Q&A with
BRENDALISSE RIVERA, JD, CIC, CRM, CISR Brendalisse Rivera, JD, CIC, CRM, CISR is a commercial account executive with Gunn-Mowery, a full-service independent agency located in Lemoyne, PA. She is also the recipient of Pennsylvania’s 2023 Outstanding CSR of the Year. Q. You earned your law degree in Puerto Rico before entering the insurance industry. Tell us about your career path and how it brought you to Central Pennsylvania! A. I passed the bar exam in 2005, but rather than working at a law firm, I joined the team at Marsh Saldaña in Puerto Rico. At first, I thought the job was temporary, but I was hooked when I began my career as a Client Executive at Marsh’s Financial Lines Department, a highly specialized sector within the insurance field that requires legal experience. In this role, I was responsible for all aspects of analysis and placement of management and professional liability programs, including strategic planning, risk analysis, coverage analysis, and program design. A few years later, I was promoted to Vice President and Financial Client Advisor, servicing many of Marsh’s Puerto Ricobased risk management large and middle market clients. In 2017, my husband and I decided to relocate to the United States to continue our professional growth and to provide our four-year-old daughter with the best opportunities possible – a decision we do not regret. I joined the Gunn Mowery family in 2017 and have accomplished a lot of my dreams and goals. Everything has been worth it! 8
Q. What does your typical workday look like currently? A. Every day is different, for sure. There are days when I spend most of my time evaluating what risks need to go to the market and gathering the necessary information I will need to present to underwriters. This may involve speaking to clients directly. Once I have the relevant information, I send everything to our underwriters to negotiate terms and conditions and get final quotes. I am one of those insurance agents who likes to put together complete proposals for the insureds and to take the time to discuss everything further. Q. What’s your favorite part of your job? A. Building and maintaining strong relationships with clients. As an insurance agent, we are always helping to identify the needs of our clients and providing effective solutions in their best interests, and this process involves building a relationship of trust. Communication, integrity, and transparency let clients know we are reliable and trustworthy.
FEBRUARY 2024