Vic/Tas Broker of the Year and Young Broker of the Year Award finalists announced
NIBA is proud to announce the Victorian/Tasmanian finalists for the 2022 QBE sponsored Broker of the Year Award and the Vero sponsored Young Broker of the Year Award.
NIBA CEO Philip Kewin said, “I would like to congratulate Andrea, Daniel, Matthew on becoming finalists for the Vic/Tas Broker of the Year award, and I look forward to what should be a very special presentation to the state winner.”
“I would also like to congratulate the Vic/Tas Young Broker of Year award finalists – Greg, Josh and Riley. It’s so exciting to see this young talent coming through and wish them all the very best for the state award.”
The winner of the Vic/Tas 2022 Broker of the Year Award will also receive the inaugural Graham ‘Bear’ Stevens Trophy. This trophy is in recognition of Graham Stevens‘ significant contribution and dedication to NIBA and the broader broking profession.
Finalists for the Vic/Tas Broker of the Year award:
Andrea Porte, Client Manager, Aon
Andrea’s career started in the insurance industry in 2002, where she worked in the broking and loss adjusting sectors.
Her experience as a Loss Adjuster responding to catastrophes such as bushfires, floods, cyclones and tropical storms eventually motivated her to move into broking in 2011.
Andrea prides herself in her extensive insurance knowledge, her ability to ensure her clients feel supported and valued, and her commitment to ongoing professional development.
“As brokers, we use data-driven assessments to help our clients be informed and make better decisions, which strongly positions us in advocating for our clients. We must continually strive to understand them and all aspects of their businesses to ensure we are best representing them and placing appropriate covers on their behalf.
To be recognised in this manner for the work I do is deeply humbling.”
Daniel Quintin, Senior Account Executive, Gallagher
Daniel began working as a broker in 1998, working for a firm based in Essex, on the outskirts of London.
He relocated to Tasmania in 2015 to work for Gallagher, where he has been recognised for solving challenging problems for his clients and attaining several organisational accolades.
In 2015, Dan and his wife settled in Hobart to raise a family. They now have two young boys, Frank and Albert.
“Being a finalist validates all the work and dedication I put in, not only for my clients, but to the industry as a whole.
As a financial service provider, I’m across the significant change, regulation and market forces that impact my panel of insurers, and my clients.
I like to better understand the changing landscape, this enables me to upskill and act accordingly. NIBA have been instrumental in this process, the work they undertake, the advocacy they provide, really helps demonstrate to the wider community the value that we all provide as brokers.
As a trusted advisor to my clients, I know that they take comfort in the continuity and stability that I provide them, even when I’m tasked with explaining matters to them that have significant implications to their own insurance programs.”
Matthew Schinck, Head of Placement, National, Aon
Matthew entered the insurance industry when he was just 23 years old, with very little understanding of the industry. Fast-forward 19 years, he now leads a team of seven in Aon’s National segment.
Matthew is dedicated to building back the community’s faith in insurance brokers. He has been recognised for his ability to explain changing policies to clients, improving submission standards within Aon, and leading a team that has delivered the best advice and advocacy to clients.
“It’s incredibly humbling to become a Vic/Tas finalist of the Broker of the Year award.
I really had no idea as a 23 year old what I wanted to do and the industry has been incredibly kind to me. Being a finalist provides me with the platform to pay forward the support, guidance and education provided to me during my 19 years in the industry.
I’m fiercely proud of the way I do my job and the purpose we all serve, and I want to instil that passion in as many colleagues, industry-wide, as I can.”
The Broker of the Year Award, sponsored by QBE, goes to an individual broker who is deemed an inspirational role model for the broking community.
A high-performing broker in each of the five NIBA regions (NSW/ACT, QLD, SA/NT, VIC/TAS and WA) will be recognised as the state/territory recipient of the Broker of the Year Award, and will go on to compete for the national Stephen Ball Broker of the Year Award. NIBA would like to thank QBE for sponsoring the award.
For more information, please visit the NIBA awards page.
The finalists for the Vic/Tas Young Broker of the Year award:
Greg Shallard, Client Manager, Aon/Affinity Insurance Brokers
Greg’s personal passion for working with horses and in the outdoors led him to pursue an insurance broking role working for the equine and leisure industry.
By combining his personal passion with insurance knowledge, Greg has established himself as a key player in the industry, now overseeing a team that manages more than 7,500 accounts, from small family businesses to national sporting associations.
“To me, becoming a finalist of the Vic/Tas Young Broker of the Year award is a reflection of the work of my team, the leaders at Aon & Affinity Insurance Brokers who have put their trust in me in this role and the faith that my clients in the outdoor and equine industry have in representing their industry.
Being a finalist of the Vic/Tas Young Broker of the Year award also gives me another platform to better represent and support the outdoor and equine industries in their advancement, help clients achieve their personal and business goals and provide a safer and more secure environment for people to participate in.”
Josh Meyer, Chief Executive Officer/ Account Director, Avatar Brokers
Josh’s career in insurance broking began in 2012, while he was still a college student in Ohio. He had interned with a smaller brokerage firm called Avatar Brokers in Melbourne and enjoyed the experience so much that when Avatar offered him a full-time position, he instantly accepted and permanently relocated to Melbourne.
Since then, Josh has gone on to become Avatar’s Chief Executive Officer and Account Director. He has also played a key role in growing Avatar by expanding their staff, fostering their continued education and nurturing talent.
“Becoming a finalist of the Vic/Tas Young Broker of the Year award is a reflection of my commitment to the industry and my dedication and drive to continue to grow as an insurance broker, manager and leader.
It’s such an exciting opportunity for me personally, but is also a reflection of the broader insurance broking industry and the benefits of this industry.”
Riley Glacken, Principal – Buying Groups, Marsh
Riley began his insurance broking career in 2018, after he had just finished his university degrees in Finance and Journalism. Almost four years later, he is now a Principal at Marsh, and achieved this while completing a Masters degree in International Business.
Riley is very proud of being able to become the sole broker for a large community housing client based in NSW only two years into his brokering career.
He is also the Chairperson of Marsh Pride Australia Committee, and an active member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
“I’m extremely humbled to be a finalist of the Vic/Tas Young Broker of the Year award and I’m very honoured to be selected for this award. Becoming a finalist acknowledges my contribution at Marsh and to the broader insurance broking profession.
I value this award as it recognises professionals early in their career and the contribution that they make, and the value that they bring to the industry.”
The Young Broker of the Year Award, sponsored by Vero, goes to a young broker who has exhibited an outstanding level of professionalism and integrity.
Zoran Romanovski, Vero’s State Manager for Victoria/Tasmania, said: “The quality of these three finalists is the reason Vero has been a proud supporter of NIBA’s Young Professionals and the Warren Tickle Memorial Award for 33 consecutive years.”
The winning broker for each of the five NIBA regions (NSW/ACT, QLD, SA/NT, VIC/TAS and WA) will go on to compete for the national Young Broker of the Year Award.
For more information, please visit the NIBA awards page.
The winners of both awards will be announced on Friday 20 May, at the NIBA Vic Gala Lunch at Crown Melbourne.
The Gala Lunch is sold out, however final tickets for the 2022 NIBA Vic Breakfast Seminar on diversity and inclusion in the workplace and to walk through the exhibition hall at the NIBA UAC Vic Underwriting Expo are still available for registration.
NIBA would like to thank Vero for their sponsorship of the award.
For those unable to attend the Gala Lunch, award winners will also be announced via NIBA’s LinkedIn page.