Board Spotlight: Karyn Roeling

 

My dad started the agency in 1972, and I grew up around insurance, so I knew more than the average bear about it. I was a huge Florida State fan, so I applied there and got in. I wanted to be a marine biologist at first, but I realized quickly that it wasn’t for me. So, I got into the College of Business and took an Intro to Risk Management and Insurance class with Dr. Robert Marshall, and he did a great job selling the insurance industry. I ended up majoring in it, really enjoyed it, and graduated in 2002. After graduation, I knew I would eventually go into the agency world, but I wanted to be an underwriter first, so I took an underwriter position with USAA. From there, I moved up within management and, about three years in, decided it was time to go over to the agency side.  

 

 

My dad. Even from a young age, I got to see the flexibility owning his agency gave him because he was always at my softball games. When I started working at the agency at 25, he let me lead the team and make decisions within a couple years of me working there. Although we didn’t always see eye-to-eye on things, he would give me the freedom to make mistakes and own my successes, which is what helped me learn. Without that opportunity, I wouldn’t be where I am today. 

 

 

Say yes to a lot of things. A lot of opportunities came my way early on, and education was a big part of that for me because I was so young in the field. Right out of college, I got my CPCU and continued on to get my CIC, and I think it helped my career tremendously because I knew what I was talking about on another level beyond what you learn in a licensing class. Because I said yes to so many things, I was able to convey the information I was picking up while talking to legislators in Tallahassee and weave it into my conversations with clients. When they’d ask me why their rates were going up, I could go deeper, and my clients really valued that. USAA paid for my CPCU, and I, as an employer, pay for my employees to take those types of classes. So, I would say take advantage of those resources and get involved with your peers through professional development opportunities like the Young Agents Council. A lot of industries are not as collaborative as the insurance industry, so I think, as a young agent, taking advantage of that is key. 

 

 

For me, it’s helping people. I love to help my customers, demystifying insurance, and turning around the public opinion that insurance agents are bad people. We’re actually really good people, and we’re there for our clients during some of the worst moments of their lives. I also always want to be on the inside track of what’s happening in my industry. FAIA is a leader and often knows what’s happening before it happens. Being on the board and being involved in those conversations to not only find out information, but also to help shape what happens in the future for insurance while becoming great friends with the other people on the board is awesome. I remember when I first started coming around FAIA in my 20s and looking up to all these industry veterans on the board and now, I’m the board chair and have been in the industry for 23 years, which is a neat feeling.  

 

 

Intense. Because when I say I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it or at least I’m going to follow up and say, “Hey, something happened, and I didn’t get to it. But now, here’s the new deadline.” People would probably say I’m a little intense when it comes to getting things done for my customers. 

 

 

It’s a surprise to some when I talk about my desire to explore the world and be out of the United States for half the year, or even getting a place in Europe, and doing a ton of traveling. I love traveling and I love being over in Europe so that’s a goal of mine in the future. 

 

 

Watching the team members grow. We’ve hired a lot of people outside of insurance and converted them to insurance. Watching people develop the passion that I have for the industry, watching all the dots connect and seeing that light bulb moment is something I like a lot.  

 

 

Because we’re in such a male-dominated field, being the chair of FAIA is pretty cool. Somebody told me I’m like the sixth woman to be FAIA chair and it’s cool to be a part of such a small group of folks when the association has been around for so long.  

 

  

Time blocking and sticking to my calendar. Not overbooking when you know somebody wants to meet has been very good for my efficiency and productivity. 

 

 

Taking over the family agency. My dad had many tenured employees at the time, and I had to be very careful with my decisions. I felt like I had to gear up on my education and know everything to the “T” if I was going to come in and lead these folks and shut down any claims of nepotism. I did a lot of things to prepare and joined a CEO group called Vistage that was helpful with advice. I’ve been in it for 15 years or so, and it was very helpful to me during my transition into leading the organization.