For the second year in a row, Brightway Insurance in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, has earned a spot as a finalist on Insurance Journal’s Best Agencies to Work For – Southeast list.
This year, the agency didn’t just make the list—it soared to the top, claiming the coveted Gold Award, thanks to glowing surveys and heartfelt feedback from its employees.
“Our office is more of a family than a place we work. It truly makes coming to work such a joy!” one agency worker said in the Insurance Journal survey.
This year’s Gold Award arrives just a month before the team sets sail on a celebratory cruise—a reward for reaching their ambitious goal of creating 3,000 positive impacts in 2024 with coworkers, clients, and the community, said Chris Huebener, equity partner at the 15-person agency.
“We are embarking on our team cruise in November with all the employees and spouses, so we are super excited to reward them with that and spend some time together and disconnect from the job and really enjoy our time together–with significant others, too, as they are just as important to our office success,” Huebener said.
He noted that the Insurance Journal Gold Award is yet another testament to the agency’s success—not just with its employees, but with its policyholders as well.
“This is awesome to see and always a great feeling that our team actually likes to come to work!” Huebener said.
The agency is one of many Brightway franchises across 45 U.S. states and among several in the bustling Jacksonville, Florida, area. Founded in 2006, the Ponte Vedra agency is owned by Billy Wagner, who transitioned from several years as a restaurant manager into a career in insurance. Chris Huebener, who also worked in the restaurant, later joined Wagner as a business partner at Brightway when the restaurant closed a few years later.
That was two decades ago, and since then, the agency has grown steadily—welcoming around 5,000 new clients each year.
One key to the agency’s high employee satisfaction and exceptional customer service lies in the careful vetting and training of its staff. Brightway Ponte Vedra follows a rigorous 21-step hiring process, and most new team members then undergo four months of intensive training. “We validate it all through monthly ‘secret shopping’ of the agency,” Huebener explained.
“The expectations are clear, and the reviews highlight exactly what we have excelled at and what we need to work on, and that is clearly conveyed to us in a constructive, motivating, and positive light,” one longtime agency employee said.
“I have worked for other insurance agencies in the past, and Brightway PVB is one above the rest. Billy and Chris do an amazing job running the agency,” said another.
Huebener’s advice to fellow agency owners: listen closely to your team—and respond with creativity. At Brightway Ponte Vedra, that philosophy inspired the creation of a unique role: the Executive of Belonging, tasked with surprising and delighting employees through fun initiatives that cultivate a true sense of community.
“Continuously improve your benefits package–ours has improved for 18 straight years. And always seek ways to show your team that they’re valued,” Huebener said.
The firm has also created a clear growth pathway across eight positions, “ensuring our team members are rewarded for high performance and never feel limited in their earning potential,” Huebener said.
The agency starts by helping team members craft their own life plans, focusing on personal dreams and goals before even talking business. “As leaders, our top priority is making our team members successful,” Huebener added.
Leaders emphasized that business development remains a top priority. Agency team members regularly attend conferences and “road shows” to connect with carriers, learn how to help them achieve their goals, and secure additional capacity.
