Brian J. Rath
Little Silver
Summary
Highly motivated distribution executive with a proven track record of taking on new challenges. A diverse background in the insurance industry, with a primary focus on P&C, has continuously exceeded goals for national brokerages and carriers. Strong experience in placement leadership and business development, with both regional and national focuses. Strong work ethic, adaptability, and exceptional interpersonal skills. Adept at working effectively unsupervised and quickly mastering new skills.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of National Relationships, Distribution
Berkley Aspire (a W.R. Berkley Company)
01.2022 - Current
- Engage National Carrier Relationship and Regional Carrier Relationship executives at top 15 broker partners to develop engagement strategy across US to broaden footprint and find new distribution channels within existing clientele.
- Drive growth from 2 National Trading Partners > $1M gross written premium partners to 18 trading partners.
- Drive growth from 0 National Trading Partners > $10M gross written premium to 4 trading partners.
- Leads deployment of key strategies to promote YOY revenue growth and engagement with National Trading Partners and securing long-term growth strategy for existing clients that align with the executive leadership goals.
- Establishes business development best practices, sales process, & operational routines to drive effective growth and efficiency to drive desired sales outcomes.
- Establishes, cultivates, and maintains relationships with prospects to grow through new distribution channels by providing support, information, and guidance; researching and recommending new opportunities; recommending profit and service improvements.
- Direct and actively negotiate complex compensation negotiations with existing clients and prospective customers for all assigned National Trading Partners.
- Establish current and long-range goals and objectives and set strategic vision for Distribution in support of the Underwriting’s overall goals.
- Develop and coordinate all aspects of the sales cycle and methodology utilized to generate new sales opportunities and ensure profitable retention of existing clients including, analyzing, and evaluating the effectiveness of sales activities, methods, related costs, and results.
- Establish and oversee the execution of customized market strategies related to assigned product lines including, strategic planning, communication, market and competitive analysis and marketing strategies.
- Identify new prospects and build a sales pipeline that includes new business opportunities.
- Guides direct and matrix resources in development of annual business plans and growth strategies to ensure metrics and revenue goals are being met.
- Advanced understanding of company products or services as well as business position and competition to keep business competitive.
Business Development Leader, VP: Field Operations
QBE North America
New York
08.2016 - 08.2021
- Drive segment engagement of national and regional initiatives to ensure profitable growth and deliver on rate and retention targets.
- Build strategic relationships with current and potential agents/brokers by networking and providing engaged consultation to foster business growth and meet underwriting and profitability goals.
- Deliver new business development by executing company strategies and policies to ensure streamlined approach meets annual objectives.
- Optimize team operations for the eastern region by partnering with Sales Executives and Segment Underwriters, sharing expertise and providing solutions to department issues to ensure profitable growth and business development aligns with business objectives.
- Cultivate innovative segment growth by monitoring relevant trends of competition, identifying and analyzing opportunities, capitalizing on opportunities for continuous improvement and anticipating and mitigating risks to align with organizational growth objectives.
- Participation in annual forecasting of assigned target clients, developing the financial planning of new written/gross written premiums for these clients and delivery of expectations to senior leadership by establishing agreed upon annual targets.
- Established ownership of relationships with top two target trading partners in the East region, developing a cadence of interaction specific to building the pipeline by targeting new business opportunities 60/90/120 days out that align with evolving appetite.
- Managed the underwriting process and underwriters assigned to my clientele to deliver competitive terms & conditions, price and Global Risk Solutions quotations, in order to exceed expectations specific to Quote:Bind Ratio & Hit Ratio for the region.
- Established bi-monthly internal cross-solution meetings specific to pipelining opportunities for MLPL & P&C business units, by reviewing upcoming renewal books for each and determining where operations of insureds overlap in appetite, resulting in presentation of an integrated product solution to trading partner.
- Shared responsibility in weekly regional sales call to review new business opportunities, targeted pipelined accounts, quotes out to broker, and opportunities with expectation to bind in order to streamline process and manage communication internally & externally.
- Achieved a retention of 85% on renewal book consisting of $45M in gross written premium with goals of $10M in new written premium for 2020 at target doors.
- YoY growth in NWP for my target doors from 2019 - 2020 exceeded 52% in premium & 120% in number accounts bound.
- Achieved growth in top two major trading partners NWP from 2019 - 2020, in wake of pandemic, at 97% YoY.
National Industry Placement Leader, VP: Qualified Solutions Group
Marsh & McLennan USA, Inc.
New York
09.2011 - 08.2016
- Manage team of 15 Placement Specialists located in New York and Chicago specializing in the placement of the property and casualty lines of coverage for clientele located in North America.
- Desk focused on clients whose operations exist in business segments of Commercial Real Estate, Life Science, Construction, Power & Utility and Chemicals.
- 2015 resulted in premium throughput total for Industry desk of $61.9M and a transaction count (# policies placed) of 1195.
- Recommended and secured promotions for 3 team members to higher level of corporate designation title (AVP/VP).
- Maintained responsibilities as Senior Placement Specialist, personally placing coverage on over 200 policies.
- Retention of book at 95% and increase in profitability by 16%.
Southeast Placement Team Leader, VP: Qualified Solutions Group
Marsh & McLennan USA, Inc.
New York
09.2011 - 08.2016
- Responsible for dual leadership role of two teams consisting of 15 Placement Specialists located in New York & Chicago (See Above) specializing in placement of property and casualty lines of coverage for clientele located in our Southeast Zone (Philadelphia through Miami) and Nationally for our Industry Desk.
- Southeast desk responsible for clients whose operations considered general business practice (FI’s, Manufacturing, Retail/Wholesale, Distribution, etc) for colleagues located in the S.E. Zone.
- 2015 resulted in premium total for this Zone of $37.2M and a transaction count (# policies placed) of 637 policies.
- Mentored a direct report and oversaw his development into a leadership role, securing role as my successor as S.E. Team Leader to focus on the Industry team.
- Recommended and secured promotions for 2 team members to higher level of corporate designation title (AVP/VP).
- Maintained Retention of book at 93% and increase in profitability by 13%.
Senior Placement Specialist, AVP: National Desk Property & Casualty Insurance
Marsh & McLennan USA, Inc.
New York
09.2011 - 08.2016
- Negotiation of annualized contracts between clientele and commercial insurance companies.
- Industry specialist in property and casualty lines of coverage for classes of business: Financial Institutions, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Distribution, Real Estate, Chemically Driven Products, etc.
- Responsible for presentation illustrating contract certainty, coverage comparisons, amendments to program structure, and evidencing the financial differences as applicable to each policy to C Suite Executives.
- Identify hazards and communicate with best risk transfer partner to develop insurance program utilizing relationships in the marketplace, securing coverage with A-rated insurance provider.
- Responsible for 12.6% growth in profitability of book of business, through winning new business or increasing yield on existing accounts by negotiating a higher commission on 23% of accounts assigned.
- Understanding operational risks and loss potential of clientele by reviewing contracts with trading partners and/or vendors of products, review of expiring policies, reviewing wording in endorsements added to the policy and comparing to the insured’s exposures to ensure necessary coverage in place.
- 100% retention of book of business also responsible for winning new prospective clients adding to growth of department.
Account Executive, AVP: Property & Casualty Insurance
Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc.
New York
08.2009 - 03.2010
- Day to day oversight of 20+ account book of business with diverse spectrum of operations.
- Develop and implement strategic renewal goals for varying clientele with unique business needs.
- Create carrier submissions comparing financial exposure basis and loss experience to expiring term.
- Secure multiple quotations from competing markets to maximize coverage and minimize pricing.
- Create multi-line program comparison for renewal proposal to illustrate all options of rate, limits, & cost.
- Coordinate and present proposal via client visit or conference call with specialists from each line of cover participating.
- Confirm order to bind coverage from client and secure confirmation bound from selected market.
- Oversee account management throughout term amending coverage when necessary and billing accordingly.
Placement Specialist, AVP: Property & Casualty Insurance
Willis North America, Inc.
New York
09.2007 - 08.2009
- Worked on client service team in conjunction with Client Advocate (Account Executive) to develop renewal marketing strategy four months out from renewal date.
- Created renewal submission template within Nexsure system and transmitted modified carrier specific submissions to markets with appetite for exposure basis.
- Created coverage comparison analyzing multiple quotation options from varying competitive markets.
- Added property and casualty lines of coverage to CA’s account proposal highlighting enhancements and premium savings.
- Secured confirmation of coverage bound from the selected market and consent to compensation from client.
Broker: Commercial Lines and Property & Casualty Insurance
Crump of New York, Inc
New York
03.2004 - 09.2007
- Built a $200,000 revenue book of business from the ground up through solicitation of new clientele.
- Brokered accounts, summarized market development, and analyzed qualifications of risks; which resulted in increased revenue through new or existing retail agent clientele.
- Negotiated terms and conditions of policies and communicated quotation to retail brokers.
- Responsible for overseeing the correct issuance of all documentation pertaining to the transaction including, but not limited to invoicing, policy review and binding.
Associate Account Executive: Commercial Lines
Frank Crystal & Company, Inc.
New York
09.2002 - 03.2004
- Acquired information necessary for marketing of renewal/ prospective accounts.
- Created Acord applications, specifications, secured quotations, created proposals, and bound coverage on behalf of Account Executive.
- Prepared and issued binders, invoices, auto identification cards and certificates of liability.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature and Writing, Business Management
Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT05.2002
Skills
- Relationship management
- Sales strategy
- Client retention
- Team leadership
- Effective communication
- Pipeline development
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Change management
- Contract negotiation
- Risk management
Timeline
Head of National Relationships, Distribution
Berkley Aspire (a W.R. Berkley Company)
01.2022 - Current
Business Development Leader, VP: Field Operations
QBE North America
08.2016 - 08.2021
National Industry Placement Leader, VP: Qualified Solutions Group
Marsh & McLennan USA, Inc.
09.2011 - 08.2016
Southeast Placement Team Leader, VP: Qualified Solutions Group
Marsh & McLennan USA, Inc.
09.2011 - 08.2016
Senior Placement Specialist, AVP: National Desk Property & Casualty Insurance
Marsh & McLennan USA, Inc.
09.2011 - 08.2016
Account Executive, AVP: Property & Casualty Insurance
Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc.
08.2009 - 03.2010
Placement Specialist, AVP: Property & Casualty Insurance
Willis North America, Inc.
09.2007 - 08.2009
Broker: Commercial Lines and Property & Casualty Insurance
Crump of New York, Inc
03.2004 - 09.2007
Associate Account Executive: Commercial Lines
Frank Crystal & Company, Inc.
09.2002 - 03.2004
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature and Writing, Business Management
Fairfield University
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