Today, our Employee Spotlight is on the Vice President of Customer Service, Connie Burgess. Connie has been with Steel for just over a year and in the insurance business for over 23 years. We chatted with Connie to learn more about her background, hobbies, and goals.
Talk to us about your professional background before Steele. What kind of career did you lead? I have had a wide variety of jobs over the years. I started out working my first full-time job at the age of sixteen and then went on to work for the Army and Air Force as a civil service employee in contract administration. While working for the Air Force, I was privileged to work on the ASAT missile program. From there, I worked for several government contractors, a student loan servicing company, and a house arrest monitoring company. I finally found my love of the insurance industry, where I have been for the last 23 years.
When and how did you get involved with Steele Benefits? I met Mike Steele when he first started his business. I worked with Mike and Wes on various projects over the years with my former employer and always respected how they ran the business and genuinely cared about their customers. So, when the opportunity arose for me to work with them, I considered it a privilege to join the team.
How would you describe your role in one sentence? I manage the multiple facets of the Customer Success Team to ensure our clients continue to stay happy with the services that Steele provides.
What does a typical workday for you look like? I primarily guide my team and help resolve customer needs. I meet with customers and vendors and am always looking for ways to make the customer engagement experience the best possible.
What career would you want to pursue if you were not in this line of work? I have always felt like I missed my calling, and I would have loved to have been a nurse.
If you authored a book about your career so far, what would you title it? The unbelievable life of Connie B because I have lived through some unbelievable experiences in my life.
What is an interesting fact that few people know about you? I graduated from high school at 16 and went to work full-time two weeks later to help support my family. At the time, I lived in California, and the state allowed students ages 16+ to take the California High School Proficiency Exam. I took the test 3 weeks after I turned 16, and out of the 40 people who tested that day, only 4 of us passed. Another fun fact is that I was a church pianist for six years.
Outside of work, what kind of hobbies do you have? I am an avid gardener. I also like to sew, attend painting sessions with friends and family, and play my piano. Outside of that, I enjoy hanging out with my kids and grandkids.