Company/Title: Senior Vice President, Marsh McLennan Agency
Years Served: Entire career in insurance
Contact info: Office: 706-836-8811
Email: jan.johnson@marshMMA.com
Jan Johnson grew up in North Augusta and has been in the area all her life but she has learned to travel outside those boundaries for a job she loves. She has worked her way up to Senior Vice President of the Marsh McLennan Agency.
Johnson was working for J. Smith Lanier, at the time the largest privately owned agency, when they decided to sell to Marsh McLennan in 2019, who wanted to expand their southeastern footprint. That they did and Marsh McLennan is now the largest insurance company in the world.
“My whole career has been in insurance except for a brief stint in real estate just out of high school,” Johnson said. “Even though I didn’t want a career working nights and weekends, which is why I didn’t pursue real estate, I fell in love with working in insurance – and here I am working nights and weekends, traveling and loving it.”
Marsh McLennan specializes in commercial business insurance, from property and casualty, bonding, aviation, a real estate portfolio of multi-family and commercial property, contractors, industrial, non-profits, and international business. Like many of the other 75,000 employees of Marsh, Johnson has a large territory that requires traveling to meet her clients and their needs.
“We write insurance in all 50 states and have clients from Miami to New Jersey, so it never gets boring,” she said. “I get to travel to places I otherwise would not.”
And what it’s like to work in a male-dominated field?
“While I don’t have the hunting, fishing, or golf connection with many of my clients, I am committed to doing a good job for them,” Johnson said. “I attribute my success to my work ethic, empathy for others, and a desire to provide excellent service.”
Like many businesses, insurance experienced COVID challenges, including staffing. What was different and challenging for her business became what companies would or wouldn’t underwrite since the pandemic was unchartered territory.
“It was heartbreaking, especially for the hospitality industry and watching so many go under,” Johnson said. “But it does seem that things are finally turning around, businesses are getting back on their feet and we are closer to the volume of business we had in 2019.”
Johnson credits her all-female team as a huge part of every success.
“It takes us all, from start to finish, on any account,” she said. “We work hard and give our all to helping clients be protected financially in the event of a loss. It may sound odd to be excited about insurance but giving someone that check after a catastrophic loss is truly rewarding. Peace of mind is invaluable.”
She can’t imagine doing anything else besides the field to which she has dedicated most of her life. The satisfaction of doing a good job and helping people motivates her.
“I tend to believe that you should make yourself valuable, so everyone else knows your worth.”
Insurance provides security and peace of mind for both Johnson and her clients.
