Leader Has Worked in Insurance Industry Since Age 18

On April 8, Kathy Leader will celebrate 20 years with Marshfield Insurance. She has a lifetime of experience in the industry, starting with Gates Insurance when she was 18 years-old. “It was a very small agency and Mr. [Lou] Gates had previously worked as an underwriter for an insurance company and he was a very good teacher regarding coverages and he also stressed being very detailed,” she said. After some changes when working at another agency, Leader inquired if there were any open positions at Marshfield Insurance. “I knew Roger Arnoldy from being in the insurance business in Marshfield and I knew a couple of the girls that worked at Marshfield Insurance from working with them prior to this time,” she said. “I stopped in one day just to see if they maybe had any openings. They hired me a week later.” Along with the required licenses and ongoing continuing education classes, Leader also acquired her CISR (Certified Insurance Service Representative) designation in 2002. “I have always enjoyed working in the insurance industry and still do. My favorite part of the job is my customers and getting to know them and helping them,” she said. “I have stayed all these years because insurance is very interesting and never boring and the Arnoldy’s have always treated their employees very well and we are a family that works together.” Along with helping customers, Leader said she also enjoys the variety her job offers. “You are always helping people to be ready for disasters such as a tornado, fire, auto accident and other types of losses,” she said. “Insurance is always something different every day and you always are learning something. It is kind of a niche job and not many people think about a career in insurance.” With decades in the industry and 20 years at Marshfield Insurance, she has witnessed many changes. “When I first started in insurance we rated policies out of a manual, everything was mailed, and we had file cabinets full of customer files. We started using computers and they have changed so much over the years as to what they can do and what we do with them,” she said. “The kind of insurance has also changed. Now we sell Cyber Liability to protect our customers in case their computers are hacked and their customers’ info is stolen.” Now semi-retired, Leader said she looks forward to being fully retired eventually. “Kathy is as reliable as they come and Marshfield Insurance is blessed to have her as a teammate, especially for the many years she’s contributed towards our customers,” said President and CEO Nick Arnoldy. “She is always optimistic and the team and customers enjoy working with her.” Congrats, Kathy!