Darren Valencia is a Professional Lines Broker responsible for co-leading CRC's Nashville office and working to increase team efficiency, mentor new young members, and bring increased Cyber Liability expertise to the team. Darren earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Hartford in 2000, and like many, didn't "plan" to join the insurance industry. He started as an Underwriter with Chubb Specialty Insurance after graduating and spent 3 years learning the underwriting side of the business. In 2003 he moved on to SH Smith and Company where he took on the role of D&O broker and later advanced to the Assistant Vice President role. With SH Smith and Company, he successfully grew and managed a book of almost $7.5M in private and non-profit management liability business. Then, in 2010, Darren made the difficult decision to leave his position at SH Smith & Company to take on the challenge of launching a formal Professional Lines Division for Connecticut Underwriters Inc., a small boutique wholesaler. Using a solid business plan and a lot of hard work, Darren was able to start a writing business. Just prior to CRC's acquisition in 2015, Darren's division was on track to finish the year with $6M in written premium, a well-deserved and hard-won accomplishment. His unflagging work ethic and commitment to customer service have gained Darren a great deal of respect from clients and colleagues over the last 19 years.
Darren is always willing to help brokers who are struggling or are new to the industry, and he is known for his ability to ground people in challenging situations, demonstrate patience through the process of putting a deal together, and stay focused, even when things are difficult. Darren loves the challenge of bringing value in the form of innovative solutions to clients as well as the process of getting a deal done. His tenacity, ability to listen to people, and commitment to truly understanding their needs brings trust and balance to Darren's partnerships, enabling him to focus on what needs to be done to beat the competition and keep carriers happy. Looking forward, Darren wants to continue to help grow the Nashville branch and lead in ways that build a collaborative environment and support a strong team that can continue to service CRC's clients for many years to come.
Darren, his wife Lauren, daughter Camille Ray and 2 boxers, live in the Nashville, Tennessee area. They enjoy cooking, traveling, golf, Formula 1 and spending time with family & friends. Darren is also an avid car lover (specifically Volkswagen and Mopar) and enjoys skiing along with everything New England Patriots.