Do you ever wonder, what does it mean to be the Chief Information Officer of an insurance company? Meet Anthony Gardner, CIO at Gardner & Strayer Insurance Group in Sandusky, Ohio. He has been serving on the NetVU board and is currently the Secretary/Treasurer.
Anthony was born and raised in Sandusky on the banks of Lake Erie, so he’s always been into sailing and racing boats. He also likes continuing education and community service.
Personal Background
Anthony recalls growing up on Lake Erie. "I was raised, and I’m still living in Sandusky, Ohio. Sandusky is on Lake Erie so I grew up on the water and next door to Cedar Point Amusement Park. It was and is a lot of fun to live here!"
He is a keen sailor outside of work. "I’m a competitive sailor and love being on the water," he says. "I do long distance sailing races in the Great Lakes, and long distance ocean races, last time a 600 mile north Atlantic race."
Anthony went on to Bowling Green State University where he obtained a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Roman Antiquities.
His biggest hero is his father who is also an insurance agent. "I was born and raised in this business so my role model is my dad. He taught me my work ethic and his is the best, he is still guiding me even though he doesn’t know it, a new thing every single day."
As a volunteer, Anthony lectures on insurance and risk management at The Ohio State University’s Fisher School of Business. He loves this gig.
Professional Journey
Always learning new things to keep his skills sharp Anthony says, "LEARN! And NEVER stop learning. We live in a time when there’s never a shortage of ways to get a dose of knowledge."
Anthony’s career is also dependent on networking--particularly through NetVU. He states, "I’m a huge networker here in our field, you never know when you’re going to need some assistance. It’s for business and also industry advocacy."
Final Thoughts
Anthony Gardner shares real-world examples from his path to CIO. He’s all about education, energizing the network, taking time out of his life and giving back.
He is a role model of positivity for all insurance professionals. His interest in dismantling stigma associated with mental illness calls us all to be better supporters and leaders.