Best Agency in West: SES About Community, Employees

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SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA

Best Agency to Work for – West
SES Insurance Brokerage Services Inc.

Sharing is caring — that goes for your community and your employees.

That’s the attitude at Santa Ana, Calif.-based SES Insurance Brokerage Services Inc., which encourages employees to volunteer for 40 hours per year on company time.

That was one among many reasons why SES was named Insurance Journal’s 2015 pick for Best Agency to Work For, Silver Winner – West.

A survey was conducted by Insurance Journal to help judge the award and included several categories in which employees could grade their firm. Employees responding to a survey thought very highly of SES. Overall it was one of the highest rated firms in the annual survey.

SES garnered an overall “excellent” rating from most who took the survey. An overwhelming majority of employees rated the firm “excellent” or “good” in nearly every category, which included flex time, education, vacation, insurance knowledge and overall management skills.

ses Most who responded mentioned the firm’s focus on community service. One employee expressed appreciation that management is open to employee opinions.

“SES is a platform that allows people to exhibit your talent and passion,” the employee stated. “There is a lot of receptivity and encouragement for good work and ideas.”

The employee wrote that the firm’s “plans are ambitious and future appears bright.”

SES is a small, private company, yet management shares financial results with employees each month, another survey respondent said. The employee reported the firm offers “strong benefits” that are mostly paid by SES.

“Recently when the healthcare market changed, we were forced to change benefits programs,” the employee wrote. “The employees were allowed to vote on which option to choose, even when one option was cheaper than the other.”

SES President Bill Mecklenburg was stoked to hear the agency rated so well.

“It is simply awesome to learn that our employees nominated SES as a great place to work,” he said. “There is nothing more invigorating in business than having a close-knit group of colleagues committed to understanding and serving their customers’ needs while growing something special together.”

Mecklenburg described the agency as a collaborative effort that credits its success to good teamwork.

“I don’t think insurance was the first career of any of the leaders of our organization or most insurance operations,” Mecklenburg said. “Nonetheless, we all came to realize that our business operates at the intersection of analytics, technology, strong relationships, and delivering on promises; all of which makes for a challenging and exciting work environment.”

He described SES as a program specialist “operating in two uniquely defined niches.”

“The respective teams feel as much a part of our customers’ industries as they do the insurance industry,” he said.

He said roughly one-third of the firm’s expenses are related to systems development and support, which when combined with a culture of customer service and a drive for product innovation, gives the firm a competitive advantage in its market niches.

“What (CEO) Blair Schrum and I enjoy most about our jobs today is experiencing the pride in the achievements of our group,” he said. “We have some really bright individuals who are innovative and bring a contagious and inspiring energy level every day. We are having a great time and hopefully making a difference.”

A survey respondent echoed that teamwork sentiment.

“The company is very team oriented and performance oriented, but performance is measured against a higher purpose,” the employee wrote. “That higher purpose is based on creating a great environment for each individual employee to achieve their dreams.”

SES is a provider of insurance services for large portfolios of residential real estate.

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