In the second installment of the Applied Client Network (ACN) Chapter Chats series, our team spoke with Renee Bronson of Insurance Office of America. Having been part of ACN's Florida Chapter for over 10 years, Renee is dedicated to nurturing community between insurance professionals in order to help them establish a lifelong network, and firmly believes in sharing knowledge through ACN's education opportunities.
Connections: Can you talk a little bit about how you got your start in the insurance industry?
Renee: How I got my start was kind of funny. I actually went into a local car insurance company to make a car payment and noticed a few job postings listed on a sign on one of the desks. At the time, I was in the HR world. I asked for more information, and I thought the job sounded pretty good. One thing led to another and I was convinced to get my insurance license and took a position in auto insurance claims. So, I worked in the auto insurance industry and then I eventually broke into the commercial insurance industry. Now, I’m a national operations technical specialist for Insurance Office of America (IOA).
Connections: What does your day-to-day look like having to manage your agency/brokerage role and your role as part of the Florida Chapter?
Renee: Day-to-day, we are constantly assisting other users. We are assisting them with basic usability issues and also training them on commercial lines. We focus on Applied Epic and helping users with internal projects and updates as well.
Connections: How long have you belonged to ACN’s Florida Chapter, and what was your motivation to join?
Renee: I have been part of the Florida Chapter for over 10 years. I started as a board member for two years, then moved into a vice president role for two years, then the president role for two years, and now I serve as the treasurer. My ambitious side and my involvement as a board member were recognized, and so I was groomed to be a leader of the chapter. It helped that I had been involved with the board and had served as the vice president, because I had that experience to be successful as the president.
As far as why I joined the chapter, I just loved the social aspect of being part of the ACN community, which was a big motivation behind me joining. I remember attending my first Applied Net and thinking how awesome it was and how many people I was able to connect with.
Connections: What are some ways leadership has helped ACN members stay connected, especially during COVID-19?
Renee: We immediately jumped on the opportunity to participate in virtual meetings and connect with people that way. We also stay in touch with people through our Facebook and LinkedIn. We had one of our members lead live trivia through Facebook. This type of interaction has always been important for our chapter. We have regular Zoom meetings for our team just to check in with them and make sure they are doing alright.
Connections: What would you say is the most beneficial part of being involved with the Florida Chapter?
Renee: As a leader, it’s very gratifying to be in a position to share knowledge. I love teaching and I love training. It’s also helped me establish so many new relationships, with both my fellow chapter leaders and also our Applied Systems representatives. I’ve been in positions where I was looking for a job, and I was able to reach out to these people and they didn’t hesitate to help me out. The community is unique. Being in the position of a president has also taken me out of my comfort zone since constant communication with people I know and complete strangers is so important. The feeling of helping someone is wonderful.
Renee is currently a national operations technical specialist (corporate trainer) with Insurance Office of America. She has been in the P&C insurance field since 2002, and has worked with Applied products for over 17 years. She has also held various roles on the board for the Applied Client Network Florida Chapter since 2009.