Headquarters:
Unit 7, 1400 Bayly St, Pickering, ON L1W 3R2
Year founded:
1980
Number of employees:
380+
Phone:
905 492 7070
Email:
Info@brokerunion.ca
Website:
brokerunion.ca
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/brokerunion
“Everything we do as an organization is to serve our agents in a meaningful way, which is to provide industry-leading insurance solutions when they need us the most”
Mark Maher
Jencap
BROKERUNION INSURANCE
Muqit Aziz
President
Laura Vivian, RIBO, HLLQP
Manager, Brokerage Operations
Michelle Hughes, RIBO, CAIB
Manager, Broker Training & Development
Leadership
Muqit Aziz is the founder and president of BrokerUnion Insurance, bringing nearly two decades of leadership experience in multinational companies. Renowned for his passion for fostering robust professional relationships, he focuses on achieving impactful results for his clients. Outside the corporate landscape, you’ll find Aziz engaging in quality time with his wife, Nahid, and their two children, Ayaan and Zara. His interests also extend to travel, as well as coaching and mentoring new business owners.
President
Muqit Aziz
Laura Vivian serves as the Manager of Brokerage Operations at BrokerUnion Insurance, where she focuses on streamlining operations through process optimization. Her role involves designing and implementing strategies to enhance efficiency within the brokerage. With a diverse professional background, Laura has seamlessly transitioned from being a successful Insurance Agency owner to running her own thriving financial consulting firm for over ten years. Her journey includes roles as a teacher, financial consultant, software implementation manager and technology trainer. Now, as a key member of the BrokerUnion management team, Laura's multifaceted experience plays a crucial role in driving innovation and efficiency within the company.
Manager, Brokerage Operations
Laura Vivian, RIBO, HLLQP
With more than two decades of experience in the insurance industry, Michelle has held diverse roles, ranging from Account Manager and Commercial Marketer to Independent Broker. Currently, she serves as the Manager of Broker Development, where she channels her passion for coaching, mentoring and sharing of knowledge into nurturing the growth and success of brokers at Brokerunion and its branches.
Michelle’s journey has been driven by a commitment to excellence and a genuine desire to empower others in the field of insurance.
Manager, Broker Training & Development
Michelle Hughes, RIBO, CAIB
“Everything we do as an organization is to serve our agents in a meaningful way, which is to provide industry-leading insurance solutions when they need us the most”
Mark Maher
Jencap
“Whether it’s getting their license or rotating them through various portions of the company, we’re training [our interns] so that at the end of two years, they are subject matter experts in whatever division they care to have focused upon”
Bruce Peddle
Jencap
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“Whether it’s getting their license or rotating them through various portions of the company, we’re training [our interns] so that at the end of two years, they are subject matter experts in whatever division they care to have focused upon”
Bruce Peddle
Jencap
“Everything we do as an organization is to serve our agents in a meaningful way, which is to provide industry-leading insurance solutions when they need us the most”
Mark Maher
Jencap
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Christine Khan
Office Manager
Christine Khan brings a wealth of experience to her role as the Office Manager of BrokerUnion Insurance, having joined the company in June 2021 as a Technical Service Representative. With a background in banking, Christine quickly adapted her skills to the insurance industry, demonstrating a strong aptitude for customer service and technical knowledge. Christine has taken on the pivotal role of Office Manager, overseeing day-to-day operations, and ensuring the smooth functioning of the office.
Office Manager
Christine Khan
John Flanagan CIP, RIBO
Manager, Commercial Lines
John began his journey with more than 20 years in the insurance sector as a sales agent but transitioned from direct writing to becoming a RIBO Broker. Recognizing his leadership potential, John transitioned into management after gaining in the trenches experience in sales. As a manager, he demonstrates exceptional interpersonal skills, guiding his team to achieve collective goals while nurturing individual talents.
Manager, Commercial Lines
John Flanagan CIP, RIBO
BROKERUNION INSURANCE INC. Insurance, with its head office in Pickering, Ontario, ranks among the top insurance brokerages in the area. They are a 100% Canadian-owned business with multiple service locations in Pickering, Whitby, Mississauga, Barrie, and Georgina. Speaking more than 22 languages and having access to all major insurance carriers, they are committed to providing you with the best possible insurance advice and service across Ontario.
BrokerUnion has fostered strong and reliable partnerships with several of Canada’s leading insurance carriers. The brokerage can provide comprehensive home, auto, business, life, and living benefits insurance products tailored to each of their clients.
“The UNION in BrokerUnion is our commitment to a long-term partnership with our customers, partners, and employees," says president Muqit Aziz.
“Whether it’s getting their license or rotating them through various portions of the company, we’re training [our interns] so that at the end of two years, they are subject matter experts in whatever division they care to have focused upon”
Bruce Peddle
Jencap
Lorraine Bruce CIP, CAIB, RIBO
Manager, Underwriting & Compliance
Elizabeth Bounds
General Counsel
Nealy Farshadi
Principal, Strategic Client Relations
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Lorraine Bruce, a veteran of the insurance industry with a career spanning more than 40 years in the insurance field. For Lorraine, underwriting isn't just about numbers—it's about unravelling the captivating narratives hidden within each submission. “I love looking at a submission and from that discovering the narrative of a person’s journey”.
Manager, Underwriting & Compliance
Lorraine Bruce CIP, CAIB, RIBO
Elizabeth Bounds oversees Brown & Riding’s legal, risk management, and claims departments. As the company’s chief legal resource, she reviews and negotiates corporate contracts and manages the firm’s litigation, internal legal resources, and relationships with outside counsel. She also works closely with B&R’s senior management in developing overall risk management strategies for the firm and is directly accountable to the Board of Directors for implementing risk control measures and for the facilitation and oversight of corporate liability insurance placements. In the claims department, she takes an especially active role in policy interpretation and client claims advocacy.
General Counsel
Elizabeth Bounds
Nealy Farshadi is instrumental in helping strengthen and grow Brown & Riding’s client relationships. She maintains and improves quality procedures, oversees B&R’s ISO certification, and manages the client feedback program. Her contributions enable the executive management team to act on client input effectively. As a result, B&R’s client feedback scores greatly exceed the average and continue to improve each year. Farshadi also supports and furthers the growth of B&R and its employees by contributing to professional development within the organization and being a resource to staff.
Principal, Strategic Client Relations
Nealy Farshadi
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Accordingly, 2023 was a tremendously successful year for the firm, having closed approximately $3.4 billion in total written premiums, representing a 24 percent growth rate.
“To be the best wholesaler, you must employ the best brokers and support staff in the business. Jencap is laser-focused on attracting the best talent, and we credit this ongoing effort to much of our rapid growth,” adds Maher.
As part of Jencap’s ongoing efforts to retain employees and invest in new talent, the company launched the Jencap Success Academy, a two-year training program for college graduates that provides a full-time job position and high-level technical skill-building. Similarly, Jencap’s Internship program provides students entering their sophomore or junior year of college with the opportunity to explore different departments at the firm.
“Whether it’s getting their license or rotating them through various portions of the company, we’re training them so that at the end of two years, they are subject matter experts in whatever division they care to have focused upon,” explains divisional president, Bruce Peddle.
To serve its growing employee base and book of retail clients, Jencap invests in technology and has adopted an innovative AMS platform. The company also launched the TSIQ underwriting submission system and successfully completed an Oracle GL/AP rollout in 2023.
“Our reputation relies on our integrity and protecting our carrier partners, while consistently providing partners with competitive terms and conditions in a timely manner. At the end of the day, it’s really doing what you say you’re going to do,” says Peddle.
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“We will continue to strengthen our service proposition and customer experience as a key differentiator, as we build on the momentum we have achieved to date across multiple business lines and territories,” says McLean. “Our im is to continue to grow our market relevance and strengthen our partnerships with our strategic brokers as we expand our leadership position in key sectors.
“We will also continue to invest in talent. We are committed to drawing from the broadest pools of talent, and to creating an environment that attracts and retains stellar employees. We recognise the importance of building teams that are diverse, collaborative, and innovative and are dedicated to cultivating a supportive and inclusive workplace culture in which all our employees can thrive.”
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