Meet Kelley Culley, Director on the OIA Board and self-proclaimed “insurance nerd.” Kelley is a student of the industry. “Many people think as Insurance as plan B. They don’t go to school planning on being in insurance. I picked this business and decided on this career at an early age. I wanted to learn as much as I could about the industry. My designations are the building blocks.”
About Reno Insurance Agency
Kelley’s grandfather started the Reno Insurance Agency in June 1960. It has been serving the Dayton, Ohio area since then. Most of the agency’s business comes from referrals because of very loyal customers. The agency wants to help those loyal customers with all aspects of what they want to do. Niche markets include trucking, non-medical home healthcare agencies, and smaller start-up businesses.
OIA Volunteer Service
Kelley began her volunteer service at OIA in 2015 as a committee member of the Advocacy Committee, serving as chairperson in 2018 and 2019. She is still serving on the committee and has attended several Big “I” Legislative Conferences and OIA’s Advocacy Day. Kelley says she has enjoyed being an advocate for the industry. “We have our own agency but when we collaborate with OIA we have one voice. It gives what we want to say more volume.”
In 2022, Kelley was elected to serve in a vacancy on the OIA Board of Directors. She was elected by the membership to a three-year term on the Board commencing Jan. 1, 2023.
In addition to her service at OIA, Kelley served as Vice Chair and Chair of the Independent Insurance Agents Association of Dayton (https://www.iiaad.org/). Founded in 1937 the IIAAD is an organization of local independent agencies, contractors, rental car companies, and vendors related to the insurance industry. The goal is to provide an opportunity for agencies and vendors to network and discuss challenges the industry faces, specifically in the Miami Valley, while giving back to the community that supports it.
Community Involvement:
Kelley is involved in her community through local networking groups and chambers of commerce that support small business. She works with the Dayton Entrepreneurs Center where she teaches and volunteers whenever asked. The Entrepreneurial Center is an economic development organization that fosters and empowers the development and growth of entrepreneurial businesses in the Dayton Region. Kelley refers clients who are interested in starting a business to the organization. She likes to share her passion for insurance and help small businesses advance and exceed whenever possible beyond the realm of insurance.
You can find Kelley often volunteering at her kids’ school. “Insurance provides me the flexibility to do that. COVID has allowed me to work from home more. It’s introduced more flexible work schedules. It became socially acceptable to work from home.”
Advice for the Next Generation of Independent Agents
“This is an amazing industry. It allows you to meet and have relationships with very interesting and amazing people. Don’t be afraid of the hard work and you don’t have to buy in to the sales mentality. You can focus on the relationship, and the rest will come.”
