Held Named 2019 Insurance Professional of the Year

Erica Held, CPCU, CIC, from Donegal Insurance Group is the recipient of the 2019 Big I Indiana Insurance Professional of the Year Award. This award recognizes an individual from a Big I associate member organization who demonstrates strong leadership abilities with a willingness to assist independent agents, regularly supports the Big I, and fosters strong professional relationships with agents.

Held has served on the Big I Emerging Leaders Committee for seven years, three of which as the company liaison. She has volunteered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indiana, coordinating activities for the Youth of the Year program since 2015. She serves as Donegal’s business relationship manager in Indiana. As the representative of a 130-year-old carrier who recently entered the state, she’s had the opportunity to plan and execute many firsts for Donegal in Indiana, such as the agency forum and agency outing. She’s worked hard to develop strong relationships with agencies. She bridges the gap between producers and underwriters by conducting a weekly call with her commercial underwriter, where they discuss new business flow to help make writing business easier for both sides. The open lines of communication have resulted in her nearly doubling her sales goal for the year.

As Donegal’s only relationship manager in the state, she is the eyes and ears of the company in the ever-changing industry. Held shares her agents’ feedback and concerns directly with the strategic leaders within the company. “I have the best job ever,” Held said. “I have the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with business owners in my community and help them grow the business they have worked so hard to establish.”