steve brooks - top agent magazinesteve brooks insurance services was one of the largest independent...

STEVEBROOKS

Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Steve Brooks, President of B & BPremier Insurance Solutions in South -ern California is frankly one of thenicest people you could hope to meet.Although he’s incredibly driven, andwildly successful, it is his genuinedesire to work hard and help people inany way that he can, that has madehim such an easily recognizable andfriendly face in the personal andcommercial insurance arenas.

Yet unlike so many, Steve didn’t fol -low in the family footsteps of insur -ance. Instead he says that his entranceinto the field and subsequent climb toPresident of one of Southern Cali -fornia’s largest independent insuranceagencies happened more or less dueto a gift for connecting people to oneanother.

As a senior in college, Steve recallsgetting a call from his own insuranceagent. “He called and asked aboutmy plans after graduation. He wan -ted me to come work for him be -cause I kept referring people to him,”he says. A bit apprehensive, Steve

agreed to take an outside sales jobin a different industry, and workafter noons and evenings with hisnewfound mentor.

By 1985, Steve was hooked on in -surance. “It’s a great career. It maynot be ‘sexy,” but everyone needs in -surance and it is pretty recessionproof. But it’s definitely not a getrich quick career,” he laughs. Still,in spite of loving the work, Steveadmits coming to a crossroads at theage of 28. He was offered a greatposition with a national companybut couldn’t shake the feeling thatthe corporate world wasn’t going tobe a good fit. “I didn’t want to striveevery day to get the corner office. Iwanted to work hard and benefitfrom it.” Thus in spite of having awife and newborn baby at home,Steve struck out on his own.

“The only clients I was allowed totake with me were my parents. Irented a tiny office. I spent theweekdays with clients and net work -ing and my weekends filling out

STEVE BROOKS


paperwork. I didn’t collect a pay checkfor 18 months. All of my money wentto phones, advertising, rent, and myassistant, who did get a paycheck,” helaughs.

From the very start, Steve did every -thing he could to help others, abusiness philosophy he maintains tothis day. “I have always done what -ever I can to promote the businessesof my clients. I connect them to others;do whatever I can do to help makethem successful. I even tell them:Every insurance agent wants yourmoney, but how many want to bringmoney to you?”

For more than 30 years, Steve hasserved his industry with an un -paralleled passion. “I didn’t knowmany people when I started but Iwas very active in associations. Wehad breakfast meetings, monthlycon ven tions and lunches. I learnedso much form my peers and my com -petitors.” It wasn’t long before hewas recognized for his tireless efforts.

In addition to receiving certificatesof Recognition from the CaliforniaState Senate and Assembly, he be -gan receiving awards including the

Beverly Jordan Memorial Award forAchievement for Independent Insur -ance Agents in the San Fer nandoValley, the L.A. County Board ofSupervisors Committee Involve -ment Award, six SAFECO InsuranceAwards of Excellence, and the Out -standing Young Agent Meeting Chairfor the Independent Insurance Agentsof America. Laughing, Steve adds,


“I even won the William Van DusenMemorial Award for Lifetimes Ser -vice to IBA/San Fernando Valley,when I think I was only 34 years old.”

He served as Chairman of the PersonalLines Committee for Insurance Bro -kers and Agents (IBA) West, as amember of The Insurance Council forU.S. House of Representative BradSherman, as Member of the SAFECOInsurance Regional Council, a three-time member of the Producer Councilfor Mercury Insurance, as President ofthe Independent Brokers and Agentsof the San Fernando Valley, and asChairman for the National Asso -ciation, Personal Lines GrowthAlliance (PLGA).

By 2009, after 25 years of success,Steve Brooks Insurance Services wasone of the largest independent agen -cies in the Tri-County areas of Ven -tura, San Luis Obispo, and SantaBarbara, and Steve was ready for thenext step.

“My partner Eric Bossuk, was theCEO of Tri County Insurance basedin Calabasas, and we were friendlycompetitors for years. We had ser -ved on many committees togetherand we realized that joining forcesmade a lot of sense.” Eric and Steveformalized their partnership in 2010,and the new company became B &B Premier Insurance Solutions.

The merger has been a tremendoussuccess to say the least. Today thecompany employs nearly 50 peopleand writes more than $70 Million ininsurance each year, making it one ofthe largest independent agencies inthe area. Yet Eric and Steve remainas personally dedicated to theirclients, and their community as ever.

“I promote every grand opening of aclient’s business heavily on socialmedia. I do what I can to promote allof their businesses. I utilize Facebookand LinkedIn to connect people,” hesays. “We are also available to our

“I HAVE ALWAYS DONE WHAT EVER I CAN TOPROMOTE THE BUSINESSES OF MY CLIENTS. I CONNECT THEM TO OTHERS; DO WHATEVER

I CAN DO TO HELP MAKE THEM SUCCESSFUL.”


clients all of the time. We answercalls and emails at all hours. A lot ofagents leave work at the office, butwe don’t,” Steve says.

B & B Premier Insurance Solutions isequally devoted to giving back to thecommunity and helping those in need.Steve serves on the Board of Hope’sHaven, serving the families of chil -dren stricken with grave illnessessuch as Leukemia. He also hosts theannual Coach for Kids Golf Classicbenefitting Cedars Sinai MedicalCenter. In addition B & B PremiereInsurance hosts and sponsors charityevents ranging from in-office blooddrives, to Holiday Adopt-A-FamilyPrograms, to charity walks, clothingdrives and more.

In his free time, the proud father ofthree, loves traveling with his wifeRenee and their adult children, tak -ing an annual trip to Atlantis in theBahamas. The entire family alsoshares an incredible passion for theLos Angeles Kings, holding seasontickets for 30 years. Plus, they aregearing up

“It’s been a really cool career. I’vebeen able to meet so many inter -esting people. I still mentor young

agents. I’ve been contacted by somany people I’ve helped in the pastwho say things like: ‘I met you fiveyears ago and you stuck out yourhand, and now I’d like you to handlemy insurance.’ I’ve been able tolobby in Washington, D.C. and inSacramento and I just love beingable to pay it all forward. It has alldefinitely come back around.”


FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT STEVE,

VISIT WWW.BBPREMIERINS.COM

CALL 818-223-8383 OR EMAIL

EMAIL [email protected]

steve brooks - top agent magazinesteve brooks insurance services was one of the largest independent...

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