Title: Agency Owner
Experience:
My parents have always been in the insurance business, starting with Nationwide Insurance in 1972 and then later with Navarra Insurance. In 1991 they opened their own Independent Insurance Agency. Susan McConnell & Associates, Inc. My mother specializes in Group Health and Employee Benefits and my father focuses on Large Commercial Accounts.
I started working with them in 1992 while I was still in college. I continued to work part-time as a receptionist…then bookkeeper…then general service person until I graduated college (University of Pittsburgh) in 1995. Within 3 months after graduation I got my Agent Licenses for Property & Casualty and Life, Health & Accident. I started assisting my mother with her Group Health and Employee Benefit Accounts doing enrollments and selling Supplemental Payroll Deduction Products to all employees. I also helped my father with his Commercial Accounts with their Workers' Compensation Insurance by overseeing the Safety Committee Meetings.
After a couple years of “filling in the gaps” and assisting my parents with their work, I wanted to find my own niche and have something that I could be in charge of. Being young and smarter than my parents (at that "know it all age of 24") and since my parents swore that “they never wanted to sell Personal Lines Insurance again, because it is service intensive”, that is what I sought out to do first. I contacted 6 of our Commercial Companies asking them if by chance they were selling Personal Lines Insurance in Pennsylvania. And that is where it all started.
I started writing regularly with about 4 different companies (CNA, Met Life, USF&G, St. Paul, and Motorist Insurance). Each company had their pluses and minuses, but overall I was very happy with their products, pricing and service. The only company that ever gave me real competition was ERIE. They had it all...competitive pricing, high quality products and superior service.
So…If you can’t beat ‘em…You might as well join them! That is what I did…Well not exactly!
I wasn't actively looking to buy an agency, I got lucky! A former ERIE Agent approached me and asked if I was interested in buying an agency! I had no reason to say "No"! After about 8 months of meetings, budgeting, business plan writing, and interviews with ERIE Management, the deal was done.
In August 2001, I opened my own agency, M & M Insurance Group (formerly McGee Insurance Management). I was not in any way in competition with my parent's Agency. I was at a separate location across town. Our businesses complimented each other. I had a specific 1 Year and 3 Year Marketing Plan and Budget, going into the acquisition and I stuck with it and didn’t vary much. I wanted to grow this Agency in many ways…additional staffing…additional products…additional services providing for a larger client base. I wanted to create an Agency environment of Superior Products and Services with Highly Skilled, Committed and Friendly People that everyone could do business with. In fact, the Agency's greatest assets are my employees. They are experienced, knowledgeable, reliable, dedicated and amiable.
In July 2004, M & M Insurance Group and Susan McConnell & Associates decided to join forces and combine their operations into one central office location. Therefore, we are able to market our Agency as a true "Full Service Insurance Agency", specializing in Auto, Home, Commercial Business, Life, Health, Employee Benefits and Long Term Care Insurance. We offer extended office hours and are available early mornings, evenings and weekends making it convenient for people to do business with us.
M&M’s next milestone came in 2006 when we moved into our New Office Facility at 713 Wilmington Avenue. I love my new office environment. I take pride in the fact that I designed it on a piece of notebook paper with a layout that would promote the most functionality and efficiency. Today I only admit one design flaw…”the first floor needs an extra bathroom”. Later in 2006 I got pregnant and I began to prepare for taking some time off. Little did I know that in January 2007 I was put on strict bed rest by my doctor until the end of my pregnancy. Then in February 2007, at 6 months pregnant I was diagnosed with Kidney Cancer and had emergency surgery to have my Kidney removed. I did spend the rest of my pregnancy on strict bedrest and turned my bedroom into my home office equipped with my laptop, printer, copier, a desk and a file cabinet and I really didn’t miss a beat.
On May 25, 2007 I gave birth to a healthy baby boy and I remain cancer free to date. I am back to work, but with a more flexible schedule so that I can spend more time with Lucas. My parents and Department Managers and Office Manager have been instrumental in this transition as they have picked up a lot of my normal duties and they do it quite well!
Family: Son, Lucas Boyfriend, Jack Parents , Don & Susan and let’s not forget the most spoiled Golden Retriever in the World, Brandy.
What I Enjoy Most About My Job: I enjoy watching my employees grow stronger as a team as they excel in their development as experienced and confident individuals. Teamwork has been the secret to our success. I couldn’t handpick an ALL-STAR INSURANCE and SALES and SERVICE TEAM to run my office better than the people I have working for me. You can’t run a successful office with a bunch of individuals. You have to assemble a true team. Teamwork is fun! And successful teamwork brings desirable results!
Special Interests: Lucas is my number one priority. I enjoy watching him grow and learn new things each and every day! Other than that, a good nights sleep ranks high on my list of interests. A night at the Casino, a Shopping Spree, A good Concert are a few ways I like to unwind!
