Employee Spotlight - Brian Garrett

Who are the people that our clients talk to, trust, and work with year after year? Get to know more about our agency by getting to know the people through our Employee Spotlight Series. 

What do you do here at Wells and how long have you been here? 
I am the Director of Information Technology here at the corporate headquarters and I have been here for 10 years.

How did you get started?
My aunt actually managed an insurance agency back in my hometown, so I went to work for her straight out of high school, got licensed in property, casualty, health, and life when I was 18 years old. I also managed their office’s tech stuff. When I was getting my associates and bachelor's degree, all that was in IT. So I've always had a background in both, but I realized I had way more of a passion for tech than I did for insurance.  After a contracting job in Afghanistan (that's all I'm allowed to say about that), I was applying for different jobs, job board searching, applying through the unemployment office, applying everywhere just making sure to exhaust every possible avenue.  Funny enough, I found a listing for a hybrid IT/Account Manager position on Craigslist. I actually sent the person in the HR role at that time a three or four page cover letter about how I was so interested in the position and knew I didn't have any of the qualifications that they were looking for, but I would love to come work at a company like Wells. I got the interview and they decided to put me just in IT, not in insurance. 

Why Wells? What do you like most about working here?
I just enjoy working here. I have since day one. Wells is just a different type of company. I didn't know a company like Wells existed honestly before I came to work here. I know that there's tons of large companies out there. There's tons of small companies too. There's not a lot of companies like Wells. Working at Wells has definitely shown me that there are good companies out there still...not that every company out there is bad, but I just tend to have this negative view of the corporate world and Wells Insurance shows me that this is not the case every time.  

What do you like most about your specific job here at Wells?
I love that I have the freedom to search for and fix all of the company's technological problems. I love that I can start all the way from step one of troubleshooting and finish at step 85 of implementing the fix.   

What is the most memorable moment of your career?
The first year that I was here at Wells Insurance, Hal Wells approached me and asked me to buy him a new MacBook. I had purchased my own MacBook on eBay not too long prior to that and it was a great transaction at a great price.

I went to the same company, checked out all the reviews, still with five stars, ordered Hal’s MacBook, and it just all went downhill from there. He was charged the $1500, I got a shipping notification that it got delivered. Well, of course I went over to the front desk and I said, “Hey, where is that MacBook?” And they're like, “We haven't seen the MacBook.” So I'm like... “Here we go!” We had paid with PayPal and I put in a request to do an investigation because it says it was delivered, but it wasn't. We ended up contacting the post office and we were able to get information about where it was delivered. I went to these people's house and they're like, “Yeah, we have this package here, but it's like a little mailer envelope. It can't possibly be a computer unless they just make them that small these days."

So I drove to these people's house, this package was on their table and I took out my pocket knife. When I slit the top, sand went spilling out all over their kitchen table. Whoever decided to go rogue at that time just filled up a zip lock bag full of beach sand about the same weight that a MacBook would weigh so it would pass the shipping test, and sent it to a random address here in Wilmington. We got a nice big bag of sand. It's actually down on the bottom shelf here in my office still. It's a story that I remind Hal of occasionally and it's just hilarious to us all. Being that it was in my first year of employment at that time, I was like, "I'm going to get fired over a bag of sand". We got a refund from PayPal didn't get the MacBook, but ordered it from a different company...and have not really ordered anything from EBay since then.  

Favorite TV Show?
Big Bang Theory. I still love it. 

Favorite Movie?
Some people laugh at this, but one of my all time favorite movies is Mrs. Doubtfire, because I reminisce back to my childhood when this movie came out and Robin Williams has a special place in my heart. That movie is just hilarious. It's a riot.  

Favorite Book?
My favorite book of all time is actually on this table right here in front of me. The Book of General  Ignorance. 

Favorite Band? 
So this goes back to my high school days, but I actually enjoy HelloGoodbye a lot.

What's your favorite non-profit/volunteer organization?

At the same time that I've been working at Wells insurance, I've been partnering and volunteering with the Cape Fear Volunteer Center and Annie Anthony, their owner. I work a lot with her. I enjoy taking recycled tech, donating it to her, making sure that they can continue their operation. The reason I like her organization so much is because they have a big buddy program here in Wilmington. Working with at-risk youth who need some mentors to help guide them in the right direction because they may not otherwise have that in their life is just something that really speaks to me and really stands out as a program that I want to stay behind for as long as I can or for a long as it operates.

What's on your bucket list?
Right now, the top of my bucket list is finishing grad school and getting my doctorate degree. I have a current estimated graduation date of Q1 2025. So as long as I don't take any more breaks than the current one that I'm on with our second child, then I should be on track for that. I’m super excited because it’s been a lifelong dream ever since I was in high school. I said one day I would have a doctorate degree and it's in information technology.  

How do you define success?
I'd say success is just busting your butt and getting it done. Taking the time to enjoy life is a good thing, and everyone should, but I am a self-professed workaholic. To me, success is just putting every possible second into getting it done.  

What do you like to do when you're not working?
A buddy of mine and I bike the Cross City Trail a lot. When I say a lot, my free time is a lot more limited now than I have a 2 year old and a newborn. But I like to go biking with him. Apart from that, it's really just hanging out with the family these days. They're my world now. 
  

What's the best advice you've been given?
My dad has been the most influential person in my life because he told me that he would give me all the advice in the world, but it was up to me to do it. It's kind of like you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. He told me how to manage your finances, what credit was, how to keep good credit. He told me to go to school and also told me that whenever he tells me something, he's going to stand by it. He also he gave me this option when I graduated high school that if I wanted to go to a four year university and have the college experience and he would pay for it all. He also told me that if I didn't take hat option then it was up to me to figure it out. Well, I chose the latter. So I worked, paid for my own schooling and stuff. He's always told me that if I want it, I got to do it. He showed me that you can look out there, you can seek, all the advice in the world can be given to you, but unless you actually take it, you’re going to fall short.