Meet Beth: Our Management Liability & Cyber Practice Leader
Beth Martin --Crane’s Management Liability & Cyber Practice Leader-- has been with us since 2020 and has been in the industry for more than a decade. As a crucial team member who helps solve any cyber and liability issues, we are very excited to feature her in our blog. Get to know this friendly face in our Q&A with her here!
Q: Tell us about what drew you to the insurance industry and where you started before joining The Crane Agency?
Beth began in the insurance industry at State Farm post-graduation from Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville. At State Farm, she was a producer of property/casualty, life and health insurance. There she also gained experience writing some small commercial insurance for an agent.
As her kids got older, she went to work for Aon in St. Louis. There she worked with the Financial Services Group as part of the Private Equity Portfolio solutions brokerage. After 5 years at Aon learning the details of executive liability placements to best place risk with partner carriers, she joined Crane Agency as their practice leader for management liability and cyber risk.
Q: What is your favorite part about being in cyber practice and the risk management industry?
With a decade of experience within the insurance industry, her favorite part of the job is getting to work with many people to find solutions for our clients and prospects. Beth enjoys providing support to all of Crane’s brokers (45 people!) and their account management staff because it keeps her on her toes. She loves helping with coverage assessments, reviews, complex renewals as well as gaining new business.
Q: What is one thing you recommend to companies in regards to cybersecurity protection in this digital world?
“There is more than just one way for companies to address cybersecurity!”
Beth recommends to her clients C-suite and owners to work closely with their IT department heads and third-party vendors to develop protection, prevention and response plans. Additionally, she recommends a good cyber insurance broker for adequate cyber coverage. These practices in conjunction will protect and keep companies’ data secure.
Q: You recently started a semi-annual newsletter, The Cyberwatch, a quick read of the latest hot topics. Tell us about this new communication and why you started it!
The Cyberwatch is a new communication to keep brokers and clients thinking about ways to prevent cyber breaches. Beth started this newsletter because the cyber market moves so quickly and wanted a more solidified way to summarize her findings. The Cyberwatch is a way to present what she thinks others need to know to stay up to date in an easy-to-understand communication.
Read the current issue here.
Q: The past year has been challenging, to say the least. How have you maintained some normalcy through it all?
The past year was challenging professionally and personally for Beth as she worked through the pandemic. “Crane was outstanding in continuing its services to our clients during this time and was also very supportive of all agency staff. It has been very impressive to see the mobility and communication that went into keeping business moving!”
As the year progressed, Beth realized that she had to maintain time chunks to be able to work with her family at home and support her kid’s online learning.
Q: What do you do in your spare time?
“What’s spare time?!”
Living on Holiday Shores lake, Beth enjoys boating with her family doing water sports. She also enjoys fitness including weight lifting and yoga.
Thank you for taking the time to read about our wonderful team here at The Concannon Insurance Agency, and stay tuned for more staff spotlights!
