MATT WALSH | Age: 35 Partner, senior account executive

Conner, Strong & Buckelew LLC

Philadelphia

Insurance is in Matt Walsh’s blood. His grandfather, dad and uncle were all in the industry, and he became interested from an early age. While attending Bucknell University, the New Jersey native interned at Conner, Strong & Buckelew in Philadelphia. He was offered a job there after graduating and has been with the firm ever since.

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

The market right now is obviously in a state of flux. I think the advice is, you’ve got to have strong relationships with your clients, you’ve got to have strong relationships with your marketplace, your underwriters, your wholesale partners. You’ve got to be up front with them on what’s going to happen but give them the confidence that you’re going to come up with options, come up with solutions.

How are technological advances affecting your job?

The industry has come a long way and still has a long way to go in certain technologies. There are a lot of menial tasks that can probably be streamlined with technology.

What do you wish more people knew about insurance?

There are so many different avenues that you can take, whether it’s on the claims side, brokerage side, underwriting, actuary, risk management, loss control, safety — there are so many different opportunities and paths in the industry.

What’s something about you that would surprise people?

I live about a mile from the Philadelphia sports complexes, and I am a diehard Pittsburgh sports fan and raising my young kids to be diehard Pittsburgh sports fans as well.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Probably quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers when I was a young kid or maybe a catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates.