Meet the 2022 Award Winners!
We’re honored to announce the winners of our fifth-annual Agent for the Future Award. Learn more about the winners:
The Agent for the Future awards recognize the most forward-thinking, innovative independent insurance agents and agencies.
Much has changed in the five years since the Agent for the Future awards were first introduced, but through it all, future-looking agents have grown and evolved, meeting each challenge and change head-on.
Agents for the Future are innovative and growth-focused, adapting to changing market conditions and staying ahead of emerging trends. They are digitally savvy, embracing new technologies to improve efficiency and enhance the customer experience. They are people-focused, building inclusive workplace cultures to attract and retain top talent.
The 2022 Agent for the Future awards include four categories for agencies and two for individuals who are working to build a stronger, more innovative and inclusive independent agency system.
A panel of industry veterans will judge applications based on the degree in which they demonstrate three key qualities: innovation, creativity and impact. Applications are now closed. Sign up for the Agent for the Future newsletter to get notified when winners are announced.
The Agent for the Future awards are open to all independent insurance agencies and brokers that sell personal lines or small commercial and are based in North America. Entrants are not required to be authorized to write business with Liberty Mutual or Safeco Insurance. Keep reading to learn more about the categories, and sign up for our email updates to be the first to know about the winners.
Why Enter?
Winning Agencies Receive
$5,000 cash prize
Each winner receives a $5,000 cash prize to support agency growth and innovation, with full autonomy over how and where the funding is utilized. Past winners have put the funding toward chatbot development, employee retention programs and implementing new marketing strategies.
Industry Recognition
The Outstanding Agency Overall and Outstanding Female Principal will be profiled in Rough Notes. Award winners are also featured on AFTF.com, in a press release and through supporting promotional efforts.
The limited-edition trophy and bragging rights don’t hurt, either.
Categories
The 2022 award features categories for both agencies and individuals.
Applicants that meet the qualifications of multiple categories are welcome to submit more than one application, and Agent for the Future reserves the right to consider applications for additional categories, as relevant and qualified. Applicants cannot win the same category multiple years in a row.
2022 Agent for the Future, Outstanding Agency Overall
As the top agency award, the Agent for the Future, Outstanding Agency Overall honor is awarded to the agency – big, small or somewhere in-between – that best demonstrates the qualities of an Agent for the Future.
Past winners shared about innovative ways they have grown their agencies and invested in driving the whole independent agency system forward. For example: building an AI chatbot, creating a platform to teach other IAs about digital marketing, using data to streamline processes and optimize their workplace culture, partnering with minority-owned agencies and leading DEI efforts.
All agencies that apply for the Agent for the Future, Outstanding Agency Overall category are automatically entered into the Outstanding Small and Large Agency categories, based on annual revenue.
Additional Agency Awards
- Outstanding Small Agency: Awarded to an agency that meets all the requirements of an Agent for the Future, with less than $2 million in annual revenue.
- Outstanding Large Agency: Awarded to an agency that meets all the requirements of an Agent for the Future, with more than $2 million in annual revenue.
- Digital Innovator: Awarded to the most digitally savvy agency that is embracing the most cutting-edge tools and tactics. They are data-driven, omni-channel, are leveraging technology to improve the customer and employee experience.
Individual Awards
Outstanding Female Agency Principal
This award celebrates the women that have built thriving careers within the independent agency system, despite the many barriers of the traditionally male-dominated insurance industry. Whether a founder, partner or other c-level executive – they are an established leader within their agency and the independent agent community at large, and are deeply dedicated to progressing the industry forward.
Emerging Leader
What separates an Emerging Leader is their unconventional path to building and growing their business. This agent or broker may be in the early stages of their journey to becoming an Agent for the Future, are operating a non-traditional agency, have overcome adversity or are breaking down barriers. They are the face of a new wave of insurance agencies and have a unique story to tell.
Meet the Judges
Tyler Asher
Kristin Garlow
