SPOTLIGHT
Words from a 40-year brokerage veteran —
Cindy Gentry
The Douglas Mooers Award for Excellence is NAILBA’s most coveted and prestigious accolade
honoring distinction in brokerage. It is presented annually to individuals most committed to
furthering independent life brokerage as a distribution system, and who demonstrates an
exemplary record of community service.
NAILBA’s 2019 recipient, Cindy Gentry, has stamped the industry with her seal. As she
ventures into retirement, Gentry’s success has been one to marvel upon. In her almost 40-year
career, Gentry exemplified the very core of the Douglas Mooers Award for Excellence. She
assumed copious leadership roles throughout the industry, receiving several awards along the
way, accomplishments that became a testament to her business acumen and esteem among
her peers. From serving as President of Corpus Christi, TX NAIFA Chapter, to recognition as
“Agent of the Year,” by her local CLU Society, Gentry is a pioneer among brokerage principals.
Gentry has indeed carved out her legacy and shares some thoughts on how brokers can
leave their mark.
In her almost 40-year
career, Cindy Gentry
exemplified the very
core of the Douglas
Mooers Award for
Excellence.
The consumer’s wants
For those new to the industry, Gentry notes that she believes there is still a place
for brokerage distribution. However, the brokerage of the future needs to be more
open to the consumer. Be open-minded to how the consumer wants to shop and
learn. They are calling the shots and are empowered to do so. It is time to adapt
and meet the consumers’ requirements and not the other way around. “Think of
Capital One and its new ‘Coffee Shop Banking’ concept,” Gentry recommends.
Recruiting women brokerage
Insurance is a service-oriented business, and it is typically an innate part of
women’s makeup to be more caring and nurturing. This inherent nature makes
women well suited for the industry. Still, they also need to be dedicated, resilient,
robust, and organized.
Gentry shares, “I have often thought that a campaign to uplift the image of
the insurance agent would do a lot. Not only to recruit women but also to attract
younger generations to join our industry.”
General vs. niche
Working a particular niche or two provides more insight into the character of those
individuals and their needs. Find your target groups such as millennials, women, high net-
worth, or foreign nationals and study them to become familiar with them. This focus allows
you to not only service your customer, but to do so well.
Do note, to focus on specific niches with success, an openness to the consumer’s wants,
as mentioned earlier, is required.
Balanced technology
Technology is a must in running a business. There is no question about it. The key here is
balance. There is something lost in just emailing or texting when it comes to communication.
Gentry concludes, “I am still a great advocate of picking up the phone for creating the best
conversations.”
Nona Phinn
President & Consultant
THuS Marketing and Branding
www.nailba.org
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