Mastering Agency Management

An engaging and results-driven program. Seven modules designed to strengthen leadership, boost performance, and drive agency growth.
Lead Smart. Run Smooth. Build Legacy
A conversation for optimizing your agency's potential

ONE-DAY EXECUTIVE PREVIEW Experience the Program. Meet the Facilitators. Decide with Confidence.

Optimizing Insurance Opportunities
Module 1
Build a more resilient and growth-ready agency structure.
Elevating the Sales Process
Module 2
Create a high-performance sales culture with measurable outcomes.
Strengthening Internal Communications
Module 3
Build a communicative, trust-based agency culture
Streamlining Agency Operations
Module 4
Streamline operations to support recruiting, growth and employee engagement
Unlocking Financial Potential
Module 5
Strengthen financical decision-making and profitability
Building External Relationships
Module 6
Expand your agency's influence and strategic network
Integration & Action Planning
Module 7
Leave with a clear, actionable strategy for agency transformation
Insurance Experienced Coaches
Sales Strategy & Closing Coach, Office Operations Coach, Financial Planning Coach, Staffing & Talent Management Coach
Coaching Tailored to Your Needs!
  • “The partnership with Equis over the years has been one of the most valuable relationships in my career journey. From being able to help isolate and focus on the most important items to being able to read people and understand individual personalities and goals.....their mentoring has been top notch. They have been great career coaches and personal friends and I couldn’t recommend them enough.”
    Steve Cissna Agent & Owner, Reedy Insurance January 22, 2026
  • ...One of the most impactful outcomes of our collaboration has been the transformation of our approach to agency manager promotions. Thanks to Equis, we no longer promote blindly into leadership roles. Their guidance and training programs have resulted in significantly more successful agency managers, better prepared to lead and grow."
    Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance CompanyChristy Curry, Education Services Manager, Leadership Training June 13, 2025

mastering Agency Management Executive Preview Wednesday, May 6th, 2026 (9:00 - 4:00pm) EST.

Discover the core concepts, tools, and leadership principles that power Equis Consulting’s full Mastering Agency Management program. This high‑impact, one‑day experience—co‑hosted with OIA—lets you preview the teaching style, the curriculum, and the real-world agency frameworks you can start using immediately.

Why attend

  • See the program in action
  • High-impact sessions drawn from the full 7- module curriculum
  • Facilitator access for Q@A and real-world application
  • Hosted at no cost for OIA membership

What you'll Take Away

  • Tools you can use immediately
  • A clear understanding of the full program
  • A preview of the frameworks used to improve sales, leadership, communication, and operations
  • A co-hosted learning experience combining Equis methodology with OIA support

Why We're Covering Tuition

Equis Consulting and OIA are committed to elevating agency leadership across the industry. By hosting this preview at no cost, we enable serious leaders to experience the methods, meet the coaches, and validate ROI before enrolling in the full three‑day series.

Location:

Ohio Insurance Agents Association's (OIA) Home Office

Find out More or Register: No-Fee Executive Preview Wednesday, May 6th, 2026 9:00 am to 4:00 pm EST.

Facilitators & Coaches

Join us for an engaging conversation with Tom Faulconer, Professor of Risk Management, and Insurance at Butler University, practicing attorney, and financial advisor. Tom brings a wealth of experience from his distinguished career in the insurance industry, having served in leadership roles such as Director of Agency Training, Senior Vice President of Marketing, and Chief Marketing Officer at Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance. In this first episode, we explore: • Working ON your agency vs. IN your agency• Making the leap from producer to managing producers• Leveraging data to develop and empower your team• Balancing discipline, diligence, and vision to create your “lifestyle for the future.”
Tom is a facilitator in our Mastering Agency Management professional development series. Invest in yourself—enroll in our next session today!
Todd Wottring is a Professor of Risk Management and Insurance at Butler University and owner of The Wottring Agency, an Allstate Insurance firm in Indianapolis.
Todd is a lifelong insurance professional who began his career as an agent right out of college. Determined to rise above mediocrity, he committed to making insurance a true career—not just another job.
Over the course of 30+ years with Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, Todd held numerous leadership roles, including Agent, Agency Development Specialist, Agency Manager, District Sales Director, and Manager of Life Insurance Training.
In this episode, we explore:
• Recruiting and investing in top talent versus settling for “C-players.”• Helping employees achieve their aspirations so everyone wins.• Setting clear, focused strategies and processes that drive sales.• Focusing on client retention—the cornerstone of long-term success.• Overcoming the “microwave society” mindset by investing in your agency and team for sustainable growth.• Leveraging a coach to help you reach goals that you can’t achieve alone.
Todd also serves as a facilitator in our Mastering Agency Management professional development series.Learn more and enroll in our next session today!
Invest in yourself—start building the agency you’ve always envisioned.

Thomas Faulconer

Clinical Professor of Risk Management and Insurance Experienced Insurance Chief Marketing Officer
Professor Faulconer launched his career as an attorney and adjunct professor of business law, eventually finding a passion for training and teaching. He has earned several professional financial designations including the "gold standards" CFP(r) and CPCU, as well as the Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) from The American College. Much of his professional career was spent at Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance serving in roles as Advanced Sales Counsel, Director or Agency Training, and Senior Vice President of Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer where he was responsible for the largest division in the company, just under 1,000 employees and all sales and marketing activities. Professor Faulconer, in addition to teaching in the Risk Management and Insurance program at Butler University is active in the financial and insurance communities as the owner and operator of Transitions Financial LLC, a full service financial planning and investment management firm, and Re:Form School LLC, a company that creates and distributes online insurance training. He has authored three books, most recently co-authoring the Life and Health Insurance Fundamentals textbook published by the National Institutes for Insurance Education and Research. Professor Faulconer also provides consulting services through Butler University’s Office of Professional Services.

Todd Wottring

Active Independent Agency Owner Lecturer in Risk Management and Insurance
Professor Wottring has spent his entire professional career in the insurance industry. He spent over 30 years at Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance holding several positions including Agent, Agency Development Specialist, Agency Manager, District Sales Director, and Manager of Life Insurance training. Three particular highlights of his Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance career include being a two-time Agency Governor, elected into the Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance “Hall of Fame,” and having both his boys in the insurance business. He has earned several professional financial designations including Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) from The American College as well as the Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL), and the Charted Leadership Fellow (CLF). Professor Wottring’s daughter is a Butler graduate.
Professor Wottring has taught classes such as Risk Management, First Year Business Experience, as well as Leadership and Benefits in Butler University's graduate MSRI masters program.
Professor Wottring was recently awarded the 2025 MSRI “Outstanding Professor of the Year award” in the Butler University Lacy Business School.
Along with teaching in the Risk Management and Insurance program at Butler University, Professor Wottring is the owner of “The Wottring Agency”- Allstate Insurance in Indianapolis.
Professor Wottring is a graduate of Grace College where he earned his Bachelor of Science as well as his MBA.
He and his wife Stephanie reside in Fishers. They have 3 children and two grandchildren.

Tom Meier

Equis Consulting
Tom Meier is a seasoned executive coach and human resources consultant with 25+ years of experience helping organizations unlock leadership potential and drive performance. Tom is a certified Marshall Goldsmith Executive Coaching Stakeholder-Centered Coach and HOGAN Leadership Forecast Series certified. He specializes in executive consulting, leadership development, team alignment, organizational change, and career management. Through personalized coaching and dynamic team sessions, Tom empowers leaders and teams to achieve measurable results. He is also a sought-after keynote and breakout speaker for major industry conferences in insurance, finance, and beyond. Tom holds a degree in Social Work from Indiana University. He is qualified to administer leading assessment tools, including MBTI, Strong Interest Inventory, and Korn Ferry 360. His clients span industries such as insurance, banking, healthcare, manufacturing, academia, and nonprofits, with notable partnerships including ADSTRAT, American Fraternal Alliance, Butler University, Celina Insurance Group, Eli Lilly and Company, GBU Life, Hewlett Packard, Holt Construction Group, Indiana Apartment Association, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, Indiana Members Credit Union, JP Morgan Chase, Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance, KSKJ Life, Lincoln Financial, Mountain West Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company, PLRB, Rural Mutual Insurance Company, Swiss Re Group, UNUM Group, and Wild Birds Unlimited.

Jim Dickson

Equis Consulting
Jim Dickson is an executive coach with 35+ years of experience advising CEOs and executive teams. Certified in Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder-Centered Coaching and HOGAN Leadership Forecast Series certified. Jim helps leaders strengthen performance, build high-impact teams, and navigate organizational challenges. Jim specializes in executive consulting, leadership and management development, executive team building, employment law, and behavioral interviewing. Jim offers individualized coaching for executives, managers, and staff-level employees and facilitates team development sessions for groups of all sizes. Jim holds a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from Ball State University and a master’s degree in Adult Education from Indiana University. He also earned an Associate in Management (AIM) designation from the Insurance Institute of America. His clients span industries including insurance, banking, healthcare, manufacturing, academia, and nonprofits. Notable partnerships include Butler University, Celina Insurance Group, Consorta, Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, Indiana State University, Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance, Lincoln Financial, Mountain West Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company, PLRB, Safeco Insurance, Swiss Re Group, Trimedx, and UNUM Group. Jim has served on the boards of numerous Indiana nonprofit organizations and is a former non-commissioned training officer in the U.S. Army.

Independent Agency Owner Interview

We’re joined by Steve Cissna, President & Owner of Reedy Insurance Services in Seymour, Indiana. Steve opens up about his experience buying and growing a family-oriented independent agency — and what he’s learned along the way.
Whether you're thinking about buying an agency or just want to hear from someone who's done it, these episodes are packed with insights you won’t want to miss.
In Part One, we talk with Steve about:• Buying an agency vs. building one from the ground up• Why matching with the right carriers really matters• Getting a handle on the financial side of ownership• The not-so-fun (but necessary) business plans every carrier wants• How agency decisions can ripple through family life
Here’s what we cover in Part Two:• Growing smart: What to think about when hiring new staff, bringing on agents, or expanding into new territories.• Opportunity vs. timing: How to recognize when a growth opportunity is close enough to the plate to take a swing.• Strategic choices: The pros and cons of hiring in familiar territory vs. buying an agency in a brand-new market.• Culture matters: Why creating a flexible, family-like work environment makes all the difference. • Playing nice: Building strong relationships with other local agencies.
Part Three: Wrapping Up Our Conversation with Steve CissnaOwner & President of Reedy Insurance Services, Seymour, IndianaSteve shares his thoughts on agency perpetuation and some hard-earned wisdom from his journey:• Choose Your Path: Will you pass your agency on to your team or sell to private equity?• Grow Smart: Don’t rely on profitability bonuses—focus on organic growth and managing expenses.• Lead with Flexibility: When staff are late, stay calm and ask yourself—will this really change my life?• Stay Positive: Insurance has its challenges, but it offers freedom, good income and the chance to help others.• Document Everything: Good records support what “really happened” vs. “what others think happened.”• Put Clients First: Always err on their side.• Learn from Competitors: Conversations can lead to growth.• Keep Connections Alive: You never know when you’ll need a helping hand.

Contact us

...to check availability for other offerings in 2026. We value your feedback, if there are other topics that you would like to see in this program, please let us know.