James Orr is a Life Field Annuity Director for Cincinnati Life Insurance Company and a new NAIFA member.

After graduating from Wittenberg University with a bachelor’s degree in history and a Spanish minor, Orr was eager to move back to Cincinnati, OH. While he had initially considered going to law school or teaching, he decided he was open to other opportunities, if they led him back home.

He was “young, eager to learn, and looking for a challenge” when he came across a great opportunity in the financial services industry. He said, “The nature of the business itself didn’t really matter to me. Starting out, I didn’t have a passion for financial services; I just wanted to get back to Cincinnati and team up with a quality organization. I knew I had a passion for customer service and wanted the opportunity to grow that.”

Twenty-three years later, James Orr has developed a passion for the insurance business and become very interested in risk management. Recently, he decided to further his insurance education and work towards a LUTCF designation, which came with a NAIFA membership.

Orr says, “The thing that I enjoy most about my career is educating consumers on the types of solutions that are out there, and beyond the products and solutions, educating people about the risks they may face.” He says, “I initially thought about going into teaching, so I love the educational aspect of it.”

Orr has grown both personally and professionally throughout his time in the industry. He says, “Until I got into this business, I was deathly afraid of public speaking. Then, I got to the point where I was giving group presentations every day.” He says one of the most valuable lessons he has learned is to “make customer satisfaction your number one priority. While I am in sales, I am careful not to make every decision based on how much I have to sell and hitting that goal. If I have to make my decisions based solely on meeting a sales target, I won't be giving my clients the genuine care they deserve. When I wake up, my first thought is, ‘how can I add value to my clients’ lives today?’” He says, “When I focus on adding value, the rest falls into place. Hitting my sales goal is very important to me, but at the end of the day I can live with the satisfaction that I served my clients with integrity, and in the long run, this has a higher return.”

Welcome to NAIFA, James!