The legacy of insurance coverage: A dialog with Danny Kaufman

On this planet of insurance coverage, few names resonate as deeply as H.W. Kaufman Group. On the coronary heart of this legacy is Danny Kaufman (pictured), government vp, who not too long ago sat down with Insurance coverage Enterprise to debate his journey, the challenges of the pandemic, and his dedication to neighborhood service.

“I grew up across the insurance coverage trade,” he stated. “My grandfather based this firm in 1969. I grew up coming to the workplace, having lunch with him. Again then, we had been very formal. I’d placed on a go well with and tie to go to. I fell in love with the trade. It was a people-first trade constructed on relationships, handshakes, and friendships.”

Following in his father’s footsteps, Danny Kaufman went to regulation college, regardless of figuring out his coronary heart was set on insurance coverage. “After regulation college, I joined the trade straight away,” he stated. “Having a regulation background could be very useful. It helps me see issues in a sure approach.”

His journey within the trade has since been various. From internships at 16, roles in information entry, to turning into a property dealer in Chicago, he has seen all of it. “In 2017, after I moved again to Detroit, I took on the duty as chief working officer for Burns Wilcox within the US. In 2021, I grew to become president of Burns & Wilcox with an emphasis on the US.”

Pandemic creates alternatives

The pandemic introduced unprecedented challenges. However for Danny Kaufman and his workforce, it was additionally a time of innovation and development.

“We started our digitalization roadmap previous to COVID,” he defined. “One of many first issues our new CIO did was take a look at our infrastructure. By happenstance, this bought us prepared for a very digital setting. So, when March 13, 2020, got here round, we had been able to go totally distant. We had been forward of the sport.”

The corporate’s proactive strategy to expertise paid off. Whereas others had been making cuts, Burns & Wilcox signed a contract with Salesforce, investing over $100 million to overtake its programs. “We’re three years into that mission now,” he stated. “We’re beginning to roll out that system, constructing the way forward for the corporate on this new digital platform.”

A shiny future

Wanting forward, Danny Kaufman is optimistic. “We’re all the time trying to usher in high expertise,” he stated. “We construct our firm on high folks. We’re additionally acquisitions. There’s plenty of consolidation within the house. We have now a five-year plan to double in dimension by 2028, organically and thru buying.”

However past enterprise, his coronary heart lies in neighborhood service. A proud fifth technology Detroiter, he’s deeply invested within the metropolis’s revitalization.

“Wherever I am going on the planet, I closely promote Detroit,” he stated. “After I got here again in 2017, I invested each my time and {dollars} into town.” He’s notably passionate in regards to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the place he’s co-chairing a $75 million endowment marketing campaign. “Organizations in Detroit are important to town. They promote companies, tourism, and schooling.”

For Danny Kaufman, giving again isn’t only a private mission; it’s a company-wide ethos.

“It’s essential that each one of our folks give again to the communities by which we do enterprise,” he stated. “If I’m not doing it, then we are able to’t anticipate our folks to do it. We ask our folks to provide again in all methods, all over the place we do enterprise.”

In a world that’s always altering, he stands as a testomony to the ability of legacy, innovation, and neighborhood service. His journey, from a younger boy visiting his grandfather’s workplace to main one of many trade’s giants, is really inspiring. And as he seems to the long run, one factor is obvious: the very best is but to return.