They’re Kind of a Big Deal

Throughout the year, leadership, colleagues, carrier partners, and vendors take notice of the exceptional work accomplished by individuals at Paragon. Ultimately we celebrate these achievements through the 2025 Paragon Awards, recognizing the outstanding contributions of our people and programs. The Paragon Awards highlight just a small glimpse of the immense talent at Paragon—talent that sets us apart as a unique, innovative MGA and makes us built to be a better partner.

On to the 2025 Paragon Awards

Premium Performers of the Year

Bryan Gray

Shannah Johnson

The Paragon Premium Performer of the Year Award honors employees whose exceptional contributions drive the company’s growth and success. This recognition is reserved for individuals who go above and beyond their regular responsibilities, undertaking efforts that make a significant impact. Their outstanding contributions exemplify the spirit of excellence and innovation that propels Paragon forward.

Rookie of the Year

Kevin Broich

Kevin quickly made his mark after joining NER by leveraging his tax law background to master the evolving tax code for energy transition credits, becoming a go‑to resource for colleagues and strengthening NER’s credibility with carriers and brokers. He integrated seamlessly into the team, contributed to pricing and underwriting strategy, evaluated numerous submissions, and helped secure seven Q4 transactions—establishing himself as a valued and impactful member of the organization.

Program of the Year

Ally Auto

This program faced numerous challenges this year. Despite these hurdles, they not only navigated these changes successfully, but also surpassed their own expectations—a truly impressive achievement.

2025 Rising Star

Joe Forcellina

Joe distinguished himself early with a demanding start within the Workers’ Compensation unit, delivering strong results during a critical renewal period, and rapidly mastering the program. He progressed quickly—taking on renewal accounts independently by Q3 and fully transitioning out of the trainee role in Q4—while also demonstrating leadership by helping onboard new team member.

2025 Workhorse

Cara Bartley

For her unwavering dedication and invaluable contributions to their team and our organization in pursuit of success. Her closet is full of all the numerous hats she wears to keep things moving. Jill-of-All-Trades would be woefully inadequite for the scope of work she handles.

10-Year Paragon Anniversary

Loraine Walsh

Janice Schuler

Karen Montana

In recognition of their outstanding dedication, loyalty and contributions to Paragon over the last 10 years.

2025 Van Schenck Award

Finance Team

The Finance Team, delivered exceptional impact through their leadership on the Oracle GL Project and Treasury Project, demonstrating perseverance, innovation, and deep organizational value. Their efforts included integrating Reel Media’s operations into Paragon, strengthening internal controls, improving the financial close process, enhancing GL accuracy and efficiency, enabling key data preparation for Oracle implementation, and conducting a comprehensive review of carrier contracts that led to revised wording and additional annual interest income. Collectively, their work significantly improved processes, controls, data integrity, and long‑term revenue opportunities across the company.

Q4 2025 Premium Performers

Chammantha Aguon

Tyler Rozanski

Allyce Nowak

The Q4 Premium Performers spotlight recognizes standout team members who demonstrated exceptional dedication and impact during the quarter, including Chammatha Aguon, who emerged as a strong leader in the renewal department through her proactive training, support, and consistently positive attitude, and Tyler Rozanski, whose responsiveness, technical expertise, and ability to quickly diagnose and resolve system issues made him an invaluable resource and a significant improvement over past support experiences. Also honored was Allyce Nowak, celebrated for her constant willingness to help, her critical role in supporting and training her team, and her exceptional ability to manage multiple large‑scale responsibilities simultaneously.

At Paragon, awards like our 2025 Paragon Awards represent just a glimpse of what it’s like to work here. We’re always on the lookout for talented individuals to join our team. Our diverse group of innovators is redefining an industry that’s been stuck in “boring” and is ready for something bold and different. By offering competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and meaningful growth opportunities, we’re committed to investing in our people to drive our success. Change is happening—be part of it with us.

Paragon stands apart as an MGA dedicated to delivering outstanding service across niche markets, challenging risks, specialty businesses, and more. Our team empowers agents and brokers to achieve tangible results for their clients through unparalleled market access, robust carrier and reinsurance partnerships, and exceptional capacity. Discover how the talented professionals at Paragon can help elevate your business to new heights.