Meet Lauren Dallas, our go-to leader for all things Personal Lines here at Gompers, Cornish & Barr
With a natural drive to educate, a talent for motivating her team, and 15 years of insurance experience, Lauren helps ensure that our clients—and our own people—are always supported and set up for success.
Lauren’s path to insurance wasn’t exactly planned. With a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, she originally envisioned life in the classroom. But when teaching jobs were scarce in Michigan after the 2008 recession, Lauren pivoted. From a career as an educator to one in an entirely different industry—insurance.
She actually started her journey at another agency in town, where she “learned insurance from the ground up.” Originally working in an administrative capacity, agency leadership soon recognized her penchant for digging in and helping out, suggesting she consider a role as a producer for the agency.
A new education for Lauren would begin, one that would entail studying the finer points of consulting with clients on insurance products. She would eventually earn her licenses in property and casualty, as well as life and health during her time there. By the time she joined Gompers, Cornish & Barr in 2015, she already had several years of experience and a passion for educating clients on the coverages they truly need.
What ultimately drew her to GCB? The culture. “It was just such a different vibe,” Lauren recalls. “Approachable leadership, a collaborative team, and an environment where you can work hard but still be yourself. That’s what sold me. Meeting [agency owners] Jim and John was a game changer. And a life changer for me, really.”
From Educator to Educated…Back to Educator?!
Lauren started at GCB as an Account Manager, briefly tried her hand in sales, and then found her perfect fit as Personal Lines Manager in 2019—the same year GCB expanded by acquiring the Blanchard Agency. Today, she leads the Personal Lines department while also working directly with many of the agency’s high-net-worth clients.
Her favorite part of the job? Mentoring others, of course! The natural-born educator says, “I love helping people become the best they can be. Seeing someone grow in their role, gain confidence, and succeed…that’s what drives me.”
She also sees her work with clients as an extension of her original calling to teach. “Most people don’t really understand insurance, and that’s okay. My job is to explain it in a way that makes sense, so they can make informed decisions about protecting what matters most.”
Lauren is quick to point out that the team around her makes all the difference. “We have a really great staff. Everyone’s hardworking, everyone’s a team player, and Jim and John truly care about their people and their clients,” she says. “It’s refreshing to work for agency owners who are like that. It’s rare, and it’s what makes GCB such a great place to be!”
“Personal Lines”
Outside of the office, Lauren does her best to live life outside of the home as well. She and her husband Joe are parents to adventurous four-year-old twin boys, and together they spend as much time outdoors as possible; camping, skiing, sledding, and generally embracing every season Michigan throws their way.
“We’re just not indoor people,” Lauren laughs. “If it’s the weekend, you can bet we’re outside.”
Whether she’s mentoring her team, educating clients, or chasing her twins around, Lauren brings energy, perspective, and leadership to everything she does—making her an invaluable part of the GCB family.