The Woodlands Financial Group Scores Grand Slam as “Best” in The Woodlands, Texas State, National, and Industry

THE WOODLANDS, TX, March 9, 2017 – The Woodlands Financial Group (TWFG) was founded and has maintained its national headquarters here since 2001, but it is earning award-winning recognition locally, in the State of Texas, and in national insurance rankings.

Bunch received another kudo this week when the company was named winner of the 2017 “people’s award” as Best Insurance Agency or Agent as thousands of community portal users voted on Woodlands Online. This is a “four-peat” for TWFG, which won the award in 2013, 15, 16, and now 2017. Last year, the company’s employees added Best Employer to its community-leading recognition.

Earlier this year, Insurance Journal Magazine’s Top 100 and Top 50 rankings were released to reveal that TWFG is in the top 30 of 38,000 independent agencies in America, and the number one Personal Lines (Homeowners and Auto) insurance agency in the state of Texas. Texas is also the center of TWFG’s national focus with more than 100 affiliated TWFG agencies ranging from Houston to Amarillo serving more than 250,000 customers.

TWFG’s Twico insurance carrier has been authorized to accept transfers up to $62M in the Texas Windstorm depopulation program to provide coastal policyholders with alternative private options for wind and hail insurance.

Insurance Business America magazine selected TWFG as one of America’s “Elite Agencies” in its December 2016 cover story. The magazine says their “Elite” list includes independent commercial retail agencies that range from a single office to large corporations with a global presence. “They are leaders in their communities and the industry in terms of revenue, best practices, and community involvement.

According to founder, president, and CEO Gordy Bunch, TWFG has now grown to become a national agency with more than 300 retail branches in 22 states and 3,000 affiliations with independent agents in 38 states.

For further Media Information:

Gordy Bunch, gordy@twfg.com, 713-416-0789 

Gordy Bunch Statement on Suggestion That He Appear on Ballot for Chairman of The Woodlands Township

Director Gordy Bunch says he is honored to be named by the preponderance of citizens and voters in an online poll recommending him as a candidate for Chairman of The Woodlands Township board. He states: “If chosen by my fellow directors at the November 18 board meeting it would be my sincere honor to serve. Our governance for this hometown community, now marked by the retirement of pioneering directors like Peggy Hausman and Bruce Tough, will bring new challenges for a new generation of leadership, charged with preserving the essence of our history, and to forge the vision of our future.”

Gordy Bunch

Director & Treasurer

The Woodlands Township

gbunch@thewoodlandstownship-tx.org

713-416-0789

Richard “Gordy” Bunch: An American Hero, Insurance Entrepreneur, Unpaid Public Servant

A SHINING STAR: Like any shining star, it is difficult to pinpoint which facet shines brightest when we attempt to describe Richard “Gordy” Bunch III. When peering at the heavens through a telescope, it is the convergence of a multitude of luminescent facets that illuminates each star for us. Similarly, the individuals we dare to see as “American Heroes,” worthy of our special recognition, are made up of many facets in their chosen field. Gordy Bunch is a multitasking master. Aside from the fact that, at age 42, Gordy Bunch has protected our sovereign borders, founded an innovative nationally-ranked insurance services agency, and that he simultaneously serves as an effective public servant for his community, being a hero appears to be a perennial, albeit unintentional, natural state for Richard “Gordy” Bunch.

COAST GUARD HERO: He arrived on the insurance scene with a chest full of decorations from the U.S. Coast Guard and even a special Meritorious Unit Commendation with one Gold Star from Vice Admiral Martin H. Daniell, Commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area. Filled with patriotic zeal, he cared about the impact on his country when the Gulf War broke out. At age 19, he and a buddy drove from their College Station, Texas homes to San Diego where Gordy volunteered for active duty with the U.S. Coast Guard. Over the next four years, he learned to face adversity head-on, conducting hurricane missions; rescuing ships and refugees from frigid rolling seas; intercepting drug smugglers and human traffickers who were piloting slave ships bound for American shores. But heroes come in many forms and stand out for many reasons. Perhaps as a harbinger of future achievements, but specifically for reorganizing purchasing procedures at his duty station, and saving the Coast Guard and his country time and considerable sums of money, Gordy was awarded one of the Coast Guard’s highest honors, its Achievement Medal. Later, because of his active duty service in war time he was also awarded the United States’ National Defense Service Medal.

INSURANCE PRODIGY: His parents had provided a comfortable middle-class life for their two sons, but when Gordy separated from the Coast Guard he had already felt the call of entrepreneurship and public service. With an honorable discharge from the military, and instilled with respect for personal and organizational discipline, he decided to navigate business opportunities in the wide world of insurance. He did his insurance “basic training’ as a Texas Farm Bureau agent. He quickly moved up as an Associate General Agent with American National and then as Manager of Financial Services and Retail Director with Prudential.  However, Gordy was still infused with the dream that sparked the inspiration and motivation that had earned him the Coast Guard awards. He would learn a task or a procedure and, again and again, his inner voice would say: “There is a Better Way.”

TWFG FOUNDER: Gordy is the founder, president and CEO of The Woodlands Financial Group, a successful business built on a single word: “Caring.”  In 2001, by now with a wife and children, he used his life savings of $10,000 to launch The Woodlands Financial Group and the TWFG insurance services agency. He immediately was faced with challenges that would prove his mettle. TWFG’s first year of operation was also the beginning of the worst decade in our country and the insurance industry since World War II. Hurricanes, tornadoes, residential mold, floods, the tragedy of September 11, and an international financial crisis, all placed seemingly overwhelming obstacles in his path. Not only was he determined that his business would survive, but also those customers he had insured and who had helped him to launch his agency, now needed his help. His response to the hurricanes and floods was to travel to the scene of the disaster, knock on the doors of his customers, sometimes standing in water and shards of glass, writing TWFG checks on-the-spot to provide immediate relief to those most impacted by the disasters.

PERSONAL HEROISM: He was a hero in the military, serving his country and finding more efficient and economical ways to operate. He launched a successful insurance business by being a hero to his customers. But, it was the Thornberry commitment that enabled him to rise to even more heroic proportions. His wife, Michelle, is the daughter of Nancy and Fred Thornberry. Dr. Thornberry, a prominent Texas A&M agricultural professor, suffered cataclysmic injuries in an automobile accident that left him as a quadriplegic. Gordy came to the rescue once again, in a gesture of personal heroics, he insisted that Michelle’s mother and father move into the Bunch home where they could personally care for them and he also arranged for 24-hour nursing care for the tragically afflicted father. That arrangement continues to this day with Gordy, his wife, three young sons, and the Thornberry s all sharing the ups and downs of their lives together.

UNPAID PUBLIC SERVANT: One would think a life so filled with success, still building a business and helping others, would have no more time to contribute. But Gordy felt the need to pay back his community for his unique success and the blessings bestowed upon his family. His business and home are both located in The Woodlands, Texas, one of the nation’s premier master-planned communities. The Woodlands is on its way to becoming an important Texas municipality with more than 108,000 residents and 2,000 businesses. In the interim, residents adopted a Township form of government that required seven board members to serve as the equivalent of a city council. Gordy put his name on the ballot for one of the elected at-large and unpaid positions. Although not politically active, he was easily elected to public office as a member of the board of directors of The Woodlands Township. One of his first actions was to draw upon his knowledge of insurance to discover that the community was under-covered and overcharged. He courageously challenged the status quo and launched a professional and independent study of a multi-million dollar premium – disqualifying himself and TWFG from any share of reformulated coverages and premiums. He definitely reached “hometown hero” status with kudos and plaudits from his fellow board members and the Township staff, as well as the media and knowledgeable residents for achieving $800,000 dollar in annual savings and more appropriate coverage for The Woodlands Township’s considerable assets set in a 28,000-acre forest. As elected Treasurer he initiated a pay-down of $14.3 million in public debt, saving taxpayers $5.7 million in interest charges and $1.5 million in the Township’s annual budget, while enabling a cut in Township real estate taxes for two consecutive years. He is definitely a hero to the 35,000 homeowners in The Woodlands and it is one of the reasons why he was just re-elected this month (November 2014) without an opponent or opposing words. He was also re-elected by his fellow board members to be Treasurer of the Township and was elected as Chairman of The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau which reported mid-year sales tax results of $30,915,238 and Hotel Tax revenues of $4,657,172.

ENTREPRENEUR-OF-THE-YEAR: Bunch has grown The Woodlands Financial Group from that original investment of $10,000 in 2001 to $337 million in premiums in 2013 with more than 300 branches in 21 states plus 3,000 affiliates in 38 states serving 250,000 customers. TWFG writes policies in 49 U.S. states from its headquarters in The Woodlands. His business success and community activities resulted in his selection as a finalist for Gulf Coast Entrepreneur-of-the-Year and in the Top 10 of Insurance Journal’s independent Property and Casualty agencies

IRON MAN: As an IronMan participant and sponsor, Gordy believes in physical fitness, so TWFG supports healthy public events through his TWFG company.  TWFG is title sponsor for the Gran Fondo bicycle race benefitting the Houston Medical Center Orchestra as well as Multiple Sclerosis with $187,000. The TWFG Muddy Trails Bash series of fun runs for kids and a host of charitable organizations. Other beneficiaries of TWFG’s “Caring” policy are American Heart Association, Susan G. Breast Cancer Foundation, Barnabus Group, Interfaith of The Woodlands, Toys for Tots, CASA Child Advocacy, College of the Ozarks, University of North Texas, Texas A&M University, University of Houston-Downtown Advisory Board; The Woodlands Waterway Arts Council; Fellowship of Christian Athletes; Texas Rush (Kid’s Soccer), Young Life, The Woodlands United Methodist Church, and JROTC. The family attends United Methodist Church of The Woodlands. A final example of Gordy’s “heroism” is when he was contacted and asked to help with bicycles for children who were housed with their abused mothers in a safe haven communal home. Gordy asked his 75 headquarters employees to bring in their used bikes from their homes to donate. When the total count was not enough to take care of all the kids, Gordy called in a TWFG intern, handed him a credit card, and said “Go out and buy three more new bikes.” Gordy disregards monetary success and recognition, because he believes a real hero is someone who cares enough not to disappoint a dozen children who are already in a compromised positon in life.

SUMMARY: Gordy continues to demonstrate a high level of care for his country, his business, his industry, his customers, his employees, community, neighbors, the Christian church, his own and everyone else’s children, while he meticulously manages a personal journey that already deserves to be marked as a life well-spent.

Meet Gordy

Uniquely Qualified

Our greatest generations should always be in our future.

Through my experiences as a decorated veteran of the United States Coast Guard, President and CEO of one of the largest privately-held property and casualty agencies in the nation, and most recently as an elected board member of The Woodlands Township, I believe I am uniquely qualified to offer limited government and pro-growth solutions that will strengthen our families and small businesses.  Our state and our district deserve to have a Senator who has not only helped protect our sovereign soil but has had the entrepreneurial spirit to help in the creation of thousands of jobs for Texas families.

Texas is the growth engine for the United States.  Our state shines brighter than any other because of our rugged individualism, passionate defense of freedom, and an unwavering commitment to empower people instead of government.  I am asking you today to stand with me as we work to ensure Texas maintains its rightful place as one of the world’s great economies and as a state that vigorously defends its people against the encroachment of an uncontrolled federal government on our personal freedoms.

A Lifetime of Hard Work and Achievement

“I, Richard F Bunch III “Gordy” , do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

Like many families growing up in Texas, our parents instilled in us the principals of hard work, personal responsibility, and a pride in our country for affording us boundless opportunities.  I started working in restaurants at the age of fourteen and as a teenager became the manager of a Little Caesars and then McDonald’s restaurant in College Station.

When I turned nineteen, our nation was heading toward the first Gulf War and I felt a compelling sense of duty to serve in the protection of our country.  A friend of mine and I drove to the Houston recruiting office, but it was closed.  Undaunted, we drove out to San Diego and volunteered for duty.  Over the course of the next four years, I conducted missions to assist hurricane recovery in Florida, rescue ships and sailors in the frigid waters of the Bering Sea, and intercept drug smugglers or human traffickers who were piloting slave ships with cargo bound for America.  We put our lives on the line in the largest life-saving operation since WWII, rescuing 3,247 people in one day off the coast of Haiti. Before leaving to begin my business career, I received one of the highest honors the Coast Guard awards – the “Coast Guard Achievement Medal,” for restructuring the Coast Guard’s purchasing and inventory systems. I am also proud to hold the National Defense Service Medal for serving our country in a time of war.

The missions were dangerous.  There was no guarantee that we would return home.  But it gave me great pride to know that I was doing my part to protect our sovereign soil, territorial waters, and to save our fellow countrymen from a watery end.

Following my service and after several years rising through the ranks of the insurance industry, I had a calling to open my own business – my entrepreneurial spirit could not be suppressed.  Michelle and I knew it was a risk.  We had a young family and around $10,000 to try and start on our own.  But I was determined to succeed and in 2001 founded The Woodlands Financial Group (TWFG). Today, TWFG has almost 200 offices and affiliated agencies with 1,000 related jobs in the 4^th Senate District.  We are the 30^th largest provider of privately held insurance in America, protecting more than 200,000 families, homeowners, businesses, autos, flood areas, and more for clients of 314 retail branches and 3,000 affiliated agents in 38 states.

A Limited Government Conservative

One of the most important lessons I have learned is that any operation can be run more efficiently and effectively.  We are blessed to live in a state that works to keep taxes low and government out of our lives.  But, we can always improve and frankly, it will take people from outside of politics to make that happen.  I’m proud to note that in the short time I have spent on the board of The Woodlands Township, we have paid down publicly held debt, saved $800,000 on one contract alone, and reduced taxes for our residents for two consecutive years.

I know with my experience, we can help restructure state programs and spending so we are eliminating waste and abuse from the system while cutting taxes and improving services. Our district deserves nothing less than a leader in the Senate with the proven knowledge and capability to enact reforms that stop our dollars from being wasted and prevent bad policies from ever seeing the light of day.  It is our duty to make certain that Texas stands against the liberal, social-engineering that has bankrupt our federal government and numerous big-government states.

Top Priorities for Texas

Fighting Back Against an Abusive Federal Government: Never before in our history have we seen an Administration so Hell-bent on abusing and expanding its powers beyond what the Constitution allows.  As long as Barack Obama is President, a key function and focus of our state government MUST BE to stop overreaching federal agencies from enforcing mandates, unwanted programs, and stripping the rights of Texans.  Whether this is pushing back against ObamaCare, Medicaid expansion, CSCOPE/Common Core, 2^nd Amendment restrictions, the EPA, the DOJ or any other agency that seeks to use its powers to harm our state, we must ensure Texas stands strong against this abusive federal government.

Reducing the Tax Burden so Families Keep More of What They Earn: While it is admirable that our state is running multi-billion surpluses for the Rainy-day fund, this is an indication that our tax structure needs to be adjusted so the people earning this money can keep more of it in their local economies.  Whether it is a reduction or elimination of the franchise tax or reducing property tax growth and valuation increases, I am committed to delivering conservative, common-sense solutions that ensure the earnings of Texans stay where they belong – in the hands of our hard-working families and businesses.

Reducing Spending by Eliminating Waste and Inefficiencies: Through my experience in the United States Coast Guard and as the founder, President, and CEO of one of the nation’s leading privately-held property and casualty agencies I have learned that any operation can be run more effectively and efficiently.  I am proud to note that in the short time I have spent on the board of The Woodlands Township, we have paid down publicly-held debt, saved $800,000 on one contract alone, and reduced taxes for our residents – this is the same kind of leadership I will bring the state Senate.

key facts

United States Coast Guard Veteran 1991-1995 (Partial list of decorations)

• Coast Guard Achievement Medal
• Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation with one Gold Star
• National Defense Service Medal
• Humanitarian Service Medal with one Gold Star
• Coast Guard Expert Pistol Shot Medal
• Coast Guard Expert Rifleman Medal

Founder, President, and CEO of The Woodlands Financial Group

• TWFG is the 30th largest provider of privately held insurance in America, serving 38 states

Past President of the Professional Insurance Agents of Texas

Proud husband to Michelle and father of three boys who attend Conroe ISD

Member Montgomery County Republican Party

Associate Member Montgomery County Republican Women

Associate Member The Woodlands Republican Women

Associate Member Golden Triangle Republican Women

The Bunch family attends The Woodlands United Methodist Church

Ironman Triathlete

Lifetime Member of the NRA

American Heart Association donor and past board member

Contributor to the Texas A&M Thornberry Endowment Scholarship

Fellowship of Christian Athletes

Interfaith of the Woodlands Donor

National Multiple Sclerosis Society and supporter of the Texas Medical Center Orchestra and the TWFG Gran Fondo

University of Houston-Downtown College of Business – Insurance and Risk Management Center Advisory Council

South Montgomery Chamber of Commerce member

South Montgomery County YMCA volunteer coach

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation donor

GORDY BUNCH: Your Best Employees Emerge with Company Challenges

By Gordy Bunch, Bunch on Business, Published 9:01 pm, Monday, March 13, 2017

sNEWSi is News

San Antonio Express-News:

How you handle adversity will significantly impact your ability to build trust and respect within your company. How often your employees respond quickly illustrates who’s on your A team, B team and no-team. There is a saying that “it happens,” and how you behave and communicate at those times defines how you are perceived as a leader and reveals the character of employees.

I recently faced a disturbing reality during conversion to a new technology platform in which we had invested significant time, money and commitment. It was not going to work. Our partners, staff and even the vendor all knew the system had reached the point of epic failure to launch. It failed while being installed as our live system of record and impacted every aspect of our business.

My response to this and any self-induced crisis was to admit I had made a mistake and that I was going to need everyone’s help to revert to our prior system. So the key decision was to acknowledge the issue, take responsibility, ask for help and be transparent.

Your A team responds with “how can I help,” even when the needs are outside of their departments. The A team are the folks who put in the overtime, help other departments out, work weekends and always commit to doing whatever is needed to help the company and their peers. This same group is more engaged in company community events, office events, and takes ownership of their respective roles.

Your B team expresses concern over the issues and focuses mostly on their own daily work. If time allows, they will chip in during normal working hours but rarely go above and beyond the 40-hour work week. These folks are good at their core jobs and have the ability to be on the A team but lack the levels of engagement and commitment to make the A team. Being on the A team provides a sense of family, loyalty, job security, and appreciation that exceeds expectations.

The no-team players do not recognize the needs of others around them, nor do they fully commit to their core duties. I call these folks the “elbows and glutes,” since that’s all you see of them at 5 p.m. sharp or 4:55 p.m. to be more accurate. The challenge for these folks during times of need is that they stand out even more than they did before. It’s rare, but not impossible, for the no-team players to move onto the B or A teams. If they’re honest with themselves and acknowledge their level of effort and commitment, they can choose to step up. Otherwise, we and any other organization will choose to help them step out.

I welcome the new A team players we discovered; I continue to hope for the B team folks to join them. I want members of the B team to know who they are and encourage them to step up and join the A team. During difficult times your A team will grow as new folks choose to step up their level of commitment and engagement. It has been said there is opportunity in chaos and that is a truism for employer and employee. Take challenges as opportunities to re-establish what team you are on and lead by example.

Richard “Gordy” Bunch is the 2015 EY Entrepreneur of the Year for the Gulf Coast for Products and Services. Submit suggested topics for future business columns to gordy@twfg.com

The Woodlands Township Chairman Heads to Washington for Donald Trump Inauguration

By Kim Kyle Morgan, Woodlands Online

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Gordy Bunch, chairman of The Woodlands Township Board of Directors and founder, owner and CEO of The Woodlands Financial Group, is heading to Washington with his wife Michelle for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

Woodlands Online chatted with Bunch about his upcoming trip to witness the swearing-in of the 45th president.

WOL: What, in your opinion, makes this a historical event?

GB: You’re dealing with a situation where someone has been elected the most powerful man in the world without ever holding public office in the past. I want to see what an entrepreneur can do in a leadership role.

WOL: You’ve spent several hours visiting with Trump right here in The Woodlands over the last few years. What strikes you the most?

GB: I’ve spent time talking with him about international affairs, from China’s devaluing the currency to Iran’s ambitions to get a nuke, to immigration challenges along the southern borders. He is a very approachable and knowledgeable man on many subjects. Although his commentary throughout the campaign didn’t really reflect well on him, he has a lot more substance to him than came out in the campaign and I hope to see him put that into action as our new president.

WOL: Where do you think he will make the biggest impact in the shortestamount of time?

GB: The absolute credibility he has toward negotiating agreements that are favorable to our country. Just look at what’s happening in the automobile industry — these plants that were slated to go to Mexico all of a sudden changed their minds and have decided to stay in the U.S.

I also think he will be quick in dealing with Congress and House reps that for years have passed the buck. I can see him calling them out.

Longer term, I’m encouraged by the possibility of real tax reform for all Americans. The repeal of Obamacare is coming up the pipe. And, as a veteran, seeing the reduction in forces and a lack of investment in our military infrastructure has been disheartening. I’d like to see Trump move us in a different direction.

WOL: What do you think about elected officials boycotting the inauguration?

GB: It reflects poorly on their maturity and leadership. The Office of the Presidency is a representation of our country regardless of party affiliation, and it is owed respect regardless of who’s in the chair. I don’t ever recall hearing about Republican protests or the independent protests of any president ever elected. It’s a reaction to today’s pop culture, reality TV and sensationalism. I don’t think it moves the needle on bringing our country together in any way, shape or form.

WOL: What are your thoughts on the next four years?

GB: There’s really no excuse going forward for the Republican Party to show what it can do. With the House and Senate in Republican control, I want to see some progress. I’m looking forward to seeing what can happen with Trump as leader.

New Years Need a SMART New Plan

Every year business owners need to re-evaluate their plans and make adjustments where needed. The first of the year is often the best time to reset the expectations and start fresh.

Our company uses the SMART method when identifying department objectives. This sets the goals by which each team will be evaluated in the New Year. It is important that each department’s goals align with overall company objectives to achieve total organizational success. Goals that are not in alignment create divisions and undue stress on companies, so make sure all teams understand how they impact each other and the company’s overall success.

What is SMART:

Simple– Is the objective easy enough to clearly understand? The target goal needs to be understood by everyone involved. Don’t use vague ranges for goals like growth of 20-30% – use specifics like 10% minimum growth in gross revenue.

Measurable– Can success be measured? Use achievable goals or other specific objectives as tools needed to measure success. For example, a tangible sales goal is easy to measure. No matter what the objective is, you need to make sure you can accurately identify success and know and plan in advance the criteria to measure it.

Attainable– Are the goals and objectives realistic and attainable? Some folk’s egos have themselves setting goals that cannot be met. Bad managers use this as a way to underpay team members and that truly demoralizes a team. If individual contributors are part of the goal setting process, make sure their targets are realistic before blindly accepting their projections. Management should work as a team to develop goals and measures that are attainable before adopting the New Year plan.

Reasonable– Is the objective or goal realistic and compatible with the tools, talent and business you operate? What else may be needed to make sure the goals and objectives can be met? Does the company need new team members, equipment, marketing, vendors, technology or anything else required to counter excuses claiming that the measured goal or objective were not reasonable?

Time-Bound– Whatever is integral to the SMART plan should include the dates when the teams will be measured and held accountable for their results. Interim measurements allow for recalibrating plans and avoid surprises that should have been addressed at an earlier date. Are definitive deliverable dates or measuring points clearly identified? It is best to measure results throughout the year and include review dates within your plan. When measurable progress is identified, it also serves as a motivator to continue the good works or provides a call to action to correct non-producing activity.

I choose to meet with my executive team monthly to review their division’s goals and results so that we can swiftly address any needed changes or impacts to the company. Each division meets with their respective team weekly and direct supervisors interact with their downline staff daily. Like any successful company we are always recalibrating our plans and looking for ways to improve. I hope this article was helpful and wish you and your business a successful new year!

Richard “Gordy” Bunch is the 2015 EY Entrepreneur of the Year for the Gulf Coast for Products and Services. He is also founder, president, and CEO of The Woodlands Financial Group based in The Woodlands, Texas. Submit suggested topics for future business columns to gordy@twfg.com, or through the editor of this publication.

New Year Needs a Smart New Plan

By Gordy Bunch, Bunch on Business

Chron.com – Published 2:44 pm, Friday, December 30, 2016

Every year business owners need to reevaluate their plans and make adjustments where needed. The first of the year is often the best time to reset the expectations and start fresh.

Our company uses the SMART method when identifying department objectives. This sets the goals by which each team will be evaluated in the New Year. It is important that each department’s goals align with overall company objectives to achieve total organizational success. Goals that are not in alignment create divisions and undue stress on companies, so make sure all teams understand how they impact each other and the company’s overall success.

What is SMART:

Simple – Is the objective easy enough to clearly understand? The target goal needs to be understood by everyone involved. Don’t use vague ranges for goals like growth of 20-30 percent – use specifics like 10 percent minimum growth in gross revenue.

Measurable – Can success be measured? Use achievable goals or other specific objectives as tools needed to measure success. For example, a tangible sales goal is easy to measure. No matter what the objective is, you need to make sure you can accurately identify success and know and plan in advance the criteria to measure it.

Attainable – Are the goals and objectives realistic and attainable? Some folks’ egos have themselves setting goals that cannot be met. Bad managers use this as a way to underpay team members and that truly demoralizes a team. If individual contributors are part of the goal setting process, make sure their targets are realistic before blindly accepting their projections. Management should work as a team to develop goals and measures that are attainable before adopting the New Year plan.

Reasonable – Is the objective or goal realistic and compatible with the tools, talent and business you operate? What else may be needed to make sure the goals and objectives can be met? Does the company need new team members, equipment, marketing, vendors, technology or anything else required to counter excuses claiming that the measured goal or objective were not reasonable?

Time-Bound – Whatever is integral to the SMART plan should include the dates when the teams will be measured and held accountable for their results. Interim measurements allow for recalibrating plans and avoid surprises that should have been addressed at an earlier date. Are definitive deliverable dates or measuring points clearly identified? It is best to measure results throughout the year and include review dates within your plan. When measurable progress is identified, it also serves as a motivator to continue the good works or provides a call to action to correct non-producing activity.

I choose to meet with my executive team monthly to review their division’s goals and results so that we can swiftly address any needed changes or impacts to the company. Each division meets with their respective team weekly and direct supervisors interact with their downline staff daily. Like any successful company we are always recalibrating our plans and looking for ways to improve. I hope this article was helpful and wish you and your business a successful new year!

Richard “Gordy” Bunch is the 2015 EY Entrepreneur of the Year for the Gulf Coast for Products and Services. He is also founder, president, and CEO of The Woodlands Financial Group based in The Woodlands, Texas. Submit suggested topics for future business columns to gordy@twfg.com, or through the editor of this publication.

TWFG Earns No. 1 Rank for Personal Lines Insurance in Texas

The Courier

Business Briefs

Gordy Bunch

A new report from Insurance Journal magazine ranks TWFG Insurance Services as No. 1 in Texas for Personal Lines (Homeowner and Auto) insurance revenue among the Top 50 independent Personal Lines national leaders.
Gordy Bunch, president and CEO of The Woodlands Financial Group, responded to another year of TWFG earning the top spot in Texas.
“We are number one because our branches everywhere build strong relationships with families – our customers. We don’t compromise quality of coverage just to offer a lower price, leaving our customers vulnerable in the future,” he said. “Our successful business model allows us to provide hundreds of agents with tools and plans that give TWFG clients the broadest possible options for coverage from more than 200 carriers.”
TWFG also appears in the top ranks of Property and Casualty Insurance, ranking in the Top 30 of the 38,000 independent insurance agencies in the nation, as reported by Insurance Journal. The multi-faceted financial group of companies has another expansion of its national headquarters underway in The Woodlands, Texas. Gordy Bunch founded the company with $10,000 here in 2001. TWFG has grown to become a national agency with more than 300 retail branches in 22 states and 3,000 affiliations with independent agents in 38 states.

Five Things to Know About Woodlands Board Chairman Gordy Bunch

By Matthew Tresaugue

Gordy Bunch

Gordy Bunch, 44, is the new chairman of The Woodlands Township’s governing board, a position akin to mayor. His colleagues selected him after November’s election produced a slow-things-down majority on the seven-member board.

Bunch’s enthusiastic supporters praise him for being aggressive and outspoken in defending the quality of life in the township. Critics call him rigid and uncompromising, attributes that work well for an activist but less so for a politician, they say.

Here are five things to know about Bunch:

Gordy isn’t short for Gordon

His full name is Richard Finley Bunch III. He was on the chubby side as a kid, so his mother nicknamed him “Gordito,” a Spanish term of endearment. Although he grew taller and leaner, “you can’t switch from Gordo to Flaco,” which means skinny, he said. So his mother started calling him Gordy.

He has a “degree in life”

At 19, Bunch drove from College Station to San Diego to join the U.S. Coast Guard. Over the next four years, he responded to hurricanes and floods, helped rescue ships in the Bering Sea and intercepted drug smugglers and human traffickers. He then returned to Texas and got a job selling insurance. He took classes at night for three years but didn’t see an academic degree as necessary for his career. In 2001, he started his own insurance agency, which has grown into one of the largest in the nation.

His house is on shaky ground

Bunch and his wife, Michelle, are among dozens of homeowners who filed suit against The Woodlands Development Co., accusing the developer of negligently constructing their houses on active fault lines. A Harris County judge ruled in favor of the company in February, but Bunch said the couple is appealing. Meanwhile, they are building a new home about a mile away.

Politics run in the family

Michelle Bunch’s uncle was the Montgomery County judge in the 1970s and her father, Fred Thornberry, ran unsuccessfully for Texas agriculture commissioner and for Congress. A quadriplegic since crashing his car in 2009, Thornberry is living with the Bunch family. He gave a pep talk to his son-in-law on the day Gordy announced his opposition to the county’s $350 million bond measure for new and improved roads. “Your job is to represent the people who live within the boundaries of your office,” he told Bunch. “If you do that, you’re doing it right.”

The president-elect is a “very nice guy”

In 2015, shortly before Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president, Bunch paid $25,000 to share a table with him at a fund-raiser for the Texas Patriots PAC, a local tea party group. Bunch said Trump was approachable, intelligent and observant, noting improvements The Woodlands Country Club could make. When Trump returned to the township for a campaign rally months later, he autographed the podium placard for Bunch. The sign is going into the flag room of Bunch’s new house.

Matthew Tresaugue

Environment Reporter, Houston Chronicle