We have amazing employees at California Casualty. The Employee Spotlight is a new series aiming to highlight those talented individuals that make up our successful company culture and community. From human resource recruiters and learning and development trainers to claims adjusters, marketers, customer support specialists, partner relations, sales representatives, and beyond; each week, we’ll highlight a new team member, so you can get to know us better and see how our employees make us who we are as a company.
This edition of the Employee Spotlight will feature a member of our Partner Relations team, Brian Goodman.
Brian has been with us for a whopping 25 years and works remotely in the Field as an AVP, Field Team Manager.
Let’s get to know Brian!
What made you want to work as a Field Team Manager for California Casualty?
I worked at the Oregon Education Association headquarters in the late ’80s and early ’90s. I always saw Dave Arnold, the original Oregon California Casualty Field Rep, come by our office for his account calls. I admired the way Dave went about his business. He clearly loved CalCas, and he was calm and kind to everyone which impressed me. So, when I heard he was retiring after 30 years, I put myself in the running as his replacement.
What is your favorite part about your job?
I get to work with a very talented field marketing team of 11 that is based in California, Oregon, and Washington.
Leading my team situationally in the way they find most helpful so they can do their best work.
I also have some great account relationships, many of which have progressed to a genuine friendship level. It’s a great thing to be able to work with staff and accounts!
I feel lucky to have spent my entire California Casualty career in the Partner Relations Department. I don’t think there is another insurance company out there that has an entire department devoted to the creation of meaningful relationships. The business model is a thing of beauty. When I explain my job description to people, oftentimes they say, “I want to do that, too!”
What have you learned in your position at California Casualty?
Being an account manager and a people manager, I’ve learned to listen carefully and ask questions so I can best understand what’s in front of me. It’s a skill that I 100% had to learn and isn’t as easy as it sounds. You can acquire a ton of knowledge simply from listening to your coworkers and account leaders. I’ve learned that we all need pretty much the same thing to be content. A member of my team, Angela Morgan, reminded me recently of the Maya Angelou quote, “Every storm runs out of rain.” I find simple things like this especially valuable.
What are your favorite activities to do outside of the office?
Easy! I’m a father, step-father, grand-father (known as Papa B), uncle, son, and husband. I’m surrounded by some pretty great people.
I’m also an official USA Softball umpire. I officiate youth softball from ages 10 to 18 and I really enjoy it. When I’m not traveling for work, you can usually find me on the softball field.
Anything else you would like the audience to know about you?
I am married to a teacher (Teckla) and yes, I did meet her on the job. She’s a beauty in so many ways. I’m almost always impressed with the way she, along with her colleagues, go about their very complex job description at school.
If you want to learn more about Brian or are interested in a career at California Casualty, connect with him on LinkedIn! Or visit our careers page at https://www.calcas.com/careers
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