FROM THE PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT ' S LETTER
OUR PEOPLE ARE OUR COMPETITIVE EDGE written by David Vogel, KAIA President, ProValue Insurance
If there is one theme I hear consistently as I travel across Kansas and speak with agency owners, it is this: finding, developing, and retaining great people has never been harder – and it has never mattered more. As our industry evolves at a pace few of us anticipated, human resources is no longer a backoffice function. It is a strategic imperative.
The independent insurance channel is at a crossroads. Experienced producers and account managers are retiring at a steady clip, while the pipeline of incoming talent remains thin. According to recent industry data, nearly half of the current insurance workforce is expected to retire within the next decade. For many of our agencies – especially those in smaller Kansas communities – this is not a distant concern. It is happening now.
But I want to be clear: where there is challenge, there is also opportunity. The agencies that will thrive over the next decade are those that treat HR as a growth strategy. That means building a culture that attracts younger professionals who want purposeful work, clear advancement paths, and flexibility. It means investing in training and mentorship so that institutional knowledge does not walk out the door when a veteran agent retires. And it means leveraging technology – not to replace your people, but to free them to do the relationship-driven work that no algorithm can replicate.
“ For many of our agencies – especially
those in smaller Kansas communities – this is not a distant concern. It is happening now."
difference when it matters most. That is a powerful recruitment narrative, and we should own it proudly. KAIA is committed to being your partner in this effort. We are expanding our professional
Compensation matters, of course. But study after study confirms that today’ s workforce – especially Millennials and Gen Z – is equally motivated by mission, community, and growth. The independent agency model has a genuine story to tell here. We are locally owned. We serve our neighbors. We make a
34 KANSAS INSURANCE AGENT & BROKER