The annual award is presented during the MAIA’s Big Event
Mark Gratta, an independent agent with the Albert J. Marchionne Insurance Agency, Inc. is the recipient of the 2017 James O. Herrick Memorial Young Agent of the Year Award. The annual award, presented during the MAIA’s State Annual Meeting, “…seeks to recognize agents who demonstrate leadership in their agency and community and support the mission of the committee by being active participants.”
“Mark is continually willing to help out the agency in any area needed outside of his own sales production, i.e. training staff in the use of rating software, creating an intranet for the agency, making spreadsheets that assist in the placement of business,” said AJ Marchionne of Marchionne Insurance in commenting on Mr. Gratta’s selection. “He is a true team player while continuing to excel as a top producer. He also stays involved outside the agency with the MAIA YAC, attending many of their events.”
Melissa Murphy, Marketing/Communications Manager for the MAIA as well as MAIA Young Agents Committee Staff Liaison concurred with the selection of Mr. Gratta. “Mark has proven to be a vocal advocate of independent agents and a highly motivated sales person. We are looking forward to officially having him join the Young Agents Committee in 2018.”
A millennial embracing all the possibilities and opportunities in insurance
Mr. Gratta graduated from the Sawyer School of Management at Suffolk University in 2011. After obtaining his Bachelor of Science in Business, he worked at the media company, Mammoth Productions for a year.
In 2013, Mr. Gratta made his first foray into the Massachusetts insurance industry by joining Plymouth Rock as an adjuster. After one year with Plymouth Rock, he then transitioned into agency life by becoming a producer with the family-owned Marchionne Insurance in Quincy.
During his three years with the Quincy-based independent agency, Mr. Gratta has grown into his role at the agency. “Most of my sales and insurance training was completed by the agency and the Arbella Personal Lines Producer Program,” explained Mr. Gratta in an email to Agency Checklists. “I went on to become one of the top producers within the Arbella producer program in 2016. I am also working toward the CIC and CPCU designations. I spend a lot of time keeping up to date on everything that is going on in the industry.”
In addition to taking advantage of all of the educational opportunities available to him, Mr. Gratta also credits his membership with the MAIA’s Young Agents Committee as well. “The Young Agents is a great committee and next year I am applying to be on the board…[I]t’s nice to just get the young people in the industry together to network and learn from each other. It’s a very welcoming group that has helped my career a tremendously.”
Finally, while hard work and enthusiasm for the profession have taken him thus far in his career, he acknowledges the wealth of opportunities a career as independent agent has afforded him.
At the end of the day I am really just an average guy who has been blessed with some great opportunities. The agency that I work for couldn’t be a better place to work. I am very lucky to be constantly surrounded by experienced insurance professionals and I also have been able to learn a lot from some great mentors.”
About the James O. Herrick Memorial Young Agent of the Year Award
In 2013, the MAIA renamed the Young Agent of the Year award in honor of former MAIA Board Member, Jim Herrick. A well known and well-regarded member of the Massachusetts insurance industry, Mr. Herrick passed away unexpectedly at the age of 46 during the Fall of 2013.
Right out of college, Mr. Herrick began his insurance career with Toole Insurance in the Berkshires. He eventually moved on to The Hanover Insurance Company where he spent many years before finally joining The Berkshire Insurance Group.
