Profile
“It’s important for me to always try to lead with empathy and set a good example. I want to put people in a position, atmosphere and environment where they can reach their full potential and achieve their goals”
Wendy Houser, Markel
Wendy Houser is the Chief Territory Officer, West at Markel Specialty, a division of Markel. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, and founded in 1930, Markel is a Fortune 500 company with insurance, reinsurance and investment operations around the world. In her role, Houser is responsible for overseeing underwriting and production for the western half of the United States.
What makes her unique? “It’s important for me to always try to lead with empathy and set a good example,” says Houser. “I want to put people in a position, atmosphere and environment where they can reach their full potential and achieve their goals. As a leader, it’s also important to make time for my team to inspire and challenge them in a healthy way. I believe in fostering growth and allowing for collaboration. From a leadership perspective, it’s essential to be realistic but also maintain an optimistic outlook that ‘steadies the ship.’”
Houser joined Markel in 2008 to assist in establishing the Mid South office in Plano, Texas. In 2010, she relocated to Richmond to manage the wholesale marketing team and was promoted to managing director. In August 2012, Houser moved back to Plano in the role of managing director, underwriting and production, to lead the Mid South’s underwriting and marketing teams. Her leadership helped the team achieve premium growth and profitability for the breadth of products written in the region. In early 2014, Houser was promoted to regional president of the Mid South Region. She was then promoted in April 2020 to her current role.
5601 Granite Parkway, Suite 600, Plano TX 75024
469 241 3415
wendy.houser@markel.com
linkedin.com/in/wendy-houser-4aab09b
markel.com
Wendy Houser
Chief Territory Officer, West
Markel
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Milestones
2020–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Deputy Principal at Australian Christian College - Southlands
Doctor of Education
2020–present
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2021
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Year 7 Community Leader and Leader for Learning Technologies and Platforms at Northern Beaches Christian School
Master of Business Administration, 2017–2019
2021
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Late 1990s
2008
2010
2014
2020
Read on
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Home
Bio
Milestones
Milestones
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
2008
2010
2014
2020
Read on
Special Report
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Bio
Milestones
2022
2014
2010
2008
Late 1990s
2020
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Promoted to chief territory officer, West for Markel specialty division
2020
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2014
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Promoted to regional president of Markel’s mid South region
2014
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2010
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Moved to Richmond to lead the wholesale marketing and business development team
2010
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2008
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Joined Markel to assist in establishing the mid South office in Plano, Texas
2008
1997
Late 1990s
human resources | key media
Began her career in the insurance industry by working for an MGA
Late 1990s
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Milestones
2020
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
2022
Excellence awardee – Independent Mortgage Adviser of the Year category at the New Zealand Mortgage Awards
2022
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2022
2020–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Deputy Principal at Australian Christian College - Southlands
Doctor of Education
2020–present
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2021
Launched his own business,
Ascend Financial Services
2022
2017-present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
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2021
Launched his own business,
Ascend Financial Services
2022
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Late 1990s
What advice does she have for others? “Believe in yourself and never stop learning,” she says. “Being in insurance, it’s also important to take risks in your career to grow and advance. It’s also important to network and build relationships, but really place value in those connections. Not only can that help advance your career growth and overall development, but it’s also incredibly rewarding to build long-lasting friendships along the way.”
With almost 25 years of experience in marketing and insurance, Houser was a wholesale broker before joining Markel. She also served as a hospital corpsman in the United States Navy.
Houser earned her bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University. She currently serves on the Wholesale Surplus Insurance Association (WSIA) board and is an instructor for the WSIA Marcus Payne Advanced School. She received the Dana Roehrig Award in 2012 for her contributions to the NAPSLO (WSIA) convention committee. She also received the 2019 Bill Storey Award for the City of Hope and the 2022 IICF Philanthropic Leadership Award. In addition, Houser previously served as the chairwoman of the IICF Texas Southeast Division and the president of the National Insurance Industry Council for the City of Hope.
“I know it sounds cliché, but I am laser-focused on changing the insurance industry for the better,” he says. “We are building technology, processes and products that are meeting the needs of a changing world. It is imperative that the insurance industry keeps up with the fast pace of change, and I want to make sure I do my part.”
Prior to ALKEME, Barton founded Venture Pacific Insurance, a regional brokerage in southern California that was acquired by ALKEME during the merger. Barton also co-founded Brokkrr, a digital lead generation insurtech platform.
Barton received his BA from the University of Arizona. He has been included in IBA’s Hot 100 list four times in a row. He was also recognized in Vertafore’s Top 25 Disruptors in the insurance industry.
“Believe in yourself and never stop learning”
Wendy Houser, Markel
