Best Agencies to Work For Southeast: Frank H. Furman – Silver
“Management from the top down have an open door and we can speak with them about anything. We are like family and we fully support each other no matter what. We are recognized for our productivity and efforts to assist in growing the agency,” wrote one employee in the annual Insurance Journal Best Agency to Work For survey.
“The Agency has implemented a backup system in the event that one employee has to miss work, there is always another employee as a back-up,” wrote another. “This has assisted with supporting a strong customer service base. In addition, this has brought the employees even closer together as a team.”
Being part of the team was repeatedly praised by employees of this year’s Silver Best Agency winner in the Southeast, with many respondents highlighting how lucky they feel to be on the Furman Insurance Agency roster.
“I have been working for Furman for over 13 years now and plan to retire from here,” wrote one employee. “The owners and management really care about their employees and that in return makes us want to strive to do our best to promote our agency. And yes I said ‘our agency’ because I truly feel like I am a part of this wonderful group of people.”
“This agency is well known, fairly large and as an employee you are expected to be knowledgeable and professional. With that expectation you strive to be better at everything you do and most importantly, better than the competition,” another respondent wrote. “I left my last position at another agency and travel 10 miles further every day, and am very happy to do so. From benefits, new computers, updated office environment to the warm and friendly staff, this agency is awesome!”
Longevity was another recurring theme in employee responses, with several citing at least a decade of experience at the agency, which has been in business in Pompano Beach, Fla., since 1962. The independent agency offers business insurance, surety, risk management, personal insurance, and employee benefits products nationwide.
Employees said they appreciate the family feeling of the agency, as well as perks like health insurance for all employees and their families, and the opportunities to get involved with the community.
“I have worked at this agency for over 18 years. The health and 401k benefits are great. The work environment is professional, but at the same time treated like we are part of a family. Work can be stressful, but we all work as a team to get the work done,” wrote one respondent.
Dirk D. DeJong, chairman and CEO, says providing health insurance to employees “is a must.”
“The partners and I decided that we were going to cover 100 percent of their health benefit including family, so they would not have to worry about the burden of paying for it,” he said.
DeJong, who has worked for the agency since 1986, purchased it with two partners from the original owner and agency namesake Frank H. Furman. He said when he was asked to join the company as a producer by Furman, he knew very little about the industry “but had a true understanding of empathy for people in general.”
“Helping people protect their business, homes and lives gives them solid peace of mind,” he said. “Being able to hold the customer’s hand after their business suffers through a fire, or being at a home that just lost their roof after a hurricane … providing a check to help them move forward from a loss is a very rewarding experience. This is why I enjoy the industry.”
DeJong said it’s important to him that employees have the best tools to operate, and as such the agency has been investing in improving their technology systems to support its staff.
He says the employee nomination as a Best Agency is humbling, as his goal has always been to provide a fun place to work and allow staff to grow in the firm. He added he loves to hear employee’s ideas on how to make improvements at the company, or improve its client experience.
Ultimately, DeJong said one of his personal goals for the firm has been to treat each employee and their family members as if they were part of his family.
“[This award] tells me and senior management that we are operating a true family based business and our employees really appreciate all that we do for them – especially treating them like family,” he said.