Akers receives Award

At the Association of Wyoming Insurance Agents annual convention in Laramie in June, Joanna Akers was named the organization’s Insurance Agent of the Year. Akers has been with First State Insurance in Newcastle through First Northern Bank since 1989.

Akers moved to Newcastle from Laramie, and with her previous banking experience, she went to work for First State Bank. When the bank was bought by and became First Northern Bank, she stayed with the insurance agency.

Akers went from bookkeeping for the bank to being a customer service representative, to an insurance secretary, before finally getting her license to write insurance in the late ‘90s.

“I enjoyed what I did, and I enjoyed people and the customers, so I got my licenses and I am still here,” Akers told the NLJ

Akers has been the agency manager since 2005 and has dedicated over 35 years to First State Bank. She is known by coworkers for her deep understanding of insurance rules, regulations and products, said Mike Morrison, vice president of marketing and sales at First State Bank.

“But the main thing is (the) great customer service that she gives,” Morrison said. “She goes, as an agent, above and beyond what most agents do as far as standing up for the customer against the insurance companies.”

Morrison has worked with Akers for 30-plus years. They met when Morrison came to work for the bank and Akers was still in her early years with the agency. He views Akers as a role model in the community and is impressed with how far she has come since coming to work for the agency.

“She started off as just a secretary, and then she ended up being the head insurance agent through hard work,” Morrison said.

Akers was nominated for the award by her peers, and the recognition came as a complete shock to her.

“I didn’t think it was going to go out to anyone that year, and then they went behind my back and surprised me,” Akers said. “As president, you are supposed to know everything, right? Well they hid that from me.”

She was surrounded by her coworkers and peers, other agents from around the state, the companies that they represent and her husband when receiving the
recognition.

After the convention, Akers said she was excited to return to work.

“I was just happy, and then it was back to the office because we have lots to do,” Akers said. “Just go back to work and back to helping more customers.”

This attitude is what Aker’s peers admire her for and ultimately what led to her receiving the award.

“She is very energetic, bubbly and always has a good outlook on life,” Morrison said. “She has a good work ethic and is fun to be around.”

Her coworkers say she is deserving of the recognition — as they were the ones to give it to her — and upon returning to the office, she received praise from her peers.

“The bank thanked me for winning it, and my boss thought it was great,” Akers said.

However, Akers stays humble and keeps her head down and does what she is there to do, which is help customers.

“She is very thorough explaining things to the customer, such as explaining their rights and helping them navigate the complexities of insurance,” Morrison explained.

Akers has not let her recent accolades go to her head.

“I don’t look at myself any differently than any other woman who has accomplished anything in Newcastle,” she said.

She loves what she does and has put in the work to get to where she is today. Moving up the ranks in the banking industry is no small task, but her peers appreciate her hard work, and she looks forward to continuing that hard work.

“I really enjoy the customers and I enjoy what I do. It has been a pleasure doing it all these years and I look forward to doing it for some more,” Akers said.