Lawrence fills new investment area for the industry to create HR resources to meet an expressed need for our membership.
OIA is excited to announce Brian Lawrence, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, has joined the association to serve our members as Director of HR Solutions. With a passion to serve and meet the immediate needs of our membership, Lawrence bolsters his vast experiences and skills to develop meaningful solutions to independent agents.
Brian Lawrence brings over 23 years of Human Resources experiences to the role. He developed his interest in Insurance & Financial services during a 20+ year HR career with Nationwide. His career at Nationwide included a broad range of roles including recruiting, training, operations, continuous improvement, and HR Business partner. His experience includes seven years as an HR Director/Strategic HR Business Partner providing consulting and HR support to executive leadership teams including: performance management, engagement, retention, change management, and organization design. The departments he supported included P&C, Commercial and Non-Standard Customer Service & Operations, Life Insurance and Annuity Operations, Nationwide Pet, and Nationwide Member Solutions.
Lawrence continued his HR career as the HR Director for a regional, not-for-profit healthcare system, Equitas Health. He was responsible for leading all aspects of HR including recruiting, onboarding, benefits, HR Compliance, and employee relations.
“I’m excited to support our members, who like my father, Glenn, are operating small, family-owned businesses competing in a rapidly evolving market,” shares Lawrence. His upbringing was rooted in the strong values of providing for their families operating a small business, Lawrence’s Shoes in downtown Cincinnati for many decades. Lawrence recalls, “Like many small businesses, my dad relied on the expertise and advice of an independent agent to protect and manage the risks of his business.” In fact, his family’s insurance agency was Dwyer Insurance, still active and a member of the OIA!
Inspired by decades of family entrepreneurs, Brian ran his own small business, as a franchise owner of Planet Smoothie for five years.
A graduate from Ohio University, Brian has a Bachelor of Science. He resides in Gahanna with his husband, Matt and their two children. Both are passionate about their community and serve as licensed foster parents for over a decade. Outside of work and family, Brian enjoys coaching basketball and soccer and playing softball. He enjoys traveling and hiking and has visited 45 of the 50 United States!
We are very excited to see all the ways Brian will contribute to OIA in our efforts to further enhance the IA system in Ohio. If you have any questions for Brian, you can reach him at brian@ohioinsuranceagents.com.
