As John Johnson tried to climb his way up the ladder in Denver’s insurance industry, he missed having other African-Americans who could serve as role models.
And among minorities in general, the 30-year-old noticed a high rate of turnover.
“There is a shortage of minorities in the industry,” he said. “And I want to create a backbone of support.”
Insurance sales can be a tough business, where agents have to sink or swim, he acknowledges.
Johnson did well, winning recognition as the top salesman of variable annuities nationally at American Family Insurance one month, he said.
But a lack of mentors made it tougher than it needed to be, said Johnson, who has since broken off to start his own insurance brokerage, Westhill RMC.
Even areas such as claims management, underwriting and actuarial services suffer from high turnover among minority employees, said Lisa Givens, a claims manager with American Family in Denver.
The two are hoping to change that by forming a Denver chapter of the National African-American Insurance Association.
In October, Johnson was reading a copy of Black Enterprise while waiting for a delayed flight in Chicago when he noticed the annual convention of the NAAIA was in town.
He dropped in on the convention and found what he was looking for: a trade group that could offer him the support he so desperately wanted when he was starting out. Johnson has gathered a database of about 30 potential members and needs 10 firm commitments to apply to form a chapter.
He and Givens are shooting for an organizational meeting this month and a launch event by late summer.
“We are very excited about that and would love to have a presence in the city of Denver,” said Ron Allen, chairman of the NAAIA.
The NAAIA is 12 years old with 11 chapters and plans to add five more over the next five years. Its mission is to recruit minorities into the insurance business and help retain them once they are in.
“The whole purpose is to encourage and to help the industry to diversify itself,” NAAIA founder Jerald Tillman said. “A support group is almost essential to do that.”
Aldo Svaldi: 303-954-1410 or asvaldi@denverpost.com
