Ozarks Profile

Division president, Gallagher-Morris Insurors, 1650 E. Battlefield. Sanders is responsible for the operations out of the Springfield office. Formerly known as Man-Morris Insurors Inc., Gallagher-Morris Insurors was formed as a result of a merger between Arthur J. Gallagher and Man-Morris Insurors in December 1998. Man-Morris was founded in 1958 and was well-known in the southwest Missouri area for its products and services, specializing in business insurance. Sanders went to work at Man-Morris in 1984 as an agent after working as a loss prevention representative for Crum & Forster. He became a minority shareholder in 1988 and was promoted to the position of president in 1991. Sanders is a member of the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents and the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors.

Age: 42

No. of years in Springfield/area: 18

Education: Sanders graduated from Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia in 1974 and attended Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La., on a sports scholarship, playing both baseball and basketball. He transferred to Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg in 1976 and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in education in 1979. Sanders stayed at CMSU for graduate school, earning a master's degree in industrial engineering in 1980.

Early career: Sanders' first job out of college was as a loss prevention representative for Crum & Forster, a large national insurance company. Sanders worked out of the Kansas City office of Crum & Forster and performed both safety and marketing duties in Missouri and Kansas. In December 1981, Sanders transferred to Springfield to open a service office and further develop the southwest Missouri area. In 1984, he began working as an agent for Man-Morris Insurors.

Current projects: "I'm still familiarizing myself and my staff with the resources offered through our merger, and demonstrating how best to deliver these resources to our customers."

Management philosophy: "My philosophy is best described as empowering my employees so that each and every employee can demonstrate their own abilities and our agency can achieve excellence through teamwork. In my opinion, you are only as good as the people that surround you."

Spare-time pursuits: Spending time with family, traveling, playing golf and watching collegiate sports. Sanders also enjoys riding his Harley-Davidson and is a member of Hickory Hills Country Club, the YMCA and Schweitzer United Methodist Church.

Family data: Married 17 years to Lynelle, a creative artist. Two children: Whitney, 11, and Alex, 8. Both attend Wilder Elementary.

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