News

Do you know what the ‘G’ stands for in ‘G-20’? You would think I would know after the all the hoopla of the past 2 weeks. I guess it could be Grand or Giant or Gang sounded right or maybe it stands for Gazillion. What to do? Of course I went to that other G-word and Googled it. You probably already knew that G-20 stands for the ‘Group of 20’ major economies in the world. One thing is certain; that group never paid a marketing firm a dime for branding!

While all of us in Southwestern PA were consumed by the goings on, I am sure most of you barely noticed the spotlight that shone on Pittsburgh. Despite the disruptions to most businesses in the city, everyone seemed to manage. And though only 3000 or so die-hard fans dared to venture into downtown for fear of protestors and roadblocks, the Pirates still played baseball at PNC Park directly across the river from the convention center where the meetings took place. Apparently someone forgot to send a memo to the G-20 ministers about the tradition of setting off fireworks at the stadium when the Pirates hit a home run (OK - so it doesn’t happen very often which could be why they forgot). I hear that the ministers and even a few protestors had quite a fright when they thought they were under attack! Fortunately, it didn’t take long for things to calm down and everyone went back to eating their Primanti sandwiches!

Judging from events that occurred only a year ago, we all know that mega businesses, as well as businesses ‘too big to fail’, have lost a great deal of credibility. Bigger is not better anymore. Yet, I embrace wholeheartedly a group of independently minded peers who wish to network and learn from each other as a model. What would you think if I told you that 20 highly successful independently-owned wholesale brokers get together every year with only one goal in mind – to leverage their unique regional expertise and resources so they can offer the strength of that network to the independent agent? Well, it really happens. True, there was no security surrounding our little group, but last weekend 21 agency principals from wholesale shops around the country met in Virginia. Our group goes by the name of USA Alliance.

We have no ambition to take over the industry or even one another! This is not a cluster or network of the agency model. However, because we all operate in pretty much the same circles, we find common ground for nearly all of the issues facing independent wholesale agencies. We are no G-20 of the insurance business either. With no pretense at being able to set policy or control the fate of the industry, we simply seek to share ideas in advance of the ever-changing needs of the marketplace.

What difference does this make to you? Tuscano strives to be the best wholesaler in our market, recognized for excellence in insurance underwriting and customer service. How are we going to get there? We are focusing on four things: Building relationships for life, employing people who embrace our values, delivering excellence to business partners, and preserving our legacy.

So while other brokers are setting minimum premiums for your business, or turning products into commodities, Tuscano is looking for the ‘holy grail’ of creating value through exceptional service. While I can’t guarantee we will always have the lowest price, I do believe Tuscano brings value to your agency. We work for you, so you can earn the praise and loyalty of your customers.

Greetings from the ‘Burgh - Now, let me get back to my Primanti sandwich.