Seth Ostendorff, a producer at Dethloff and Associates, was installed president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Shreveport Bossier during ceremonies held at a luncheon at The Shreveport Club on May 19.
He succeeds Chris Rimmer, McGriff, who was president of IIASB for several years.
A native of Shreveport, Ostendorff graduated from Texas Christian University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He obtained the property and casualty producer license in 2006.
After working in his family’s contract security business from his junior year of college until 2006, he decided to make a career change. To gear up for his new career, Ostendorff attended Travelers producer school for three months followed by The National Alliance Producer School. After attending the two schools, he hit the ground running and worked for Keith D. Peterson and Company in Shreveport for 10 years and then was regional vice president for J&H Insurance for two years before joining Dethloff and Associates in 2020.
He earned the Certified Insurance Counselor designation in 2009 and has been a licensed property and casualty producer since 2006.
Ostendorff served on the Young Agents Advisory Board for LWCC in 2017.
Active in his community, Ostendorff was on the board of the Red Cross Northwest Louisiana Chapter and was involved with the Greater Shreveport Leadership Program of the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Committee of 100 and participates on the Barksdale Military Affairs Council, which supports airmen and the Barksdale Airforce Base Air Show.
Ostendorff is a member of the First Baptist Church of Shreveport, where he is a deacon and past finance chairman. He was on the board of trustees of the First Baptist Church School for six years, including two years as vice chairman and two years as chairman.
During his term as IIASB president, Ostendorff plans to do three or four lunch-and-learns, giving producers an opportunity to earn one hour of continuing education credit at each lunch. He described 2022-2023 as a “rebuilding year” for IIASB.
Ostendorff believes agents are facing several problems for the near future, not the least of which is the hard property market. He noted that many producers have never experienced such a hard market.
Another problem agencies have is the lack of talent entering the insurance business. “Everyone I talk to complains about the lack of talent,” he said.
Ostendorff observed that insurance is a different business since the Covid-19 pandemic. These days, agents do not spend as much time in front of customers. More business is done via computer/email/text than face-to-face. And companies’ marketing reps are just beginning to visit since the Covid shutdown has eased up.
Beyond all that “We have to get through this hurricane season” without another storm hitting Louisiana.
Taking the position of board members were Jeff Zeagler, McClure, Bomar and Harris; David Merrick, Querbes and Nelson, and Stuart Harris, McClure, Bomar and Harris.
Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon installed the officers.
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