Laura Townsend

My very first job was at Burgermaster in the University District at the age of 15 (1985), and I’ve been employed ever since! I’ve been in the insurance profession as an account manager since 2009. Before that I spent 20 years in banking as a sales team manager, private client advisor, and mortgage loan officer. 

I work in personal insurance, which has been my focus since I joined the insurance industry. I believe in “needs-based selling”, a method I taught my new hires at the B of A call center for National Direct Sales. This means letting the client talk by asking open-ended questions, then addressing their specific needs. With insurance this helps me identify any gaps in coverage that our clients have. I can then discuss products that will cover those gaps/needs and help them understand why it matters. 

I’m a member of SHE Travels – a group started by Travelers Insurance to help advocate for women in the insurance industry. Whenever possible I volunteer with DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) to help high school students achieve their career goals. I earned the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation and received the Spirit of Excellence Award from Bank of America in 2005, as the only associate to win on both a team and individual level.

I’ve lived in the great, green state of Washington my entire life. I live with my partner in crime, Nathan, and our sweet fur baby (feline), McLovin. For fun I watch movies, write screenplays, and am currently working on a graphic novel. I also dabble in photography and have made a few short horror films.