Open-Door Atmosphere Fosters Good Employee Relationships at Frank H. Furman

Once again, the Frank H. Furman insurance agency in Pompano Beach, Florida, has been ranked by its employees as one of the best places to work in the Southeast.

“It’s a family-like organization, but more than anything, I think it’s our open-door policy,” said Tina Mangum, vice president of commercial lines at the 59-year-old agency.

She was referring to a company policy that encourages all 67 employees to stop and talk with agency principals and officers any time they feel the need, Mangum said. “We try to keep everyone informed about things. It makes us all feel like we’re valued employees,” she added.

Furman was named winner of the Best Agencies to Work For Silver Award in the Insurance Journal’s survey of employees for 2021. The agency also won the recognition in 2017, when workers also cited the open-door atmosphere and employee benefits, including health insurance, as reasons that made the company strong. About half of its workers have been there for at least 10 years.

“The owners have always made me feel appreciated for the value I bring to the agency,” one employee wrote in comments in response to the survey. “The owners have demonstrated they have confidence in me personally and my abilities professionally.”

Another said: “Management is very level-headed. They do not have egos and make themselves accessible. They are extremely flexible when needing time off.”

Furman was founded by Frank Furman Jr. in 1962 as an independent agency, and it has operated with the same community- and employee-focused attitude ever since, Mangum said. “Things are still run the way they always have, and I think that’s a big reason for the success,” she added.

The agency, which specializes in commercial insurance lines, was purchased three years ago by Acrisure LLC, a national insurance broker. Furman has been recognized in three of the last 12 years as one of the top 10 insurance agencies in South Florida, as determined by a local business publication.

Dirk DeJong is CEO. Robert Foote is president. Carlos Chinchilla is senior executive vice president and Susie Krix is vice president for personal lines.

Going forward, Mangum said one of the biggest challenges facing the agency is dealing with Florida’s turbulent property insurance market, which has been rocked by hurricanes, a tough litigation climate and rising costs. Rates on homeowners, umbrella and auto policies continue to rise. Property insurance also has been affected by material costs, some of which climbed sharply during the pandemic, Mangum said.

“There are a lot of changes happening in insurance right now,” she said.

Furman employees who commented in the survey indicated that they are not concerned that market changes could hurt the agency.

“Being at Furman has been amazing,” one employee wrote. The ability “to grow and learn and be better is such an amazing thing to finally have. I used to go on vacation when working with (a major carrier) and had so much anxiety because my phone would be blowing up and never had a chance to relax. Here is so much different. They value family and time for yourself.”

Said another: “The agency as a whole is a great place to work. The executive and management team are extremely professional, have great people skills, communication is there, and we continue to perform well. Our benefits package (PTO, health insurance, retirement, etc.) and option to work from home whenever we need to, is also a big plus and not many agencies in our industry can compare.”