The Railroad to Success

Category: "Inspire" Stories

Date: July 21, 2022

Few of our partners have a history quite like industry legend Hubert Humphrey of HGI. His work building three successful marketing companies has made him an icon, but what many people don’t know is that insurance is Hubert’s second career. On a special video “Inspire” Podcast, Hubert shared that the road to success is sometimes a detour on the railroad.

Growing up in Macon, Georgia, Hubert knew he wanted to go to Georgia Tech. He was an honor student and did well in university. He also married his childhood sweetheart, Norma, during his second year. When they found out they were expecting their oldest son, Hubert set out to find a summer job.

Hubert’s best friend had just started working at the railroad and recommended he check it out as well. The promise of a good paycheck led him to apply, and soon after he was hired. He and his friend became two of the youngest conductors in their company.

But that one summer turned into years on the rails, and the work took its toll. Hubert experienced train derailments, lost his friend in a collision after swapping work shifts with him and still walks with a limp after being thrown from a train. One day, Hubert woke up and took stock of his life. He now had three kids and had never gone back to school like he’d planned. He says it was like a fog was lifted from his mind and he wanted a change! He wanted to build something of his own. It took another decade of trying, but Hubert never gave up and eventually found his true calling in insurance.

And aren’t we glad he did? Hubert’s legacy of service has inspired an entire generation of insurance leaders to get out there and help people. Be sure to check out our special video episode of the “Inspire” Podcast and learn more about Hubert’s incredible career.

Related Posts

“You don’t need a title to be a leader” — Learn What It Takes Instead

Thank you for attending our latest Women in Leadership Seminar! Every single time we broadcast a new interview, your participation keeps growing, and the positive feedback is incredible. This interview was no different, with an incredibly inspiring and just plain fun talk with Stacey Anderson, VP of Operations at American Benefit, LLC. Stacey’s lessons started with..

Continue Reading

Welcome to the Family, CSG!

Recently, on the “Inspire” Podcast, we announced our most transformative partnership yet with CSG Actuarial. We spoke with our newest partners, Bryan Neary and Doug Feekin, about this pivotal change. Named for his children, Clara, Sam and Gus, Bryan started CSG Actuarial as a family business, bringing Doug on board shortly after. They’ve come a..

Continue Reading

Sneaker-Selling Sophomore

Our partners share an entrepreneurial spirit that has propelled their success in this industry and beyond. But many of them also have stories of self-made success before finding their home in insurance. For one of our newest partners, First American Insurance Underwriters’ Ken Shapiro, his business brain led him to a successful sneaker business while..

Continue Reading

Contact us