Sometime after John Bykowski decided he would step down from the CEO role at SECURA Insurance, with a retirement date set for mid-2014, David Gross, the senior vice president of underwriting operations, started formally preparing to follow in Bykowski’s footsteps.
Executive Summary
As part of a series of articles on CEO Succession Planning, Carrier Management asked a SECURA's David Gross to describe his path to the CEO spot in this quarter's "Successor Spotlight" feature. Related articles include:Gross became president and chief operating officer on Sept. 1, 2013, and CEO less than a year later on July 1, 2014. But it wasn’t simply a 10-month transition.
Gross gave us some background when we asked three questions about his path to the C-suite.
How did you prepare for your position?
My father had this incredible work ethic and optimism. Those traits influenced me throughout my 30-plus years in the insurance industry and carry me even today.
I also had the opportunity to learn all aspects of the business—working for a few different carriers and an insurance agency—and from many great leaders, including SECURA’s former CEO John Bykowski.
I worked as an underwriter, an independent agent, a marketing rep, and I held several executive leadership roles. I always started by connecting with people, which is so important in our “relationship” industry.
