I’ve had many successful years in the insurance business. I’ve done just about every job in the industry; from agent to running my own benefits consulting firm and yet work has never ceased to be a pursuit of passion. After all these years, the most satisfying part of any day still happens to be getting positive feedback from clients. There really isn’t a better feeling for me than knowing that I’ve impacted the life of a client in a positive way. Any accolades I get are all because of my team. They work with me and not for me and the difference is all about the quality of care that we give each and every client.

Personally, I can’t wait to travel more. A dream trip for me would be Australia but until I find the time to disappear into the outback, my plan of action for the present is to transition from my family business to become a part of Apri and share everything and anything I know about the industry. I may work with my actual family but I must say, it’s been pretty seamless for me to start looking at the rest of the Apri team in the same light. I’m excited to see everyone learn and grow and succeed, because when they do, so do our clients.

I’ve been in the insurance industry over 30 years. That’s 30 years invested in doing something I truly enjoy and I’m fortunate because of it. I get to go to work every day and help people just like me – with families just like mine – plan their lives and ensure that the people they care for most in life are taken care of. That’s really why I’m in business – to do right by my clients.

When I’m not in the office, I’m spending time with my family. It’s pretty great how close we are, like when we get together and play a round of golf on the weekend. Not only is it a chance for us to get outside and have a great time doing something we all love but it also gives me the time to stop and think about the fact that my sons still have fun hanging out with their mom and dad. After I do that, I just can’t seem to stop smiling.

With two small boys, I find it more important than ever to create balance in my life. While I’d like to take all the credit, this is really only possible with the loving support of my wife. In the winter I try to get in some curling and in the summer it’s a round or two of golf but what I really love is getting lost in the serenity of the outdoors. I have a real affinity for northern B.C. I try to spend 2 weeks a year out west, just camping or fishing and I would love to have a cabin on a lake there someday – just a little place where I can get away from the world.

Being passionate about this business has allowed me to grow and develop throughout the years, and has given me the opportunity to share my wealth of knowledge and experience with our clients. After spending 12 years in the insurance industry, I haven’t been this excited to become a part of a company, especially a company like Apri. For me it’s all about Apri’s philosophy of always putting the client first, because our job should always be about what the client needs and how we can help them in the best way possible.

When I was considering joining Apri, I was amazed at how the company fit perfectly with my philosophy of always putting the clients’ needs first. Apri functions like a family, and for me family has always been an important part of my life. I feel fortunate that I’ve found a career I love allowing me to focus on helping and not just selling. It is a huge reason why I love coming into work each and every day.

When I’m not at work, I love to spend as much time as I can with my wife and kids. Living up north has been a large part of my upbringing; now working and living in this environment has put us at arms reach to pursue our passions and enjoy so many different activities. We love to camp, golf, play baseball and hockey – in short, if there’s an outdoor activity, you can bet we’re into it. I’m glad to be able to share these moments with my kids and give them more opportunities to experience the world. For me, the journey means everything, and I feel fortunate to have the best of both worlds.

I’ve always been competitive. I played basketball in university, I’ve been a part of five national championship teams in slo-pitch softball and it’s not all that uncommon to find me on the volleyball court, yoga studio or on the golf course.  Needless to say, sports play quite a large role in my life. I find it a great way to challenge myself and I want to keep playing for as long as I can.

My competitive drive isn’t just reserved for the field or the court. I have been in the insurance industry for 20 plus years and, just like in sports, it’s all about trying to do the best you can. That’s why I’m constantly striving for excellence when it comes to helping my clients get exactly what they need, each and every day.

Helping my clients to look after their employees and their health is important to me. I have a family of my own so I understand how vital it is to take care of what matters most in life. My focus is first and foremost my family and my twin 5-year-old girls. Everything is about my children. My life plan is now firmly tied to their life plans. Success down the road will be seeing my two girls content, fulfilled and able to provide for themselves – well, that and perhaps talking them into letting their parents retire early…

I’ve spent almost 20 years in this industry, first in general insurance and then in group benefits. I’ve worked for companies that are very “corporate” in structure and driven by numbers, profits and dollars. Here at Apri, I find a lot of our focus is put instead towards earnestly building relationships with each and every one of our clients.

I’ve worked in employee benefits for over 30 years and that’s a long time for anyone in any industry. So to say that I’ve seen a lot on my tenure would be an understatement. One thing I’ve come to notice about Apri is that we do things differently. Simple as that. Take our meetings for instance. Other companies would talk about sales figures first thing, we’d rather share stories about our clients instead. Building relationships with our clients and knowing who they are as people – that’s the fabric of who we are.

I’ve lived and worked in cities all over Canada but the truth is that I’m a country boy at heart. So beyond work, I love heading up to the family cottage. I spend summers at the cottage as often as possible and when I retire, I can’t wait to live up there full-time. But if I won the lottery today, (as in today-today), I don’t think I’d quit. Seriously, I love what I do – although I would probably drive a nicer truck. Helping my clients manage their benefits programs can come with some unique challenges but it can also be quite a bit of fun. And no matter what, it’s always rewarding.