is “your bread and butter”, said Young Achiever of the Year Reygel Robles, JEM Insurance Group insurance broker, and to succeed you must learn “not only the products but also the passion for the business”.