Interview with Tim Mackie, Westland’s Executive Vice President of Distribution

What excites you about our industry?

For me what excites me about the insurance business is the people and the focus on building relationships – internally within the company and externally with our insurance company partners and the extended industry network of professionals.  The other very interesting opportunity in the business is that for growth personally, professionally for our teams and for the business itself.

How do you think the industry will change in the coming years?

I think we will continue to see some of the main themes that have been prevalent for some time:

• Consolidation in all verticals within the insurance industry
• The continuing impact and effects of climate change
• Advances in technology and automation that will change the employee and customer experience
• The importance of talent and human capital become even more amplified

What’s the one thing that Westland is doing this year that you are most excited about?

It is very hard to identify just one thing so instead I have highlighted three:

Investing in technology that is foundational to support our national distribution network – what is exciting about this is that it:

• Sets us up to offer an omni-channel experience to our clients
• Creates opportunity for our teams to support one and other in a way not possible without a common platform
• Allows us to move forward with integration to enable real time data exchange and other sources of data/software to improve work flows and efficiency

Investing in both organic and inorganic growth

It is fun to be a part of an organization that is growing.

Investing in our people and their development

Moving forward on our vision to be a caring, modern, inclusive employer where our employees have a voice and can write the stories of their careers with the support of the organization is a very powerful mandate that really resonates with me.

What inspired you to take the path that you are in right now in your career?

Like many people I did not specifically choose to build a career in the insurance industry – rather I sort of “fell into it” and boy am I glad I did.  I have worked in a few different industries and ours is definitely my favorite.  I have worked with many great leaders and have always loved being a part of a team – in work and in sports.  I think my parents and my competitive nature have helped to fuel aspirations and an interest in being; involved, challenged and a contributing member to any team I am on which I suppose helped take me on my career path that has never been more fun than it is today.