Insurance Careers Month: Q&A with Renee Slakoper, Executive Assistant/Account Manager

Renee Slakoper wears many hats in her position as Executive Assistant/Account Manager here at ETA, and will be the first to admit that no two days are the same in our office! From handling projects (small and large) for our agency president Joe Pilla to assisting group benefits clients to tackling pesky computer issues, Renee is responsible for making the day-to-day operations in the office run smoothly. Below she talks a little more about her job at ETA.  

Name: Renee Slakoper

Title: Executive Assistant/Account Manager

Years in the Industry: 7

Years at ETA: 7

What are some of your main job duties? I am the executive assistant to our president, Joe Pilla, so I handle a lot of short- and long-term responsibilities and projects in that role; I am an account manager which means I work with our clients and their employees to manage their employee benefit plans, and I also manage the HR and payroll duties for our agency.

How did you get into this field? I was a licensed producer in New Jersey, then moved to California and my license didn’t transfer. After living on the West Coast, I moved back to Pennsylvania. I was looking for a job and through networking, I heard that my boss was looking to fill a position. Like most jobs, mine has evolved since I started.

Describe a typical day for you. My day can go from working on a major project for Joe to working on a major process for a client (re-examining their benefits, or going on-site to speak with their employees). I also regularly work with our carriers to find solutions to clients’ problems.

What do you like best about your job? I love the challenges that my boss, clients and their employees bring to my desk every day and finding solutions for those challenges.

Why is insurance a good field to get into? The many interesting people that you meet and helping them through some of the most difficult times of their lives.

What advice would you have for someone new to the insurance industry? Pay attention. Soak up as much knowledge as you can. Most importantly—listen. Listen to those who have been in the industry. Listen to your clients. If you’re not moving forward, you’ll become stagnant. There are so many aspects to this industry, you might end up in a field you never imagined.