Circle of Influence | Alicia's Leadership Journey

“To me, my true task at hand is to be there for my teammates and my insureds in whatever that may look like that day. The days fly by, there is truly never enough time in the day. But, I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

Meet Alicia. She’s a Director of Client Service in our Risk Management division. As a life-long Dubuquer, Alicia Oberfoell came to Cottingham & Butler from a supplemental insurance company and has been working in the insurance industry for 12 years.

When she applied to C&B in 2019, she couldn't have predicted how quickly she'd grow from Client Coordinator to Service Manager overseeing seven team members. Her journey offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to advance their career at Cottingham & Butler. 

Lesson 1: Be Willing to Take the Leap 

"I applied to C&B on a whim and just went for it," Alicia shares about her start with the company. This initial courage to pursue an opportunity without overthinking it set her on a path for success.

“When I started, I was one of two client coordinators in the practice and now, with the support of my leaders, I helped grow that position by overseeing a total of seven Client Coordinators in Risk – something I take great pride in!” Alicia said.

Key Takeaway: Don't let perfect planning become the enemy of progress in your career. Sometimes the best opportunities come from being willing to step forward without having everything figured out. Alicia's story shows that calculated risk-taking can lead to unexpected growth at C&B. Consider which opportunities you might be hesitating on that deserve a "just go for it" approach. 

Lesson 2: Become the Example

Alicia's service-first mindset earned her the 'Inspiring Leader' award at the Service Excellence Awards last year after multiple leaders recognized her impact. “It was a surprise and an honor,” Alicia said. “It was touching to know that what I'm doing is making a difference for not only my core team, but the department as a whole."

Key Takeaway: Leadership at C&B isn't about title or authority - it's about impact and service. Alicia's approach shows that being available and responsive to both team members and clients creates ripple effects that others notice. Even if you're not in a formal leadership role, adopting this mindset of service can distinguish you as someone who lifts others up.

Lesson 3: Small Changes Can Lead to Big Impact 

Alicia discovered her leadership style through hands-on experience. "I was first promoted to leadership in Spring of 2021 and can honestly say that being in leadership is a passion of mine and helps me thrive,” Alicia said. “I love to change processes, better the service we can provide to clients, and develop improvements down the road on a gradual basis." 

While bold transformations certainly have their place, Alicia's approach reminds us not to underestimate the power of thoughtful, incremental improvements. These smaller changes often fly under the radar but can create remarkable cumulative impact over time. 

Key Takeaway: Think about your daily work - what small adjustment could you make this week that might save time, reduce frustration, or improve client experience? Maybe it's streamlining a communication process, tweaking a template, or eliminating a redundant step. Consider balancing your big-picture thinking with attention to these daily opportunities for improvement. Many times, the most significant innovations at C&B have grown from someone simply asking, "How can we make this better?" 

Lesson 4: Help Champion Innovation 

While Alicia helps drive Risk Management's AI initiatives, she consistently highlights the collaborative nature of the work. She explains that the team is implementing AI to read loss runs and automate renewal outputs. 

"This will be a huge win for our clients, marketers, and our internal team, who will get some time back to focus on other things," Alicia said. She's also thinking about how this will affect clients, saying "Having some of our reports available at the snap of a finger will also give us an advantage to gain new clients.”

Key Takeaway: The most successful innovations at C&B often emerge from collaborative thinking and problem-solving. When advocating for change in your area, involve teammates with different perspectives, focus on long-term advantages, and always keep in mind how this will affect the business.

Lesson 5: Invest in Lifelong Learning  

Alicia embodies one of C&B's foundational principles by continuing her education journey at every career stage. "I am actively in the middle of getting my AAI, which will be my very first insurance designation, and I should have that completed soon," she shares. Rather than viewing her leadership role as an endpoint, she sees it as a platform for deeper expertise. 

At Cottingham & Butler, continuous learning isn't just encouraged - it's part of our DNA. John Butler's vision of lifelong development remains at the heart of our culture today, and Alicia's pursuit of her AAI designation while managing a growing team demonstrates how technical knowledge and leadership skills complement each other in our industry. 

Key Takeaway: What's your next learning opportunity? Whether it's a formal designation, mentorship relationship, cross-departmental experience, or simply mastering a new skill, the path to growth is always open at C&B. Like Alicia, you can leverage the company's support for professional development to enhance both your individual contributions and your ability to serve clients and colleagues more effectively. 

Beyond the Office

Alicia and the Risk Management team like to have some fun along the way, as well. In 2023, Zurich invited the service team to join them in their suite at the United Center for a Blackhawks game with a client.

“It was the first time I was able to meet with the Zurich team in person, as well as some of my clients,” Alicia said. “Mike Saladino (Vice President of Risk Management in our Chicago office) was a top-notch host in ensuring we had the best time – it was a night I will not forget!”

In life outside the office, Alicia resides in Dubuque with her husband, Bobby, and the three boys she gained who are 22, 17, and 14. Additionally, her family has a calico cat and a young pomsky. Alicia and her family enjoy going up north in Wisconsin to stay on the lakes as well as boating and snowmobiling.

Fast Facts About Alicia

1. “I am the oldest of three, to which my siblings are much younger than me. They were my first pride and joy, so I like to brag about them like they were my kids! My brother retired from Army Airborne, still working in recruitment, and is attending Yale to become a federal lawyer. My sister graduated from UD with a Psychology degree and is working at Caravel Autism Health on the NW Arterial with young kiddos needing therapy.”

2. “My sister has interned with C&B for a summer, but I can’t get her into the passion of insurance; however, my Mom does work at C&B alongside me.”

3. “I grew up with my Dad in an ‘80s hair metal cover band, so I really enjoy going to live music at the Q in the summer with my family.” 

Inspired by Alicia's journey? Join our team! Explore open positions and apply on our careers page to start your own success story with us.

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