Brian Dowler
Tyrone,GA
Summary
Goal-oriented business leader with distinguished experience in the insurance industry and proven leadership abilities. Expert in increasing productivity and customer satisfaction while driving revenue and sales. Committed to streamlining procedures while optimizing employee talent.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Territory Leader - Eastern Zone Small Business
Westfield
07.2020 - Current
- P&L responsibility for a 9 state territory (PA,DE,MD,VA,WV,NC,SC,GA,FL) in collaboration with a product counterpart and an underwriting counterpart
- Staffed territory from scratch in 90 days with 80% employee retention after 4+ years - managing 5 Territory Managers
- Eastern Zone named 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Zone Of The Year for Small Business - a measure of performance vs. KPI's
- Increased new business in 2021 by 24%, 16% in 2022 and 9% in 2023
- Achieved profit targets in 2021, 2022 and 2024
- Only zone to achieve both total written premium combined with profit in 2021, 2022 and 2024
- Increased total written premium from $159,000,000 year-end 2020 to $246,000,000 ending 2024
- Increased agency locations by 212
- Created an agency review process that has been adopted corporately
- Charged with creating and delivering the 2023 Small Business Kickoff meeting
- Representing Small Business on the 2026 Agency Compensation Project
- Coached and developed a direct report that was promoted in 2023 to be a counterpart
Small Business Sales Director
CNA Insurance Companies
12.2015 - 07.2020
- P&L responsibility for 9 states (GA,FL,LA,MS,AL,TN,NC,SC,IL) and 6 direct reports to drive growth and profitability of CNA Small Business
- Reconfigured staffing model from 9 to 6 marketing representatives while increasing new business each year and positively impacting expense ratio
- Increased net agency representation by 316 locations over 48 months
- Increased workers comp writings 27% via point-of-sale and cross selling initiatives
- Managed low producing agencies to double production
- Created New Agency On Boarding, Agency Business Planning and Agency Review best practices that have been adopted corporately
- Project Lead for Allego implementation
- Premium under management ended at $126,000,000 in premium in 2020 up from $89,000 in 2015
- Ended 2020 with the most profitable territory in small business with a loss ratio of 40%
- Chosen to mentor 2 peers
Resident Senior Vice President
Utica National Insurance
06.2014 - 12.2015
- Senior leader for the Mid-Atlantic regional operation with full P&L accountability for commercial and personal lines
- Managed a staff of 5 Marketing Representatives across 5 states (VA, MD, DE, NC, SC)
- Territory consisted of $107,000,000
- Member of the Utica National Operating Committee
- New commercial business increased 22% year-over-year with BOP up 76% and CPP up 92%
- Regional loss ratio ended with a 4 year low of 47%
Assistant Vice President
Donegal Insurance Group
10.2013 - 06.2014
- Responsible for the growth and profit in Virginia and North Carolina for commercial and personal lines business
- Managed a staff of 4 Territorial Sales Managers and 3 Commercial Production Underwriters
- Responsible for $70,000,000 in direct written premium
- Successfully implemented a commercial renewal processes which lead to an increase in retention of 3%
- Grew new business in personal lines by 13% and commercial lines by 16%
Regional Vice President
Travelers Insurance Inc
07.2010 - 10.2013
- Responsible for the P&L of the Mid-Atlantic Region which consisted of $345,000,000 in Personal Lines business across Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia
- Managed a staff of 15 including 2 Regional Sales Directors, 1 Regional Financial Officer, 1 Administrative Assistant, 1 Senior Sales Executive, 1 Associate Sales Executive and 9 Sales Executives.
- Successfully reversed a 44 month trend of policy loss to policy growth within 15 months of being promoted to RVP
- Regional ranking improved from 16/16 in 2010 to 8/16 in 2011, finished 2012 ranked 6/16.
- Turned over 60% of existing staff and created two new positions, Senior Sales Executive and Associate Sales Executive both for the purpose of development and bench strength
- Dramatically improved new business mix exceeding corporate targets
- Exceeded regional profit targets in 2010, 2012
- Left the role meeting policies in force targets while leading the most profitable region in the company
Regional Sales Director
Travelers Insurance Inc
01.2007 - 07.2010
- Responsible for the growth and profitability of personal insurance for the three state territory consisting of Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin
- Successfully directed a sales team that added 502 new locations, secured 86 book transfers and while increasing policies in force by 35,309 over a 3 year period
- Restructured staff via turning over 60% of existing team members while recruiting and adding 5 new Sales Executives - 3 became exceeds performers
- Doubled automobile and home market share in Minnesota as well as tripled automobile market share in Iowa while maintaining market share in Wisconsin from 2007-2010
- Key to process and best practice development
- Selected to lead a team to revise and improve the Personal Insurance Sales Executive Rating and Ranking Process for the company, reducing the process by 1.5 days
- Graduated from the Travelers Leadership Pipeline Program, including Leadership Challenge
- Finished 2009 ranked #1 out of 35 Regional Sales Directors finished 2008 ranked #4 countrywide
Director of Agency Development
Nationwide Mutual Insurance
03.2006 - 01.2007
- Responsible for developing and monitoring new agency programs in a home office setting
- Project management experience included - Revising the Agency Executive Program, Development of a formal exception process, 2007 Agency Strategy, Portfolio Disposition and Coastal Exposure Strategy
Sales Manager
Nationwide Mutual Insurance
04.2000 - 03.2006
- Primarily responsible for the agency production and profitability of personal and commercial business, as well as the production of life and financial services business
- Served in two entirely different markets, West Virginia and Texas
- Managed in five districts over a six year period, responsible for the largest territory in the company with $160,000,000 in direct written premium
- Recruited and hired (13), as well as terminated (1) agency principals as needed
- Successfully recruited independent agencies to the captive channel
- Coached and counseled agencies to grow direct written premium profitably
- Consistently exceeded established goals and objectives for property and casualty as well as life and financial targets
- Sales and business plan development and implementation
- Four-time Conference of Champions Qualifier
- Three-time Life Anniversary Qualifier
- Led all Sales Managers countrywide in distribution objective
- Graduate of both Ohio/West Virginia Region and Texas Region Leadership Development Programs
Education
B.A - Sports Management and Marketing
Marshall University
Huntington, WV1992
Skills
- Managing, coaching and mentoring
- Informed, confident decision maker
- Best practice development and implementation
- Agency management
- Sales action plan creation
- Distribution management
- Strategic Planning
- Building effective relationships
- Small business/Middle market operations and product
- Personal Lines operations and product
- Business analytics
- Advanced Salesforcecom user
- New business development and planning
- Analytical problem solver
- Influence without authority
- Goal setting
- Process improvement
- Influencing others
- Motivating teams
- Recruitment and hiring
- Team leadership
- Performance management
- Staff management
- Expectation setting
- Employee development
- Teamwork and collaboration
Additional Information
- Westfield Small Business Zone of the Year 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- 2008 and 2009 Travelers Regional Sales Director of the Year
- Nationwide Conference of Champions 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005
- Nationwide Life Anniversary 2002, 2003, 2004
- Two-time NCAA National Champion football coach at Marshall University (1992, 1996)
- 1991 Marshall University Quarterback Club Player Of The Year
- 1991 Marshall University Football Tom Starke award winner
Timeline
Territory Leader - Eastern Zone Small Business
Westfield
07.2020 - Current
Small Business Sales Director
CNA Insurance Companies
12.2015 - 07.2020
Resident Senior Vice President
Utica National Insurance
06.2014 - 12.2015
Assistant Vice President
Donegal Insurance Group
10.2013 - 06.2014
Regional Vice President
Travelers Insurance Inc
07.2010 - 10.2013
Regional Sales Director
Travelers Insurance Inc
01.2007 - 07.2010
Director of Agency Development
Nationwide Mutual Insurance
03.2006 - 01.2007
Sales Manager
Nationwide Mutual Insurance
04.2000 - 03.2006
B.A - Sports Management and Marketing
Marshall University
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