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It’s not by accident that Higginbotham continually finds itself on the shortlist of best independent insurance agencies to work for. The Fort Worth, Texas-based firm is intentional about every aspect of its business, from being accountable to clients to creating an ownership-driven culture among team members.

Higginbotham’s intentionality starts with the kinds of people the agency brings on board.

Higginbotham hires employees based on whether they pass the “Thanksgiving Test.” Would employees want to share a Thanksgiving meal with this person?

“That’s how we’ve built not just a team but a Higginbotham family,” said Rusty Reid, president and CEO of Higginbotham.

The family atmosphere at Higginbotham can be felt in the enthusiasm team members have for the agency. Employees voted the firm as the Best Agency to Work For in the South Central region, noting the superb work culture, top-notch leadership, and commitment to recognizing talent and potential across all levels.

Higginbotham’s practice of helping employees grow has fueled the company’s long-term success. The agency is celebrating 35 straight years of 21% average growth–what Reid calls “an extraordinary run in our industry.”

“We’ve proven you can grow aggressively without losing your identity,” Reid said. “At Higginbotham, we don’t chase growth at all costs; we grow by staying true to our roots.

That balance of ambition with values is what sets us apart and what keeps people invested in building a career here.”

Higginbotham’s business philosophy of strategy is supported by the leadership team’s experience of working on the front lines. As Reid puts it, Higginbotham’s leaders are brokers first.

“We’re practicing producers, not executives sitting on the sidelines, so we understand client challenges and producer wants and needs firsthand,” Reid said. “That perspective gives us credibility with our people and with the market.”

A core tenet for Higginbotham leaders is ensuring the next generation of team members is set up for success. The agency is getting younger by design by actively recruiting and developing talent who bring fresh energy, new ideas, and the ambition to lead this industry forward, Reid said.

In nominating the agency for the award, Higginbotham employees noted the effort the firm puts into training and evaluating workers.

“One of the practices that truly stands out to me is the employee training and mentoring program,” one employee wrote. “When I joined Higginbotham last year, I had little knowledge of the insurance industry. However, the comprehensive onboarding training, coupled with the mentoring program, enabled me to develop the confidence necessary to excel in my role.”

Another employee commended the firm for working with team members to ensure they’re in the right line of work. “We had an employee that was underperforming in their role. Any other agency probably would have let this employee go, but what our agency did instead was work to find a more suitable position within the agency,” the employee wrote. “So rather than being let go, this employee was allowed to make a horizontal move and keep their job. Again, living up to the value of ‘family to our employees.'”

Higginbotham lives up to its family culture by giving team members equity in the company as an employee-owned business. Reid encourages other agency owners to make employees feel like they own a stake in their company’s success. “My advice to owners is to build a culture where people feel invested in the outcome,” he said. “Shared ownership doesn’t just reward–it aligns. When wins belong to everyone, the victories feel bigger. Culture beats strategy if you want to be a place where people stay, grow, and thrive.”

Topics Talent Training Development