Profile
“Being true to who we are is key; we are purely a referral-based business. There is zero marketing or advertising”
Adam Rakowski,
Ortus Financial
As area senior vice president of transportation at Risk Placement Services, Eden Hancock has spent years understanding every component of her niche.
Inspired by the simple motto, “Work hard and stay humble,” Hancock has overseen RPS’s transportation department’s exceptional growth since joining the team in 2018. The complexities and technicalities found within the transportation niche is what drew Hancock to this specialty, which she now understands with exceptional depth.
“I was drawn to the challenge and the opportunity to become a trusted resource in an area where many clients expressed a real need for specialized knowledge,” she says. “My success has come from investing the time to deeply understand the coverage, exposures, and operational realities of transportation clients.”
While Hancock did not have an exact roadmap for her career in insurance, her ability to make professional connections and excel at each role she undertook was the difference maker.
“From the beginning, I committed to excelling in every role – large or small – with the mindset of continual improvement and progression. That growth-oriented approach has led to multiple leadership opportunities, including serving in two new leadership roles that were created as the organization evolved,” she explains.
Hancock is exceptionally efficient in her current role, balancing departmental leadership with her own production book of business. By ensuring a high level of organization and trust within her team, her department can solve complex client problems.
“By mentoring and empowering my team, I’m able to build a department that operates effectively while still delivering high-level service to clients and agents,” she notes. “Developing people, processes, and results at the same time has been both challenging and rewarding, and it reflects my ability to lead while remaining directly connected to clients and the market.”
Putting such a concerted effort into recruitment and mentorship ensures operational effectiveness far into the future.
She says, “I take pride in teaching others, building confidence within a team, and helping individuals grow into successful producers and leaders. Developing a strong department is just as important to me as individual success. I see these results daily and they drive me.”
A commitment to honest and rapid responses is what sets Hancock apart from the competition when engaging with clients.
“I believe many professionals hesitate to deliver difficult information, but I’ve always operated with the mindset that bad news delivered early is far better than bad news delivered late. This approach allows clients to make informed decisions, adjust expectations, and maintain trust,” she says.
2850 Golf Road Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
866 595 8413
RPS.Marcomm@RPSins.com
linkedin.com/in/eden-hancock-trs-cic-a3b6a230
RPSins.com
Eden Hancock
Area Senior Vice President, Transportation Risk Placement Services
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Milestones
“You can’t control the outcome, but you can always control what version of you turns up every day”
Adam Rakowski,
Ortus Financial
2003
2010
2014
2017-2018
2020-Present
Started her wholesale career as a technical assistant and became an associate broker in 2007
2003
Began working as an MGA underwriter
2010
Promoted to Vice President of Transportation
2014
2017: IBA Elite Woman, Transportation Risk Specialist
2018: Joined RPS as an area SVP
2019: Became a part of RPS Top Performers Club
2017–2018
2020: Promoted to fleet/brokerage leader for RPS Charlotte
2020–2025: Continued her membership in RPS Top Performers Club
2022: IBA Hot 100
2024: Named as an MCIEF Fellow
2026: Member of Women’s Advisory Council at Gallagher
2020–Present
Milestones
Milestones
ELITE WOMEN 2024 JUDGE
“You can’t control the outcome, but you can always control what version of you turns up every day,” he says.
While at the helm of a rapidly growing business and a family that includes two young children at home, Rakowski has learned to manage what he calls a “never-ending list of commitments” that consists of a new team member each month, a new interstate office and two to three new referral partners monthly.
“Our business is a human business, so investing genuine time in every person can be draining on a personal level. Balancing it all is a challenge,” he says. “Simply put, do what you say you will do, and act at all times with honesty and integrity, being respectful and empathetic. The financial outcomes are a byproduct of the human interactions we have.”
Attracting, retaining and delivering exceptional client outcomes and service starts with a sincere interest in their journey and remaining relevant to them as their lives and needs evolve, notes Rakowski. He points out that he and his team put in most of the work upfront in building meaningful relationships, which is a testament to its 99% client retention rate.
He says, “We are clear in the types of clients we work best with and our value proposition. We also look for a cultural alignment with all of our referral partners, and we are acutely aware of our strengths and how different we are from our industry peers.”
Rakowski recently opened a Queensland business and plans a foot in every other capital city. He strives to establish the brokerage as a national business with on-the-ground representation in every state by the end of 2025.