Get to Know Dale Schmincke, Production Underwriter
A lot of people think forestry insurance underwriting is just about numbers: industry data, risk statistics and dollar figures. That’s part of it… but underwriting is also about relationships.
Production Underwriter Dale Schmincke has spent years building strong relationships with our broker clients and carrier partners so he can better serve our insured customers. Dale specializes in underwriting and managing property and casualty insurance lines for our manufacturing accounts. He also manages the wood hauling and logging sectors of our business.
Our customers appreciate Dale’s deep knowledge of the field and his dedication to finding the insurance solutions that work for them. Learn more about Dale in the latest #CUemployeespotlight!
Name: Dale Schmincke
Role: Production Underwriter
Team: Underwriting
Time in This Role: 8 years
Career Path: I actually learned the insurance business when I was working in marketing. For 10 years, I was responsible for managing and developing marketing plans for companies in the financial, banking, and insurance industries.
In 2005, I was working with a local insurance company on a marketing plan for a specialty niche auto program they had. This insurance company had trouble with their internal distribution channel and converting the leads into customers.
My former partner and I then started our own insurance agency to help convert these leads into customers, and soon we were selling insurance across the country. In 2011, we sold our agency to the Hilb Group. I joined Continental Underwriters, Inc. in 2014 to help manage and expand the Wood Hauling and Logging Program.
A Typical Day Looks Like: I spend most of my time working with forest products manufacturers, such as sawmills, chip mills and pallet manufacturers. I also manage our wood hauling and logging insurance product lines.
This is a high-risk business, as our clients know, and insurance offerings are constantly changing and evolving. I spend a lot of time talking with our carrier partners to put together complex deals that will give our forest products insurance clients the protection they need. I also advise our clients on how best to reduce their risks, which can help reduce their insurance costs.
Favorite Outdoor Activities? Playing golf, skiing, and watching my daughter play field hockey and lacrosse.
Best TV Shows You’ve Watched in the Last Year? Game of Thrones and Ozark
Most Important Skills You Bring to Your Job? I genuinely enjoy talking to people and working in a collaborative team environment. My colleagues know I always stay calm and try to be a voice of reason in stressful situations.
Favorite Place During the Pandemic? At the lake, at the beach and going to my daughter’s games.
Favorite Travel Destination? Anywhere warm! Send me to a Caribbean beach.
Biggest Professional Success? For me, it was building an insurance agency from nothing more than a thought to a size where other companies wanted to purchase us five years later.
Why Forestry Products Insurance? I was drawn to this work because it’s such a specialized field and few people really understand it. This means we play an important role: Because we know forestry insurance and wood hauling insurance so well, we can give our clients solid, informed advice.
Contact Dale Schmincke today at dale@contund.com for your forest products insurance needs.
