Deland, Gibson is Celebrating 25 Years As A Five Star Agency
The Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA), is proud to announce that Deland, Gibson Insurance Associates, of Wellesley, Dennis Port, Duxbury, Worcester, and including Keefe Insurance of Franklin, MA has renewed their Five Star Agency Designation, celebrating twenty-four years of Five Star service to their clients. They were among the first few agencies to earn the Five Star Designation in 2000 and continue to demonstrate excellence in the five imperatives associated with the designation: Customer Focus, Management/Leadership, Human Resources, Product & Process, and Future Success Initiatives. It is a very select group that has attained this designation; only 25 out of more than 1,500 agencies in Massachusetts hold it.
Agency Background and Growth
The Deland, Gibson Insurance Associates, one of the largest, family-owned independent agencies in Massachusetts, was established in 1900 and is currently in the hands of the fourth generation of the family. The agency has gone through a number of positive changes over the past few years, among them building their knowledgeable and talented team, establishing the Deland, Gibson University (DGU), and welcoming a number of other agencies into the DG family.
Culture and Operational Strategy
The core values of the agency are sometimes humorously expressed as “GLUCI,” because the team members have Grit, are Life-long learners, work with Urgency, show Compassion, and Innovate. Proof of the commitment to innovation can be seen in the agency’s use of bots to automate routine tasks and its experimentation with AI. The agency also provides its employees with tremendous opportunities to guide the actions of the agency through its committee structure for client experience, charitable endeavors, and fun events. A highly effective staff is now in place, including a management team that has strengthened the agency’s focus on outstanding customer service.
Technology and Innovation Initiatives
“The Deland, Gibson team has a unique emphasis on adopting and implementing new technology. They have also been very successful at inviting a new generation of non-insurance employees into the agency and providing them with the education, resources, and support they need to thrive in the industry,” said Heather Kramer, COO and Vice President of MAIA. “These items, coupled with many of the strengths that were seen in the past, confirm that Deland, Gibson Insurance Associates has maintained their Five Star Agency Designation.”
Leadership Perspective and Industry Impact
Ted Gibson, President of the Deland, Gibson Insurance Associates, said, “We learned from our dad, Charlie, that it’s all about the C’s: our Clients, our Communities, and our Co-workers. This describes our agency culture, and we have worked very hard to maintain these feelings among the whole staff as we have grown. We use technology to help build a one-team environment across all of our offices because we recognize we are better together. The renewal of our Five Star Designation is due to the efforts of every member of our team. We seek out the best employees, strive to create an enjoyable, inspiring environment, and they do a great job. Our leaders are supportive, knowledgeable, and, most importantly, thankful for the hard work and dedication of our team. We know that providing our clients with peace of mind through proactive service is important and I think we do it extremely well.”
MAIA awards the Five Star Agency Designation to independent agencies that go through a vigorous review based on key criteria that affect an insurance agency and how it operates. Upon earning a qualifying score, an agency becomes a Five Star Agency Designee and must go through an intensive review process every three years to prove that they continue to provide superior service, knowledge and value.
For further information about the program, please contact Erin Schaaf at eschaaf@massagent.com.
