Dan Passananti

Tell us about your family: 

I’ve been married to my husband, Matthew, for eight years and together for 13. We live in Chicago’s northern suburbs with a house full of pets: Two dogs – both Vizslas, Boone and Lodie, and three cats, Hazel, Panda, and Milo.  

What was the worst job you ever had, what did you learn from it, and how did you end up in insurance? 

Telemarketer! I only lasted a couple of weeks and I learned that telemarketing wasn’t for me. I stumbled into insurance by chance. One of my husband’s good friends was looking for someone to join his team and I took him up on the offer. I’ve never looked back! 

How would you describe your personal leadership philosophy and who or what had the greatest influence on it? 

Create space for people to mess up along the way. Have a plan and strive to get it right every time. But everyone drops a ball or misses a deadline – me included. Allow for it to be a learning moment. My mom had the greatest influence on that approach. She’s one of my biggest cheerleaders. She reminds me frequently to always do my best. That way when it doesn’t work out as planned, I know I tried my hardest. 

What’s your go-to karaoke song? 

Trust me, you don’t want me to sing. But, if I’m singing in the car, it’s likely to Taylor Swift.  

What behavior or personality trait most contributed to your success? 

Collaboration. I work well independently, but I know we achieve our best results together.  

What do you love most about MMA Midwest’s workplace culture? 

The grittiness of our people. Whether it’s delivering on a commitment to our clients or tackling a major project touching multiple areas of our business, our people are unafraid to roll up their sleeves and work hard to get it done. It’s inspiring, to say the least!