Behind the Shield - Shelter Insurance

Everyone at Shelter is different in the best possible way. For Customer Services Representative Paul Burley, he's an elite wheelchair softball athlete. He plays with national and elite professional softball teams. He joins the podcast to talk about his upcoming trip to the Wheelchair Softball World Series and what it's like to be playing on the biggest stage in the sport.

Listen to even more stories and in-depth conversation with Shelter's Todd Gardner and Chad Stevens about how they handled the costliest tornado in the history of Shelter Insurance. 10 years ago, a tornado devastated Joplin, Missouri. Todd and Chad were there hours after the tornado hit the town and remained closely involved all the way through the rebuild. They reflect on sights and images they will never forget and talk about the experiences they had during those tough times. They also talk about how that storm also led to new ways of doing business that are now standard at Shelter.

It's been 10 years since the costliest tornado in the history of Shelter Insurance devastated Joplin, Missouri. Springfield Branch employees Todd Gardner and Chad Stevens were there hours after the tornado hit the town and remained closely involved all the way through the rebuild. They reflect on sights and images they will never forget and talk about the experiences they had during those tough times. They also talk about how that storm also led to new ways of doing business that are now standard at Shelter.

Almost everyone at Shelter has heard of Reinsurance, but do you really know what it does and who is part of it? Kelly Hanes and Ben Graf sit down on the podcast to break down what Reinsurance is, does, and who the people are that make it up. They also talk about some of their favorite stories while dealing with customers.

Communities of Practice may not be a term you're too familiar with, but it is one of the most effective and efficient ways of teamwork. At Shelter, CoP are bringing departments together to become efficient and on the cutting edge of their type of work. This form of collaboration ultimately saves time, money, and keeps everyone engaged in what they do everyday.

Do you think you speak well in front of an audience and come off as a leader? Even if your answer is yes, Toastmasters can make you even better. President Don Martindale talks about what Toastmasters is and how it can increase your chances of advancing your career. It is open to all agents, employees and retirees. The focus is  on growing your skills and replacing doubt with confidence.

Arkansas RUS Darin Anderson joins the podcast to talk about how he's risen to find himself officiating track meets being shown on ESPN. He talks about where his love for track began and how he hopes to find himself as an official at the starting line of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Darin tells us while his track and Shelter worlds don't collide often, there have been cases where he's relied on experience in one to solve an issue in the other.

Technology is advancing faster than ever and the entire business world is trying to find ways to implement it to make products safer and more efficient. One of the up-and-coming forms is Blockchain Technology. Troy breaks down what it is, discusses things like cryptocurrency and smart contracts, and how this could be implemented at Shelter in the future.

The podcast's "Golden" episode talks about the Affiliate Agent program. Deidra Bryant, one of the most successful Affiliate Agents of all time, sits down and talks about why she loves being an affiliate agent. She tells us what she does and how affiliates can make an agency hit the next tier of production.

This episode was completely developed by you! Listeners sent in their gardening questions to the Shelter Insurance Superintendent of Grounds, Katrina Monnig. She gives tips and best practices of making your yard or plants look as nice as Shelter Gardens.