Q&A with KENT REYNOLDS

Kent Reynolds, CIC is CEO of Blue Ridge Risk Partners, one of the top 75 insurance agencies in the country with locations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Kent also serves on the IA&B Board of Directors.

Q. You began your insurance career right out of college. What steered you toward the industry?

A. From a very young age, I was interested in business, and I majored in finance in college. I had known about the agency (Keller Stonebraker Insurance, which became Blue Ridge Risk Partners) for many years and did an internship here during my senior year of college.

My first official position in the agency was in accounting. I quickly realized that the insurance industry encompassed so many general business and finance principals, and I became more interested in the insurance piece of the agency.

Q. We understand you worked in a variety of positions within the agency before becoming CEO. Tell us about your career

A. After accounting, I became involved in operations and the perpetuation of existing books of business. And that turned into getting licensed and earning designations, and then working with clients. I became the COO in 2008 and eventually the CEO in 2012. Having a team that has worked in all aspects of the agency gives us good perspective and helps us deliver on our promise to take care of our customers.

Q. Blue Ridge Risk Partners has expanded extensively through mergers and acquisitions (M&A). For the industry as a whole, how would you describe the M&A marketplace of recent years, and what do you anticipate in the near future?

A. M&A activity is occurring at lightning speed, and personally, I see that continuing for the foreseeable future.

Even though at Blue Ridge we are a very large agency with 21 locations, our position is that we continue to operate in the communities we serve. We try to balance that scale and size by placing tremendous value in serving individual communities.

Q. What professional accomplishment are you most proud of, and why?

A. I can’t take full responsibility for this, but my biggest professional accomplishment is helping to provide a stable and meaningful career for close to 200 employees. When I look back over the course of my 31-year career, there was only one time that we had to downsize. When managed properly, this industry provides tremendous stability and opportunity.

Q. This magazine will hit agencies’ mailboxes in March 2022 – marking a long, eventful two years since the pandemic first impacted us. What lessons have you learned along the way?

A. We learned how to react quickly, to adapt as needed, and have flexibility. The pandemic affirmed the need to listen to our clients and to serve them as they feel comfortable – whether that’s electronically, by phone, or in person. The biggest lesson was the importance of being proactive, of reaching out to the customer first.

Q. You live near Camp David, in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland. What’s that like? Any interesting stories you can share?

A. Most people don’t realize where Camp David is, but it’s only five miles away from where we live, in the small town of Smithsburg. One of the most memorable experiences was living here during 9/11.

President Bush used Camp David to plan his response to the 9/11 attacks. His Cabinet and Joint Chiefs of Staff all met with him there, and the press took over Smithsburg for several days. For weeks after 9/11, it was the norm to see fighter jets flying overhead.

Q. When you’re not working, where will we find you?

A. Hopefully traveling – anywhere near water! Both my wife and I love the water. Any chance we get to enjoy that is a win.