John M. Howard is chairman and CEO of Truist Insurance Holdings where he oversees the retail and wholesale insurance businesses. He has three decades in financial services and currently serves as executive sponsor of the SERVE (Supporting Emergency Responders & Veterans Engagement) Business Resource Group at Truist. He is chairman of the board of both The American College of Financial Services and The Institutes, board officer secretary for the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, an overseer of the Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science at St. John’s University, and a member of the Insurance Policy Committee of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Additionally, he is a prior chairman of the board of trustees of Gill St. Bernard’s School, and recipient of the Hall of Fame Award from the Tri-County Scholarship Fund. Howard earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Columbia University and an MBA from Duke University and is a U.S. Navy veteran. In today’s episode of the In The Know podcast, Chris Hampshire and John discuss the transformative retail and wholesale market, the changes that have impacted the insurance industry, and how an unconventional path has benefitted his career, from his days in the Navy to his current role as CEO.

 

These onsite episodes of the In The Know podcast are brought to you by Gallagher Bassett.

 

Key Takeaways

• John shares the unconventional career path that led him to his current position.

• Doing deals was initially more interesting to John than insurance itself.

• John’s approach to transitioning from carrier to broker.

• A CEO’s perspective on effectively building company culture.

• Evaluating whether an insurance brokerage company is a good cultural fit.

• Characteristics for new hires don’t have to follow a conventional path.

• The CEO role has not always been what John initially anticipated.

• Key communication and education skills that apply to a wide variety of constituencies.

• John’s involvement at the Institute professional organization at the volunteer level.

• “Never stop learning” – John’s advice about continued education.

• Attracting new talent to the industry starts with embracing diversity and highlighting opportunities.

• The value of mentors in crafting a successful career.

• John’s view on the transformative advent of technology in the insurance industry.

• The impact of technology on the brokerage community.

• Insights into current and future changes in the wholesale space.

• A five-year look at the future of the insurance industry.

• The advice that John would have benefited from in his early career.