Q&A With Curi’s New Director of Underwriting in the Southwest Region

Curi recently hired Joel Balgord as our newest Director of Underwriting. Located in Austin Texas, Joel will work alongside Curi’s Director of Business Development, Patrick Flanagan, to further facilitate Curi’s expansion of services into the Southwest region of the United States. In this role, Joel will begin building a team of underwriters to pursue Curi’s goal of providing high-quality services and solutions that are built to serve the interests of physicians and practices nationwide.

Q: Please tell us a bit about yourself:

A: I grew up near Madison, Wisconsin, and lived most of my life as a Wisconsinite before moving to Austin, Texas in 2015. Most of my family still lives in the area and I try to visit as often as I can. I’ve been married to my wife, Karlen, for 14 years, and over the course of our marriage discovered a love for cooking for two. I also enjoy being out in nature and camping and hiking with my wife. We’ve backpacked through national parks multiple times together and it’s my favorite way to “recharge.” I also serve in the music ministry at my church as a vocalist, performing worship music alongside Karlen on the bass.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working at Curi?

A: I’ve been working with Curi for about a month, and it’s been a great experience to step into a company where there’s so much excitement. Curi is currently in a state of transformation as we work toward extending our reach and our breadth of services as a national carrier, and employees and leadership alike share an enthusiasm for the new opportunities this growth will create. I’m honored to be a part of these growth initiatives as we expand our services into the Southwest market to better serve physicians nationwide.

Q: Tell us about your career to date:

A: I started working in the medical malpractice industry immediately after graduating from college, but after only four years, decided to change my career and went back to school for a degree in elementary education. While teaching was a passion, I ultimately decided to return to the insurance industry, and quickly realized that my teaching background strongly complemented my work and helped me truly enjoy what I do. Most recently, I served as Underwriting Manager with Norcal, working to mentor and coach members of my team—something that will be important in my role at Curi.

Q: What makes you most excited about the future of Curi Insurance?

A: I’ve been very impressed by the culture and the people at Curi. This company has grand visions and strategic plans, but these are always underpinned by a recognition that the foundation of success is having the right people. I’m excited that leadership recognizes that importance and truly values having employees that work hard to best serve members and customers every step of the way. In my role as Director of Underwriting, I look forward to furthering that goal by developing and coaching an effective team within this new geographic market. It’s important that Curi’s service heart is reflected throughout its nationwide footprint, and it’s my job to maintain that culture as we expand.

Q: What do you see as the biggest priorities in your role?

A: My main priority in this new role is to build up our presence in the Southwest region. Curi has already built a strong foundation as a provider of effective services and solutions for physicians, and I will focus on carrying those same values into this new market. It’s not just about growing our book of business, it’s about growing it the right way. Leveraging the three business units that Curi has established, we will be able to offer unique opportunities to practices in the Southwest, and I look forward to working with physicians, practice managers, and brokers to make this a reality.