Michael J. Whitlock, Executive Vice President – Bail Division
Occasionally, I’ll get asked, “Mike, what do you do for a living? I see from your social media posts that you travel quite a bit.”
Setting aside the fact that in the month of August I visited 20 states and took 20 flights, I’m not a professional traveler—though sometimes it feels as though I am.
My primary responsibility as Executive Vice President of American Surety Company’s Bail Division is to sign up new agents. That means spending a good deal of time talking with bail agents about their businesses, the challenges they face, and what they should expect from their surety.
I believe American Surety Company has a pretty good story to tell. We’ve been in the bail business for 40 years, and we understand that this is a relationship business. Our agents aren’t just numbers on a production report. We want to know them, understand their markets, and help them grow their businesses.
When an agent writes with ASC, they have access to people who understand bail. Whether it’s a large bond that needs a quick underwriting decision, a forfeiture that needs attention, a question about a particular jurisdiction, or simply an opportunity to talk through a difficult situation, we try to be accessible and responsive. I think that matters.
We also understand that every bail market is different and every agency is different. We’re interested in developing long-term relationships with good agents who know their business, take care of their obligations, and want a surety partner that will be there when they need one. If you’re that kind of agent, we’d like to talk to you.
Of course, signing up new agents is only part of what I do. I also maintain relationships with our existing agents, underwrite large bonds, and troubleshoot issues that arise from time to time. I attend state and national conferences and do some public speaking on bail-related issues, which I thoroughly enjoy.
Then there is my involvement in legislative issues, including providing testimony from time to time before legislative committees. Over the past ten years, I’ve spent more time in this area than I would have liked.
Finally, I write the occasional blog post in an effort to keep the bail profession in the loop on matters of importance.
What I enjoy most of all, however, is talking with and visiting the hardworking people in our profession who are experts at what they do: making sure those for whom they have posted bail pending trial appear in court. In many cases, this requires monitoring an individual for three years or more. That is no easy feat.
It’s been a productive year to date, and we have continued to enlarge the American Surety Company family of bail agents. Good people doing good work. And we’re always looking for more good people to join us.
So, if you see me at a conference, don’t hesitate to introduce yourself. If you’re already an ASC agent, I always enjoy catching up. If you’re not, maybe we should talk.
I’ll be attending the annual conference of the Association of Louisiana Bail Agents in Lafayette, Louisiana, next week. I hope to see some of you there.
And, as always, I’ll keep you posted on where in the world I am.