2014 40 Under 40 Broker Awards: Samantha Runyon
West Region Reprints
Vice president and Pacific south environmental hub leader
Marsh USA Inc., a unit of Marsh L.L.C.
Age: 31
Samantha Runyon's co-workers say the Los Angeles-based vice president and Pacific south environmental hub leader at Marsh USA Inc. isn't one to break a sweat.
“She's kind of unflappable, really,” said Chris Smy, managing director and global environmental practice leader at Marsh in Atlanta.
“She's very intuitive about the business, very good with clients, can handle a very heavy workload and doesn't seem to get overly stressed about it,” he said.
According to co-workers and Mr. Smy, Ms. Runyon's “calming influence” also is appreciated by her clients, who trust her to quickly identify issues and provide and implement solutions.
“It's easy to get flustered in your day-to-day workload, getting things done, so it's nice to hear that it doesn't always come through on the other end,” Ms. Runyon said. “It's a compliment.”
She said her first job in the industry, as an underwriter for American International Group Inc., helps her serve her brokerage clients.
“It's really beneficial to start out on the carrier side. It's important to understand what the insurance carriers are looking for and what they need to see, and then understanding what ultimately is most important to our clients,” Ms. Runyon said.
Having been with Marsh for about seven years, Ms. Runyon said “there's always room to grow in your current position.”
Her goals include better understanding current clients' needs and adding new ones to grow the book of business.
“She sets a great example for other people about how to operate,” Mr. Smy said. “We like to grow people like that.”
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