Duis balancing insurance, schoolwork
TOM PINNEY/DAILY FORUM
Connor Duis poses in front of the American Family Insurance signage at the Tara Myers agency. Duis, who is also hard at work on his Masters in Business Administration, has worked with Myers since September 2015.
Connor Duis didn’t always want to sell insurance.
Going into college, Duis thought he would love to work in athletics, as an avid fan. But something he was planning for stopped him from pulling the trigger on the field.
“There was a lot of traveling involved, and I didn’t want to be away from family that much,” Duis said. “So I put that dream away because, almost no matter what you do with sports, there’s a lot of travel involved.”
Duis graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a degree in business management in December 2014 and had a job almost immediately, starting off with Midland Surveying in Maryville in January 2015.
Duis knew he wanted to do something with his degree, but management positions weren’t opening up for him. So he widened his search to sales, and that’s where he came to know former American Family Insurance agent Jake Taylor.
Duis started working for Taylor’s agency as a sales specialist in June 2015, but had a very quick turnaround in employers. When Taylor left the business months later, Duis was hired by Tara Myers’ agency in the same capacity in September 2015.
Duis said the job was a refreshing move for him.
“I didn’t expect to like it, but I love what I’m doing now,” Duis said. “I was surprised. It definitely didn’t seem like something I’d enjoy doing in the beginning.”
Not only does Duis enjoy what he does, he’s rather proficient at it. Duis has been named Sales Specialist of the Month twice in his relatively short career, in August and December of 2016.
Duis’ typical day is to serve as a helping hand around the office, in more ways than one.
“Basically, I come in and answer emails from the previous night or the weekend,” Duis said. “After that, I help out with people who come into our office.
“I also do a lot of prospecting, getting in touch with potential clients and customers who have asked for quotes and trying to get them to come to our agency.”
In addition, Duis has returned to Northwest to work on his Masters in Business Administration degree, which he expects to complete this December. He said balancing school and work is much easier because of his employer.
“Tara is very understanding of the time and dedication it takes to get my degree, and has been flexible,” Duis said. “I’m able to balance the two so that I’m doing good work and turning in quality school work at the same time.
“It can be hard at times, because there’s a lot of reading, especially with my online classes. But I usually just limit myself to six credit hours a semester and that helps me balance everything.”
Duis and his wife, Amber, who works as the graduate records specialist at Northwest, have both gone back to school to pursue higher degrees. Duis said sometimes their time at home is spent reading and studying for their classes together.
Through the agency, Duis is involved in several community events, including the Downtown Trick or Treat and the Mozingo Haunted Campground. Duis also volunteered to coach a youth basketball team at the Maryville Community Center and is involved in the youth program and multimedia services at Countryside Christian Church.
Other than that, Duis said he enjoys spending time with family and friends and playing sports. He said others could use his experience as an example of loving something they never thought they’d do.
“Don’t close yourself off to new opportunities without doing a little research first,” Duis said. “You never know what doors will be opened to you when you try something new.
“I never thought I’d be selling insurance, let alone enjoy myself while doing it, but this position has turned out great.”
Editor’s Note
This story is part of a weekly series highlighting “Everyday Heroes.” In this weekly segment, the Daily Forum takes a look at people who work tirelessly to make Maryville a great place to live. If you have a suggestion for someone who you feel should be featured, please contact us via email at [email protected] or call the Forum at 660-562- 2424.