Profile
“I never want to lose the mindset that there is always another angle to explore or another solution worth pursuing.” For Alex Schmitz, area vice president at Risk Placement Services, that competitive drive is the through-line of a career that has moved fast and on his own terms, taking him from the carrier side to wholesale brokerage and quickly establishing him as a trusted producer in a competitive market.
Adapting to a changing landscape is the most challenging aspect of brokerage for Schmitz. “The biggest challenge in my current role is accepting that not every account can be won, even when we have delivered an exceptional solution for the client.” As market conditions shift and more business flows to admitted solutions, even the strongest programs do not always secure the account. Transitioning from underwriting, where he achieved a high quote-to-bind ratio, required a reset. He has leaned into that evolution, sharpening his edge while continuing to advocate for clients and deliver thoughtful, high-impact solutions.
Schmitz always intended to work in insurance, following his father into the industry. The direction his career took, though, has been shaped more by opportunity than by any structured plan. His foundation was laid on the carrier side, where he joined a two-year training program straight out of college. Structured rotations and a stint in London gave him exposure across the business, and a move to New York later proved decisive. “Working alongside some of the industry’s leading brokers and underwriters raised my professional standards,” he says, crediting that period with shaping how he executes deals and serves clients today.
His move to RPS was driven by the same instinct to embrace opportunity. Shifting from underwriting into a production role was a significant change, but it was an area that had always interested him, and one that has expanded both his technical expertise and his commercial perspective. He counts the transition and the speed with which he established himself as the single biggest achievement of his career. He is especially proud of the reputation he has built with clients, retailers, and carrier partners as someone who pairs underwriting knowledge with responsiveness and creativity.
Schmitz leans most on adaptability and relationship-building, viewing insurance as a people-driven business where reputation is built through trust, consistency, and follow-through. Mentorship has played its part, too, and leaders in brokerage have since pushed him to think more entrepreneurially.
For Schmitz, being recognized as one of IBA’s Rising Stars for 2026 is motivation rather than a finish line. “My mindset remains focused on continued growth, embracing new challenges, and contributing to the industry in a meaningful way over the long term,” he says.
2850 Golf Rd, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
866 595 8413
RPS.Marcomm@RPSins.com
www.linkedin.com/in/alex-schmitz-908b33ab/
RPSins.com
Alex Schmitz
Area Vice President
Risk Placement Services
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Bio
Milestones
2017
2019
2024
2022–present
2025
Joined carrier in its Global Graduate Program – Underwriting
2017
Promoted to Underwriter, managing a book of business
2019
Joined RPS as Area Vice President
2024
Vice President, Business Development at Concierge Insurance Solutions
2022–present
Promoted to Vice President and Production Underwriter
2025
Milestones
“By focusing on doing the best possible job for every client, they naturally tell their friends and family. That organic growth has been very rewarding”
Alan Borthwick,
DUX Financial Services
“Our goal is not to speed up transactions but to slow down where it matters, taking the time to truly understand each client’s situation and deliver thoughtful, personalised guidance”
Alan Borthwick,
DUX Financial Services
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