The Advantage Group, LLC. has announced that Mary Gardner, CPCU, CIC, AIM, AIC, a veteran of over 30 years in the insurance industry on both the company level and agent level, will be its new Executive Director effective January 1, 2022, replacing current E.D. John Carmody, who has spent the last 17 years as the first E.D. of TAG. Ms. Gardner was a longtime employee of Safeco Insurance and most recently was an AVP and Senior Sales and Marketing Manager at Pure Group of Companies. And will now become only the second Executive Director in the history of the group.
"John Carmody has been a phenomenal Executive Director for TAG," said Sue DeLeon the owner of Bob Wallin insurance agency in Bellingham. DeLeon is the granddaughter of TAG founder Bob Wallin. "I know that before his passing my grandfather was very proud of what TAG had become, and he knew that John was the right person at the right time when he was hired in 2003." Another longtime member, Gary Niehl, of Niehl Insurance in Bellevue said, "The group has been truly blessed to have John Carmody as our E.D. for 17 plus years. The true measure of a successful E.D. is that they leave an organization better off than when they came in, and John has certainly done that, doubling membership and substantially increasing member revenues along the way. He will be missed, and I certainly appreciate everything he has done for the group and for me individually."
"I never thought I would work another 17 years after retiring from Safeco where I worked for 30 years plus." said Mr. Carmody, "But when some of the TAG leaders called and asked if I would be interested, I told them I would listen. I have always enjoyed working with Independent Agents on the company side and found this new opportunity intriguing. And when someone says 'we really need your help' it is really hard to say no."
"I know for a fact that Mary Gardner was the first on the list of many qualified candidates to be the next E.D. of TAG," said Mr. Carmody, I also know she will do a tremendous job for the group."
About The Advantage Group: The Advantage Group is an insurance aggregator with sixteen members and seventeen store fronts located throughout Western Washington. Member agencies sell personal and commercial insurance and are independently owned and operated by the agency owner. For more information about TAG visit https://www.theadvantagegroupllc.com/.