Gifford Carr names new head of business development

Emmans has nearly two decades of entrepreneurial experience, currently serving as a partner at Obvious Advantage Inc. Prior to that, he was president of Corporate Housing Interiors Ltd. – a role he had served for a decade – and he was also the director of sales and marketing, as well as chief marketing officer at Custom Home Interiors for 16 years.

“Having someone of Andrew’s experience, skillset and professionalism to lead our business development team will be a big asset for our clients, prospects and account executives alike,” said Gifford Carr Insurance Group president Matthew Carr, CIP. “I look forward to working with him to further grow our team and our impact in the communities we serve.”

“I have run my own business’ for quite some time, and funny enough, have been and continue to be a client myself of Gifford Carr. I know the organization is well positioned for growth, the team is solid, and has an incredibly strong foundation,” commented Emmans.

Emmans also remarked that he was drawn to the role after a conversation with Matthew Carr, when he asked the president why he would appoint someone without a background in insurance. According to Emmans, Matthew told him that the company is looking for “someone who does not have a pre-conceived notion of how things are to be done.”

“I took it that he did not want to hear the words ‘We have always done it this way.’ This type of thinking can kill creativity, all business’ need to evolve and I think the Gifford Carr team embraces that whole heartedly,” said Emmans.

Read more: Gifford Carr Insurance Group opens new office

Earlier this year, Gifford Carr opened a new office in Sudbury, ON. Led by personal lines practice leader Lorna Courchesne, the new location came less than a year after the brokerage had opened another office in North Bay, ON.