ROBERT WEBBER | Age: 32 Associate managing director

Burns & Wilcox

Metairie, Louisiana

Robert “Cain” Webber was promoted in December to associate managing director of Burns & Wilcox after serving as underwriting manager for its Louisiana operations. He joined the wholesale brokerage and managing underwriter in 2010 after graduating from the University of Mississippi with a risk management and insurance degree.

What’s your top tip for working remotely?

Have a set space. Having a designated place to work is very important. The dining room, the living room table, just doesn’t work for me. I believe in efficiency and focus.

What’s your advice on navigating the current insurance market?

Communication is key. I’ve seen what’s working for us and what’s not working for our competition. Communication is one of the most complex but most simple things we can do. It requires time, effort and care.

What should the industry do to attract more young people to work in it?

The industry as a whole has done a good job as far as reaching out to college graduates. I think we need to do a better job of reaching out to people already in the workforce — anyone in finance, economics.

What is something about you that would surprise people?

I am an avid dog person. My wife and I started working for a number of canine organizations in 2015 and have fostered north of 75 and probably close to 100 dogs over the past five or six years.

What’s one habit or hobby you adopted during the pandemic?

Kayaking. I’ve been going about three or four times a week. One thing Louisiana has a lot of is water. I do tend to go out after big rainstorms. When the water changes that much so quickly, you never know how the river is going to have changed.

What is your favorite meal?

My wife’s eggplant parmigiana.