In Memoriam
Sad news indeed from Dixon Wells—we’ve lost greatly impactful industry influencer Clint Janecek. For the last nine years Clint was the CFO of Dixon Wells LLC, a major regional BGA based in Birmingham, AL. As CFO, Clint was instrumental in bringing together the six geographically spread agencies that today constitute Dixon Wells.
A serial entrepreneur in every sense of the word, Clint was among the very first brokerage general agents. He built his initial agency, Underwriting Services of Alabama, into a northern Alabama powerhouse. Chris Soniat, Dixon Wells SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Operations, who worked with Clint at Harrison James, describes him as, “A true visionary. Clint guided the firm towards a more sustainable future by spinning off the health business to focus on life insurance and, in 1993, merged with Insurance Marketing, Ltd., a New Mexico BGA owned by Ferrell Adams, forming Harrison James, LLC. Together they built Harrison James into a national BGA, merging with or acquiring BGAs in Missouri, Mississippi, Colorado, Texas and Illinois.” As a result of Clint’s vision the agency was so successful that they attracted a buyout offer from BISYS, a true brokerage juggernaut at the time. After negotiating the successful transition to BISYS (and a brief retirement), Clint became a financial consultant doing agency valuations on request as well as working with several carriers on distribution issues.
Clint saw the immense potential for helping consumers inherent in BGAs working together rather than against one another and, with other like-minded BGAs, formed the study group Brokerage Resources of America which evolved into BRAMCO—today one of the industry’s most influential and successful national marketing organizations. Clint served as BRAMCO president, and later as treasurer for many years. He was an active participant in NAILBA, the brokerage industry’s most important and prestigious association, and a consistent, enthusiastic attendee of their annual meetings from the early days of the group’s existence. As CFO of Dixon Wells Clint helped grow the organization into a top 10 agency with LifeMark Partners—also one of the industry’s premier marketing groups. At all stages of his career his insight into distribution was actively sought by many carriers.
Bill Conwell, owner of Conwell & Associates and Dixon Wells principal, remembers, “In 2008 I had started discussions about a merger with Grice Financial out of Charlotte, and of course we ran into roadblock after roadblock. After about a year of frustration it finally hit me that the perfect person to talk to was Clint Janecek, if only I could get him off his boat down at the coast. After the first day of meeting, Steve Grice told me the he was all in and wanted Clint to manage our merger.”
In December, 2009, Dixon Wells was formed and Clint formally joined the firm in January, 2010. The rest is history. Three mergers and an acquisition later, Dixon Wells has seen double digit growth in almost every year of their existence and boasts offices in Birmingham, Charlotte, Columbia, Nashville, Dublin, Richmond, and Philadelphia—all managed by Clint.
Conwell adds, “Not only was Clint our CFO, he was the head of HR, technology, and operations. He will sorely be missed for all the things he did in the business, but even more as a dear friend. Clint will be greatly missed by his many friends at Dixon Wells and across the industry. Our hearts go out to his family, especially his wife Sandee and their children Ginger and Will.”
I first met Clint in the early 90s as I hung on the coattails of my father. For 25 years I have known him as not only a passionate advocate for the brokerage industry, but as a great, loyal friend of the Howards and Broker World. As recently as this past November I remember his face lighting up with that wonderful smile as we exchanged pleasantries and he sincerely asked about the health and happiness of my mom, complimented me on the magazine and offered his insight on the direction of the industry. Clint Janecek was truly a great friend to many as well as an irreplaceable asset to our industry. He will be sorely missed.[SPH]
