Bob Byrd entered the insurance industry in 1975. Upon graduating with a Political Science degree from Ball State University, and completing his 6 year obligation to the Air Force, and upon working with his brother in general partnership for 14 years, he created Bob Byrd Insurance, Inc. on October 1, 1990. Bob took 400 clients and approximately $1 million of premium volume, and started his own agency. Currently he represents 8 companies with 2/3 Property Casualty, and 1/3 Life and Health split. 1800 clients develop approximately $3,000,000 premium sales volume. Bob has written twelve national publication articles, including Rough Notes, Agent and Broker magazine, and The Independent Agent magazine, as well as National Underwriter Property, Casualty, and Life and Health editions. Bob guest-authored with his brother in the book “Make every second count” a time management book published by the National Underwriter press.
Bob has been a Certified Insurance Counselor since 1979. In 1984, Bob and his brother developed Soft Silver Corporation, a user-group sharing insurance concepts related to IBM PC-generated forms. At that time, they had a subscription base of 300 agents throughout 19 states. Soft Silver no longer operates. In 1986, Bob was named Independent Agent of the year by the Indiana Big I Association. He maintains membership in that organization. He has also taught numerous Property, Casualty, and Life and Health seminars, as well as guest-lectured for Certified Insurance Counselor Agency Management seminars.
With the advent of networking, Bob Byrd Insurance has an eight-station Microsoft network in place, and utilizes numerous computer functions for its day-to-day operations. In 1997, he formed a joint marketing venture with 56 realtor Century 21 agents. Over the years, he has advised other agents on the acquisition of agencies and the liquidation of agencies. Bob has given expert witness testimony in various court cases involving insurance agency valuations. Having purchased two agencies, bid on seven, and appraised many more. Bob has developed a method of evaluating profitability in an agent’s book of business. Currently, agency employees number six and Bob has utilized college interns on many past summer projects. In March of 2010 Bob was asked to become a national spokesman for Pekin Insurance Company as he appears on their national web home page representing Pekin over 30 years. He filmed a YouTube video which is seen on their web home page.
Bob and his wife Diane (who works at Purdue University) reside in West Lafayette, Indiana. He has two grown children, Wes, an honors graduate of Kelly School of Business Indiana University currently working in Washington DC, and Julie ,an honors graduate of Purdue University who has worked in his agency the last several years. Bob is a trustee of his church in West Lafayette, Indiana.
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