InsurOp-Ed: Transitioning to The Gallagher Way
Mr. Lodge is Gallagher’s Regional Branch Manager for New England
Since our merger with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Gallagher) on Oct. 31, 2023, we have leaned into the culture we have worked so hard to build over the past 20 years as a part of Eastern Bank. One of the key attributes we looked for in a partner was an organization who put people first, which is a key attribute for Gallagher. The synergy identified between our organizations was also a determining factor in choosing Gallagher. Their commitment to organic growth and acquisitions in the middle market, small commercial, personal lines, private client, and health & welfare practices perfectly aligns with our vision.
On Nov. 1, 2024, we woke up as part of the Gallagher family, excited about the new opportunities, tools and resources now available to customers.
The 37 agency acquisitions we made under our previous ownership taught us how important it is to be open to change and the benefits of taking the right approach to mergers and acquisitions. This has been incredibly beneficial as we moved into the Gallagher environment.
This approach has served us exceptionally well through the first seven months of integration and put us in a position of strength when it comes to enhancing development plans for our colleagues and providing greater value to our customers. Our leadership team has worked extremely hard to stay connected with our colleagues throughout the integration process; and our natural alignment with Gallagher’s organizational structure has allowed us to maintain our communication rhythm.
We experienced a smooth conversion for our colleagues and customers with a focus on completing necessary system changes, customer communications and re-calibration of our real estate footprint. The move to Gallagher allowed us to accelerate our plans to better align our real estate footprint with our post-COVID work environment. We are excited about how these changes will continue to embrace flexible work routines, stay local to the communities we serve and create a more collaborative environment for our colleagues when in the office.
Over the past seven months, we have been introduced to many of the expansive list of resources and technology in which Gallagher has invested and we look forward to the integration of additional tools that will add value to our customer relationships. These have exceeded our expectations and will have a dynamic impact on our ability to provide exceptional service to our existing customers, grow our client base and be the employer of choice for regional talent.
Our strategic goals over the next 3-5 years remain unchanged and are focused in three key areas:
✓ Accelerate Growth (organic and through acquisition)
✓ Enhance Operational Efficiencies
✓ Attract, Retain & Develop Top Talent
✓ Solidification of Gallagher’s unique culture, driving positive employee engagement and growth
The investments that Gallagher has made in these areas significantly improves our ability to execute on our dominant priorities. Moving forward, our emphasis will shift from identifying the proper resources to invest to the implementation of existing Gallagher resources in order to drive results aligned with our dominant priorities.
Looking ahead, I am excited about the opportunity to enhance Gallagher’s brand awareness in
Massachusetts and New England. In addition to continued investments in M&A, we are extremely well positioned to bring the national investments that Gallagher has made in people, process and technology to the colleagues, customers, and communities we serve. We are on a mission to make Gallagher the talk of the town in New England and excited about what the future holds.
