Insurance Office of America Links Staff Growth With Agency Expansion

Insurance Office of America’s workforce strategy is built around a straightforward premise: people who can develop their skills and careers are more likely to stay and help the agency grow. That approach is now part of the story behind a 1,500-person business with 60 offices in the United States and the United Kingdom.

IOA, headquartered outside Orlando, Florida, received the Silver Award in Insurance Journal’s 2026 Best Agencies to Work For survey in the Southeast. Its employees submitted more survey responses than those of any other agency in the region, and most responses were positive. The results point to a retention model centered on career opportunity, compensation and clear performance expectations.

Career development and pay shape employee feedback

Employees described an environment where strong performance can lead to higher pay and where staff are encouraged to pursue advancement and education. One respondent said the agency pays people according to their value and that employees who perform very well can earn more. Another cited fair annual reviews, measurable benchmarks and additional increases tied to promotions.

Those comments suggest that employees see advancement as more than a general promise. Reviews and benchmarks give people a way to understand how their work is assessed, while promotions can bring both a new role and a pay increase. The survey responses do not establish how compensation compares across the industry, but they do show which parts of IOA’s employment model stood out to participating staff.

Bevrlee Lips, the company’s vice president of enterprise marketing and communications, said putting employees first has guided the agency for nearly four decades. Her view is that investing in staff helps them improve, stay with the company and bring in others. For agencies competing for experienced insurance professionals, that approach puts day-to-day career prospects at the center of retention.

A business built through steady expansion

John and Vallie Ritenour founded the firm in 1988 as Insurance Office of Florida. It has since expanded into one of the country’s fastest-growing agency groups, according to the company. Their son, Heath Ritenour, is chairman; Jeff Lagos serves as CEO, and Rob Motley is president.

Lagos joined IOA in 2000 as a commercial lines producer after spending a decade with Auto-Owners Insurance. Over his time in the business, he has seen Florida’s property insurance market move from a difficult period to conditions the company describes as much improved. Lips attributed part of that change to legal reforms intended to address what had been called excessive claims litigation, and said new carriers are entering the state.

For IOA’s clients, easing rates are welcome, Lips said. She also described the changing market as creating more choices on some lines than the agency has had in a while. The practical effect will vary by coverage and account: more participating carriers can give brokers additional options to compare, but it does not guarantee a particular price or set of terms.

Lips said IOA continues to rely on relationships with leading carriers through both rising and easing market cycles. The agency’s stated approach is to negotiate for favorable terms regardless of the direction of rates. For policyholders, the company’s comments underline why market conditions and the work of a broker both matter when coverage is renewed or reviewed.

AI is intended to give brokers more time

IOA employees, the company said, are not worried that artificial intelligence will replace them. Leadership has described AI as a tool for growth that should return time and capacity to staff, leaving them more room for work that depends on judgment and client relationships.

The agency says it uses AI to compare quotes from multiple carriers, helping producers review options side by side in less time. It also uses the technology to identify coverage insights and benchmarks from across its business and to shorten turnaround times. These uses target tasks where time has often constrained the insurance process, according to IOA.

The company’s account frames technology as support for the workforce strategy: faster comparisons and access to internal insights can help staff spend more time evaluating client needs and discussing coverage choices. The article does not specify which systems IOA uses or quantify how much time the tools save, so the reported benefits remain the agency’s description of its own operations.

Room to grow is the retention message

IOA’s advice to other agency owners is to give employees meaningful opportunities to develop and be candid about their performance. Leadership said people may leave when learning stalls, they feel constrained or their work no longer seems meaningful. Pay matters, but the company’s message is that a career path and a sense of contribution also influence whether employees stay.

That emphasis connects the agency’s survey results with its approach to expansion and technology. Clear reviews and promotion opportunities can show staff how to progress; AI tools, as IOA describes them, can free time for higher-value work and client service. The broader takeaway for agency leaders is to make growth visible in employees’ day-to-day roles, while for clients, the company says its brokers remain focused on comparing carrier options and seeking favorable terms through changing market conditions.