Agent Spotlight: New Ownership, Same Traditions
Paul Beckmann stands in his New Orleans office surrounded by photos of his family.
AGENT PAUL BECKMANN BELIEVES TRADITIONAL VALUES AND NEW TALENT ARE ESSENTIAL TO GROW A BUSINESS
When Paul Beckmann is not cheering with his children at school sporting events or tailgating at LSU football games, he is the principal at J. Everett Eaves, an insurance agency based in New Orleans since 1918. After receiving his bachelor of arts degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in Business Management, he began working at J. Everett Eaves as a producer in commercial line sales where his sole responsibility was to produce and grow business. He has been with the agency for 18 years and moved into management when his father retired in 2010. He is currently responsible for the day-to-day and overall performance of the offices and continues to serve his clients, many of which have been with him since he started with the agency.
J. Everett Eaves started the company in 1918, and his family owned the business until the mid-80s, when they sold it to Beckmann’s father and his business partner. At the beginning, the company specialized in malpractice and healthcare, but as the agency grew, so did the types of insurance coverages written. Today it is a full-service agency with a large concentration in commercial and personal insurance. Currently it has five offices in three states across the Gulf Coast. Although the company has changed ownership, Beckmann believes the relationship with AssuredPartners is a great opportunity for the company to grow under a vibrant, fast-growing national insurance agency. “Our new affiliation with AssuredPartners allows us to go back to a more traditional style of agency operation,” Beckmann said. “We’ve been around for a long time and we’re excited about this new chapter.”
Through the ownership changes and growth, Beckmann says J. Everett Eaves maintains its original principles and its customer-first philosophy. Now, more than ever, customers want the sort of personal services the agency has been known for since its beginnings – almost 100 years ago. The agency takes pride in being a true partner with their clients by being accessible, dependable and innovative. “We focus on knowing our clients and understanding their needs so that we can provide service that exceeds their expectations,” Beckmann touted.
There is a core group of employees that have been with J. Everett Eaves even before Beckmann joined the team. These individuals maintain the tradition and values of the agency and have embraced the new talent that is essential to growing the business. However, recruiting talented professionals who understand the insurance business has been a challenge. “It’s not often one finds a table for insurance agencies set up at local job fairs,” Beckmann said. In his ongoing search for talented professionals, Beckmann is focused on developing, educating and involving younger people in the industry.
Back row, from left: Jackie Bergeron, Scott Masson, Johnny Beckmann, Brandon Anderson Front Row: Paul Beckmann, Marla Jaspriza
“Katrina taught me a tremendous amount about coverages and the claims process – good and bad"
Although the agency continues to grow organically, there were challenging times that threatened the agency, its clients’ businesses, and way of life. After Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, the J. Everett Eaves team evacuated to Baton Rouge, La., where they set up a temporary office. Determined to help their clients through this difficult time, they were back up and running only a few days after the storm hit. Fortunately for the company, they were able to return home after a few months and were surprised to find their office undamaged. “The most pivotal experience from Katrina was working closely with our customers and assisting them through the claims process, from getting their business back up and running to getting their homes repaired,” Beckmann said. “Katrina taught me a tremendous amount about coverages and the claims process – good and bad. It was an educational opportunity for both the agency and the consumer. Our agency is better prepared to handle and service clients in future catastrophes because of Hurricane Katrina.”
When working with LUBA, Beckmann describes the experience as a long-term relationship. J. Everett Eaves has had a contract with LUBA Casualty for more than 17 years and has been one of LUBA’s most consistent producers of business. According to Beckmann, LUBA is “very hands on.”
“The folks at LUBA are willing to look at things from an agent’s and insured’s point of view. They are sensitive to our needs, and always make an honest effort to do what’s best for our clients.” Beckmann says LUBA’s broad experience in workers’ compensation and loss control set it apart from many other insurance companies.
In Beckmann’s opinion, the golden rule still applies – treat others as you would want to be treated. Whether it’s pricing a policy fairly, treating an insured or a claimant with respect, or educating the client on preventing accidents, we share LUBA’s philosophy on customer service, he said. Treat the other guy fairly … and everything else will take care of itself.
