Jacey Norberg’s insurance career began with a chance conversation she had with a woman while working as a waitress. A few weeks after the chat, the woman called the supper club where Norberg worked and asked to speak to her.
“She was opening up a wholesale operation in Minnesota for a company based in Seattle, Washington, and asked if I would like to take a semester off of school to be a receptionist for them,” Norberg told Insurance Business America. “I accepted that position and the ball was rolling.”
Over the next 10 years, Norberg advanced from receptionist to underwriter/broker. In 2010, she moved to Risk Placement Services (RPS) as an underwriter/broker, and later became a sales manager. Norberg is now an area president for RPS – and a member of IBA’s 2024 Hot 100, which recognizes insurance professionals who are driving the industry forward.
As area president, Norberg oversees a team that operates across specialties including brokerage, binding P&C, transportation, personal lines and agribusiness.
Norberg operates from RPS’s Eu Claire, Wis., office – an office that was underperforming before her arrival.
Norberg said she turned the office around by focusing on supporting and mentoring her team.
“My priority is letting my staff know that they are never alone, and that I will do anything I possibly can to help them through every challenge,” she told IBA.
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Norberg said her extensive experience also helped her mentor her team members.
“We have young people coming into the industry during an unprecedented time looking for help navigating this market, seasoned people trying to help their clients who are facing constant non-renewals, and clients looking to us for help more than ever before,” she said. “I try to be the calm within the storm, staying steady and helping as many people as I can.”
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