Exclusivefocus Summer 2012.pdf - National Association of ...

ock waterfalls and enjoys skills requiringa combination of artistic temperamentand construction expertise. Mikenever took a step back income-wise. Hebuilt my pool and waterfall, as well asmy son Jason’s. We couldn’t be happierwith his work. You can contact Michaelthrough his website at www.boundarywaterspools.com.Although the aforementioned RVPdisliked me personally, the then TerritorialManager was a personal friend whointervened and kept saving my job. Butthe RVP really hated Ed DeLorenzo,who did have a huge ego, almost as bigas his boss’s. Ed was a fine agent in theregion, highly productive and earnedArizona’s “Agent of the Year” recognitionseveral times. The RVP stayed onEd like a wolf on a treed bobcat. Ed had16 years with the company and simplygrew tired of the constant harassment.He quit Allstate and started AmbassadorInsurance in Scottsdale. He currently hasa $10 million book and 12 employees. Ifyou want to say hello to Ed, email him ateddelorenzo@yahoo.com.Tom Wittkopp was nothing if not agenuinely amiable agent, who was esteemedby fellow agents and clientsalike. He started his Allstate career in1975 and enjoyed almost two decades ofsteady growth. Then the same RVP whoharassed Ed stepped into the picture.What’s interesting in this case is that theRVP never came after Tom personally.But Tom couldn’t stand his overbearingattitude and felt the policies of the RVPwere a direct cause of his decreasing policycount. If nothing else, it was not anenjoyable atmosphere to work in. Manyagents felt management was just lookingfor an excuse to terminate another agentin an attempt to drive production by intimidation.Tom moved to Germany and beganselling Universal Life policies to ourtroops in Swetigen. He came back statesideand enrolled employees of riverboatcasinos in health and pension plans in BatonRouge, Louisiana. He’s now retired. Ifyou’re an old bud of Tom’s you can reachhim at wittkopp123@gmail.com.I’m saving my favorite guy for last. Notthat he was all that loveable. A little demented,a little rude and certainly surly,he was just my kind of guy. I’d knownDerrace Hoey before his Allstate dayswhen we worked in consumer finance.I was also instrumental in getting himhired because I knew he would be successful.And he was. Then he ran afoul“There is lifeafter Allstate.Termination isn’t theend of the world. Andfor those of you whoare anxious about yourown life after Allstate,you might find solaceand strength in thestories I’ve shared. Ifyou’re leaving, putyour head down andmove forward –it just might bethat you’ll end updoing somethingyou love andmaking more moneywhile you’reat it.“of the RVP. I have no idea why theRVP took such umbrage to these guys,but production and integrity didn’t playa part in it. Only subservience to histyranny mattered.* And if he personallydidn’t like you, that was it. He hada reputation for being very vindictive. SoDerrace quit and started his own agencyand it was an instant success. Years later,he sold out his interest to his partner. Heknew I liked to write and invited me toquit Allstate and join him in his motorhome, writing and going to ball games. Isometimes regret I didn’t.Unfortunately, Derrace didn’t get theopportunity to enjoy his newfound freedomand peace of mind too awfully long.He died of cancer. But he didn’t die at adesk despising the company he was affiliatedwith, and he left his widow Lanetta,very well off.So there you have it; there is life afterAllstate. Termination isn’t the end of theworld. And for those of you who are anxiousabout your own life after Allstate,you might find solace and strength in thestories I’ve shared. If you’re leaving, putyour head down and move forward – itjust might be that you’ll end up doingsomething you love and making moremoney while you’re at it.A nationally esteemed Allstater oncesaid, “Some people have a great job butmake lousy money while others makegreat money and hate their jobs. I’mlucky enough to have a great job and alsomake great money.” Unfortunately, todaysuch praise is hard to come by. This is notto say that some of our company officersare not enlightened. The Southwest Regionhas a great leader in Dennis Bailey.One last thought. What if those overbearingRVPs of yesteryear had beenfound out before they harassed and intimidatedthe many agents that have sinceleft us? How many more policyholderswould we have today? For a clue, checkwith State Farm. Their agents and policyholders are much more important to thecompany than are pompous, tyrannicalRVPs. If you want proof, just comparetheir policyholder count and yearly resultsto Allstate’s. I guarantee you; you’ll beembarrassed by what you see.*I wanted to find a special word todescribe this god-awful representativeof leadership. What I found is the wordDemogorgon, which is, according tothefreedictionary.com, “A terrifying ancientdeity or demon of the underworld.”And that description is as close as I couldget to who he really was. EfExclusivefocus readers have been very goodat posting me with anecdotes and stories.I want to hear more. You can contact methrough my website www.davethorpe.net.24 — Exclusivefocus Summer 2012