8 minute read
The Agent's Agent
New Insurors CEO Rep. Ron Travis will Bring an Agent's Mindset Back to the Association
"I love the insurance industry," is a statement we've heard multiple times from Ron Travis since he accepted the role as CEO of Insurors of Tennessee. It's a statement you can believe too, as Ron has spent over 35 years working for this industry as an agency owner and as a State Legislator serving on insurance committees. But insurance isn't his only love, and as you get to know him you'll quickly learn that after his family, the state of Tennessee ranks high on the list as well.
A native of Dayton, Ron grew up working on his Papaw's farm hauling hay and cleaning the barn. It instilled a sense of hard work in him from an early age, which would serve him well in life. "It also instilled in me that I didn't want to be a farmer," jokes Ron. His parents, Doc and Jo Travis, worked hard as well – Doc as director of personnel for Robinson Manufacturing, and Jo as a purchasing agent for TVA. Ron and his brothers, Tim and Mark, would also find time to play, and baseball became another love of his. He would go on to play the sport at Rhea County High School, where he was also on the golf team and was later voted as "Mr. Rhea County" by his peers.
After high school, Ron attended Tennessee Tech and then went directly into the workforce. He started out his professional life at La-Z-Boy Manufacturing in 1974. He worked his way up to a supervisor's role before finding his true calling as an insurance agent. "My uncle Jack was an insurance agent and told me about an opportunity with Nationwide Insurance to open a location in Rhea County. I've always been a 'salesman', so I jumped at the chance," Ron says. So, in 1983, he opened a brand new agency with Nationwide and got to work on his new career.
Ron and his wife Laura enjoying time on their farm in Dayton
Building an agency from scratch was difficult business, and he'll tell you that those first few years were tough. "Every day I'd open up the phone book and start calling," he recalls. "You might call seven people and get six 'nos', but that seventh one would let you quote it." With his sales skills, efforts in the community, hard work and sheer determination, Ron was able to begin building a solid book of business. He hit the $1 million mark after 5 years in business.
Ron and Laura with their friends Gov. Bill Lee and former Gov. Bill Haslam
Over time, he grew the agency even further, eventually opening six locations across East Tennessee and writing more than $10 million in direct written premium. He is a former Nationwide Insurance President's and Champion's conference qualifier in multiple years, and helped develop a staff that was churning out business and helping clients protect their homes, families and businesses.
While working to build his agency and his career, Ron also had a big personal life change. On one fateful day in 1988, a pretty young lady named Laura visited his agency to buy renter's insurance. It didn't take long for Laura and Ron to hit it off, and they began dating immediately. Just a year later, the two got married, and in 1990 they had their first child together – Jessica. Ron also had a son named Jared, but he unfortunately passed away in 1994. The family believes Jared is still part of their lives and is a cherished member of their family.
In 1995, Ron and Laura had their second daughter, Rachel. The family was living in Dayton during all this and decided to make another big life change when they purchased some of the Travis family's farm land that same year.
Between two kids, the insurance agency and the farm – there was never a dull moment. Jessica was doing cheerleading at Rhea County High School and would later go on to cheer at Tennessee Tech. Rachel was playing volleyball at The Baylor School in Chattanooga and played at Tennessee Tech as well. Laura was busy working with Ron at the agency, and after becoming licensed she worked a "team approach" with Ron to build sales. She was also handling the payroll, accounting and operations on top of being a busy Mom.
Ron speaking to the National Council of Insurance Legislators
But even with all that on their plate, the family continued to find success, growing the agencies and working on the farm. And that was good, because another big decision would soon add even more to their workload.
Running for Office
In 2012, Ron was intrigued by another opportunity. He had been working with his daughter Jessica at the agency and decided to inquire about what it took to run for office. They went to local election commission and he decided to request the paperwork to run for State Representative for District 31 (Bledsoe, Rhea, Sequatchie and part of Roane Counties). "I was just interested in giving back to the community I have lived in and loved for so long," explains Ron. After talking with Laura and giving it some more consideration, they put together a plan and began to campaign across the four counties in the District. The biggest hurdle was the Republican primary election, and as the results started rolling in that August, Ron was just a few hundred votes behind. But then the final tallies were completed, and he had edged out his opponent by just 105 votes.
Ron thanking members of our military for their service
Since that election, and in subsequent races, his popularity among constituents has grown. In the most recent 2020 race, Ron garnered almost 83% of the vote in the general election. During his tenure, he has served on multiple Committees – including Chairman of Insurance and Banking Committee and the Fiscal Review Committee. He was the Tennessee Development District Association’s “Legislator of the Year” in 2014 and 2017 and the Tennessee Chamber’s “Champion of Commerce” Award winner in 2014.
"I ran because I thought we could make a difference – and we have." says Ron, "I'm proud of the work we've done and continue to do for our District and the State." Laura has also been a big part of that work. Influenced by the former Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam, she created and implemented the Let's Tour 31 program to give their constituents personal tours of the Capitol, State Museum, and the Governor's Executive Residence. The program has resulted in 80 tours over Ron's eight years in office – a State record.
Big Plans for Insurors of Tennessee
Ron has started strong out of the gate with Insurors, reaching out to members and trying to learn as much as possible about how we are helping – and can better help – them succeed with their agencies. Some of his focus in 2021 will include identifying programs and partnerships that can help drive that success. He also wants to bring his agency experience into the decision-making in his role as CEO. "I think that having built, bought and sold insurance agencies helps give me perspective on how Insurors can provide additional value to our agency members."
If you have thoughts or suggestions – Ron wants to hear them. If you have questions or concerns – he wants to hear those too. He is well aware of the legacy that has been built
at Insurors of Tennessee over the years, and he is heavily invested in adding to that legacy. Especially after we weather this Pandemic and the other challenges of 2020.
“It’s a great honor to be joining Insurors of Tennessee,” adds Ron, “I am grateful for the opportunity to work for such a strong organization, alongside Tennessee’s finest agents, brokers and industry professionals. I am optimistic about the future of our Association and look forward to the days ahead.”
Ron and Laura cherishing time with their daughters and grandchildren
A Family Effort
Ron and his family are a close-knit group, and he and Laura even purchased a condo in Cookeville so that they could spend some time closer to the girls and their grandchildren. They now have four of those grandchildren – Alley Jo Shannon, Beckham Colby Shannon, Finley Scout Shannon and Hadley Jane Travis. They also have fun with the family dog, Gus, and enjoy having gatherings with everyone on the farm and on the river.
In addition, Ron's mother Jo is still alive and well and has property adjacent to their farm and running up to the Tennessee River. Laura's parents are also doing well and living at their home in Muscle Shoals, Alabama (and yes, she does say "Roll Tide"). But now they have additional family members – the members and staff of Insurors of Tennessee. "This industry and this organization are now part of my love for insurance." adds Ron, "We've got to keep giving back and show Tennessee how important independent agents are to our communities."
Ron is going to be working hard to help Insurors achieve that goal, and you can believe he's going to love helping do it.
Reach Out to Ron
Want to welcome Ron or discuss your thoughts and ideas for the Association? Feel free to reach out to him at rtravis@ insurors.org or call his direct line at 615.515.2606. Let's help him help us and work together towards our goals. He'd love to hear from you! u
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