A place to build and belong
For Jim Lubman and Roland Galli, joining George Petersen Insurance Agency was more than a career move; it was about aligning with a place that valued integrity, ethics and community. Both men came from successful careers on the carrier side of the industry, but this agency offered something unique.
Jim, now the marketing manager at George Petersen, remembers his initial reaction to the job offer being an immediate no. “The last 21 or so years, I was managing operations for an insurance company in Northern California, and I had this great thing going where I was. I could see retirement at the end of it,” he says with a bemused smile. But attending his predecessor’s birthday party changed everything. “I drove home that day, called my wife and said, ‘I think I’m going to do this.’”
The timing was right. Coming out of the pandemic, Jim relished the palpable energy of a collaborative office; he wanted to be a part of that. And as a 90-year-old privately held firm, he also recognized that George Petersen was a unicorn in today’s world. “It’s really different from just about any agency I can think of and it’s the only one that I would think to move to,” Jim says. “I couldn’t be more excited now two years in.”
Roland’s path was strikingly similar. While working as a marketing representative for CNA, George Petersen’s COO approached him about shaping the agency’s sales program from scratch. “At the time, there was nothing. No true sales culture. And for myself, that was the attraction,” Roland shares. “I had already reached being the #1 salesperson for many years, but this was new. The opportunity to shape the agency’s culture was exciting and thank God I made that change. It’s been life changing for me and my family.”
In the end, a commitment to ethics is what drew both men to George Petersen and what continues to guide their leadership. For Jim, it’s simple: “Do the right thing, even when no one’s looking,” he says. “Ethics and reputation are everything in this industry, especially for a firm that’s been around since 1935. That’s one of the reasons I chose GP.”
Strength born in adversity
A focus on doing what’s right is central to how the agency operates, especially in difficult times. Roland reflects on the 2017 Santa Rosa fires, which hit close to home for George Petersen’s staff and clients. “That was a big transcending moment for the agency and how we operate in the community and as a family,” he says. “As a corporation, that was our defining moment.”
Highlighting the agency’s efforts to help not only clients but also their own people through an incredibly challenging time, Roland recalls transforming the George Petersen office into a temporary emergency hub for community members and carrier partners. For three weeks, seven days a week, from 7 in the morning until 7 at night, the team fed the neighborhood and helped people file claims. “It really put my career in perspective. This is why we’re here. This is why I’m in the industry,” Roland says with a mixture of pride and humility.
For Jim, the agency’s resilience shone through. “We had close to a billion dollars in losses that year and managed to come through for both our policyholders and markets,” he says. “We worked with clients successfully and in the end, it made the agency much stronger for having been tested and knowing how to respond in the face of those kind of losses.”
Ultimately, the crisis crystalized the importance of the agency’s work beyond policies and premiums. For Jim and Roland, it’s not just about providing coverage; it’s about being part of the fabric of the community. “We have a long history of trying to do the right thing and then good things come out of that. That’s the ethos of the firm,” adds Jim.
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A career that’s never boring
The duo may not have started their careers knowing insurance was the end game, but sometimes the best journeys aren’t planned. Jim chuckles as he recalls starting his 30-year career in the industry by answering a classified ad for an underwriter trainee, despite not knowing what “underwriter” meant. For Roland, the leap from radio sales to insurance was similarly serendipitous, yet it quickly became a lifelong passion. “I got a job at AAA as a claims adjuster and that’s how I jumped in. The next thing you know, like Jim, 30 plus years in the industry and still in it,” he says with a smile.
Both Jim and Roland see insurance as more than just a career — it’s a field full of possibility and constant learning. Roland lights up when he talks about what excites him most. “Insurance touches every industry out there — from ice cream making to banking to aircraft. That’s what’s sexy to me,” he says with a grin. “It’s so different every day, and even after 30 years, I’m still learning something new.”
The dynamism, stability and depth of the insurance industry is what Roland hopes will attract the next generation to the field. “The industry is not getting any younger,” says Roland who helped launch the agency’s intern program. “Young people are drawn to tech companies that bring in food and play ping-pong at lunch,” Roland laughs. “But they don’t realize that here’s an industry that is extremely stable and can give you a very long career.”
“This is the place to be,” adds Jim.
The power of collaboration
Working on the carrier side before joining George Petersen gave the men a unique view of the industry. They’ve used that perspective to build a reputation for transparency and trust. “That’s something we pride ourselves on,” says Roland. “Because Jim and I have sat on the other side of the desk, we promised ourselves to be candid. We knew that not only does it help the carriers, but it also helps us as an agency, and it builds a deeper relationship with the carriers.”
“We’re very open. We share how much business we’re writing, with whom we’re writing it and who’s competitive because we figure it helps folks like Arrowhead to know what’s in the marketplace,” adds Jim. “We see it as our goal, our mission to share that information in an open environment in a fashion that benefits all involved.”
Both men recognize that partnerships are vital to George Petersen’s success. “We’re looking for friends in the industry and when we find them, we want to treat them as such. And we think it works both ways,” Jim says.
Among those relationships, stands Arrowhead — a long-term George Petersen partner. “You’re responsive,” Jim explains. “You’re able to make your underwriting decisions and most importantly, you pick up the phone. We know you’re there when we call and have a request.”
“And you’re a known name,” adds Roland, once more highlighting the importance of reputation in the industry.
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Embracing what’s next
As the insurance industry evolves, Jim and Roland remain focused on helping their team and clients navigate an ever-changing landscape. “Every day is a new challenge,” Jim says.
But through it all, they remain optimistic, seeing these challenges as opportunities to reinforce their dedication to their community. For Roland, success also means making life a little easier for those around him. “If I can take any exhaustion off my staff and help them in any way, then my day when I walk out the door was a success,” he says.
Above all, strong partnerships have been key to staying steady in an industry that sometimes feels like a game of musical chairs, where the only constant is change. “We need all the help and friends we can get,” Roland says with a grin. Jim, reflecting on the breadth of their network, adds, “We work with an excess of 300 markets,” demonstrating the agency’s success built through years of mutual collaboration.
Looking ahead, both men are hopeful about what the industry can accomplish. Roland hopes to see more affordable options for senior citizens on fixed incomes and small business owners, while Jim shares his confidence that the industry will rise to the challenge. “I still have confidence that the insurance industry will somehow shake out and develop products that work for people because necessity is the mother of invention, right?” he says with a practical optimism rooted in years of experience.
Together, Jim and Roland reflect the resilience and adaptability that have defined George Petersen Insurance Agency for decades. And as the industry continues to change, it’s clear that with a focus on people and progress, they’re ready for whatever comes next.