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Join us here for our Summer Intern Update from Jack Quirk, Rich Chakejian and Eric Edmunds! Jack, Rich and Eric will be chronicling their summer with The Safegard Group by detailing what they are learning and their experience with our insurance sales organization.
Intern Update #2: Rich Getting Started & Learning
I started working as an intern for the Safegard Group this summer on June 5th. Upon arriving Michael Hermansen, Director of Operations, gave me an extensive tour of the company’s office. The tour consisted of getting a walk through of the entire office, and meeting each employee along the way. I was able to learn about each person’s role and how everyone contributes to Safegard. This tour was great because it gave me the opportunity to meet everyone I would be working with for the whole summer. Everyone was very welcoming and nice upon meeting them, making this an easy transition into being a new employee. My first impression of Safegard was a tight-knit, family environment where everyone seemed to work hard and enjoy working with one another. After my first day, I knew this would be a great experience, giving the opportunity for learning a lot.
During my first week, my first task was to have orientation meetings. Michael Hermansen instructed me to schedule meetings with leaders of each department. This was a great opportunity to learn how the company functions and works as a team to accomplish their goals. So, I was able to meet with company executives and department leaders, giving me insight to their role, day-to-day work, and how they arrived at where they are today. Being a rising senior and preparing to graduate next May, each of these people were very beneficial in providing advice and sharing experiences for life after college and adjusting to the workforce. I value these meetings because I did not have much prior knowledge about insurance, and it was a great opportunity to learn from people whom have found success in industry.
My first two weeks working at Safegard have been a great experience thus far. Another valuable opportunity presented to myself and fellow interns, is to sit and listen to business meetings. I have been fortunate enough to sit in on sales meetings with clients, training meetings with full-time employees, and even strategic business meetings for the company. These experiences have taught me the most, as I was able to witness how the company operates with its business, and achieves it at a such a high level.
These first two weeks at Safegard have provided myself with a sense of excitement for what has yet to come. I strongly look forward to continue learning about the insurance industry and working with a great group of people for the rest of the summer.
About Rich Chakejian
Rich Chakejian is joining the Safegard Group as a summer intern for the duration of June 2017 – August 2017. While not having any prior experience in the insurance industry, Rich is eager to join the Safegard team and learn more about the business of insurance, as he has identified it as a possible career path upon graduation. Rich is an upcoming senior at the Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA. Rich has declared his major as Business Management, in the Smeal College of Business. He is involved on campus as a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity where he is heavily involved and serves as a THON and Recruitment chairman. Prior to choosing Penn State for his college education, Rich graduated from the Malvern Preparatory School where he played on the football team for four years and was involved in the Speak Up program.
Rich’s prior work experience includes spending summers as an intern with the accounting firm Stephano Slack LLC, as a server at Manco & Manco Pizza, and as a cook at Back Bay BBQ. Rich often enjoys working at Manco & Manco Pizza in Ocean City, NJ when presented with free time. Other hobbies of his include participating in intramural and recreational sports leagues and attending Philadelphia sporting events with his friends. Rich also has interest in pursuing law school after his undergraduate studies, as he is preparing to take the LSAT in the fall.
Lastly, Rich’s most recent experience was his semester studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain, where he lived for four months and had the opportunity to travel throughout Europe. This proved to be an experience of a lifetime for him, which included traveling to about 10 different European countries. A typical week would consist of attending school in Barcelona from Monday – Thursday, then filling up a backpack for the weekend to explore Europe. One of the more notable experiences Rich had while abroad, was visiting the poor Italian village outside of Naples his great-grandfather emigrated from at a young age to establish a better life for his family. Rich did not know any of these family members prior to getting off the plane, as he was greeted by his aunt and cousin with a sign that read his name. His cousin was the only family member that spoke decent English and translated for Rich and his family the entire weekend. Rich stayed in the house his great-grandfather grew up in, that has been in his family since 1775. These four months were an experience that Rich would not trade for anything and he hopes to make it back to Europe some day.
Rich is looking forward to being a member of the Safegard Group this summer and learning the business of insurance.
Thanks for reading this week’s Summer Intern Update!