2014 40 Under 40 Broker Awards: Brian Sebold
South Region Reprints
Senior casualty broker
Aon Risk Solutions
Age: 33
It was a provocative question posed by a sign in an insurance broker's booth at a career fair that drew Brian Sebold into the world of insurance.
“It said, "Can you handle a little risk?'” recalled Mr. Sebold, a senior casualty broker in Aon Risk Solutions' Dallas office.
Although his degree in finance from Southern Methodist University was pointing him in the direction of investment banking, the prospect of helping CEOs and chief financial officers protect their bottom lines from losses seemed more challenging and rewarding, he said.
After graduation, he joined Marsh L.L.C. and completed a yearlong training program, graduating in the top 10% of his class. He continued to excel at Marsh, and was promoted to senior vice president by age 30.
He took a break from brokerage to learn about “the other side of the business,” and spent 14 months working at American International Group Inc. as an underwriter in late 2006 through early 2008, before returning to Marsh.
Since joining Aon in January this year, Mr. Sebold continues to exude a passion for risk management.
“He took a long time getting to understand my business,” said Julie Cadenhead, director of payroll and benefits at CCS Medical, a diabetic supply distribution company based in Dallas. At the same time, he took great care in explaining the intricacies of the insurance solutions he was proposing for CCS Medical's employee benefits programs, she said.
“Brian is one of those amazing people who is very easy to talk to and extremely articulate about his business,” said Ms. Cadenhead, who said she worked closely with Mr. Sebold while in her previous job at Odyssey Healthcare Inc., which she left when it was acquired by Gentiva Health Services Inc. in 2010.
“Brian has an astute sense of the insurance industry and what impacts his clients,” said Jerry Ferreira, resident managing director at Aon Risk Solutions in Dallas.
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