Rusty Reid: President and CEO of Higginbotham
In this empowering episode of Stories with Soul, Jamey engages in a candid and insightful conversation with Rusty Reid, the President and CEO of Higginbotham, a Fort Worth-based insurance agency serving people and businesses nationwide for 75 years. He also happens to be the father of one of Stories with Soul’s favorite former guests, Sainty Nelsen.
To say Rusty Reid is an accomplished and admired leader is an understatement. He kicked off his career in insurance at the age of 22 in 1983. Only 6 years later, he was named President of Higginbotham. Now, his impact on the organization, his employees, his family, and the community of Fort Worth is palpable.
Rusty is a member of All Saints Episcopal Church, a Trustee and Chairman for All Saints Episcopal School, a Board Member and Former Chairman of Casa Mañana, an Executive Board Member for the Davey O’Brien Foundation, a former Chairman of Fort Worth Young Presidents Organization, a Board Member of Goosehead Insurance, a member of Rivercrest Country Club the Fort Worth Club, and Fort Worth Exchange, a Trustee for TCU, and a Board Member of Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
If that doesn’t convince you he knows a bit about leadership, here’s something else that might. He’s appeared in D Magazine’s “500 List”, is listed in the Hall of Fame of Insurance Businesses in America, was named “Top Private Executive” by the Fort Worth Business Press , was named in the “Top 25 Most Admired CEOs” by Dallas Business Journal, and was awarded the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Executive Leadership Award.
Needless to say, Rusty Reid makes an impact.
As the episode unfolds, you’ll hear Rusty unpack an inspiring and motivating journey to leadership. From his humble beginnings as a pre-med student at The University of North Texas to becoming the revered leader of Higginbotham and an active member of the Fort Worth community, Rusty shares the challenges he faced, the pivotal moments that shaped his career, and the lessons learned along the way.
Since being named President of Higginbotham in 1989, he’s implemented a single-source service platform where customers can obtain comprehensive insurance, financial and HR services under one roof and has spearheaded the adoption of an employee ownership structure. Along the way, he led Higginbotham’s growth from 12 employees to nearly 3,000, making it one of 20 largest independent insurance firms in the USA.
Rusty dives into his approach to leadership, giving valuable insights and advice for emerging leaders and entrepreneurs. He shares powerful anecdotes from his professional life as a CEO and his personal life as a father of three and husband to wife, Molly. When you finish this episode, you’ll understand the significance of risk taking, continuous learning, and building a strong culture - it’s a must-listen for anyone aspiring to lead with purpose and make a positive mark on their community, family, and colleagues.
Find the episode on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
Thank you to our Season 3 sponsor!
Mentioned this week on Stories with Soul:
