Left to right, back row: Lisa Lounsbury, President and CEO, Big I-New York; Tom Tempeny, Director of Corporate Services, Merchants; Richard MacDonald, Chair of the Board, Big I-New York; Andy Meehan, Regional Vice President, Eastern Strategic Business Center, Merchants; Bob Zak, President and CEO, Merchants; Charlie Makey, Senior Vice President, Insurance Operations, Merchants; Rich Chichester, Regional Vice President, Midlantic Regional Office, Merchants; Lisa Wishman, Assistant Vice President of Marketing, Merchants; and Dan Bierbrauer, Vice President of National Distribution, Merchants.
Left to right, front row: Scott Behrent, Regional Vice President, New England Regional Office, Merchants; John Bodensteiner, Corporate Business Analytics Specialist, Merchants; and Greg Robinson, Regional Vice President, Western Strategic Business Center, Merchants.
The award was presented May 10, 2018, at the installation dinner of the Big I-New York at the Westin Hotel in Buffalo.
Bob Zak, Merchants president and CEO, said, “My Colleagues at Merchants and I are gratified to receive this recognition from Big I – NY, which heightens our commitment to the independent agency system. We will continue to work diligently to provide the products, pricing, and service on which independent agents rely to serve their clients.”
The Outstanding Company Partner Award was presented to Merchants for scoring the highest in their responses to a self-evaluation survey. The results were reviewed by representatives from local agent associations in New York affiliated with Big I New York. Survey questions focused on the products and services the insurers provide in areas strategic to supporting the independent agency system.
“[Merchants is] dedicated to working with independent agents and go above and beyond by providing agency training, financial support for producers, marketing and advertising support, leads and internship to their agent partners,” said Richard MacDonald, Chair of the Board, Big I New York.
Merchants is focused on providing superior customer service, quick response times and settling claims issues accurately and fairly. For the past several years, the Buffalo-based company has focused on increasing the use of technology for agents and policyholders.
