Generations Of Leaders Most evenings, even to this day, Bort-
man takes home insurance-related reading materials to learn as much as possible about the business and broaden her horizons. She obtained the various licenses she needed to step into new roles and is dedicated to always learning more.
Bortman goes on to say that working at a
Fortune 500 company at 22 years old helped her build confidence. Of course, she is grate- ful for her mother’s constant encouragement along the way—priceless praise that eased her transitions within the company and empowered her to successfully carry the load of new responsibilities.
“She’s a wealth of knowledge,” Bort-
man says about Tipton. “We work so well together.”
“She’s a visionary,” says Tipton, Mutual respect has been another benefi-
cial, although sometimes challenging, aspect of their working relationship. “We don’t want each other to work so hard,” says Bortman, “so we take on stuff as not to overload each other.”
Over the last 16 years, Bortman, a goal-
oriented social butterfly, has become an indispensable member of the UIP team, bolstering UIP’s growth through her inno- vative thinking and progressive marketing strategies, even during periods of economic uncertainty, starting in 2007, when she left the stability of a large corporation for the family business. She knew she made the right decision, but it was a hard time at Universal, especially when businesses were closing on an almost daily basis. “We grew despite a shrinking industry,” she says about the tanning sector, noting that many tanning salons had gone out of business.
Most recently, COVID-19 forced many of
the tanning salons, hair/nail salons, and day spas that UIP insures to close their doors for extended periods of time. In situations like those, Bortman has been successful by being “up front” with clients and facing issues head on. She says it’s best to show strength instead of being fearful. She is a true believer that “when one door closes another one opens that’s even bigger and better.” This mindset enables UIP to continue to pivot and find different ways to grow and thrive.
adding that they have always been “compatible” in the business. “She sees the big picture, has great new ideas, and works hard—all of which are a recipe for success. She always knows where she is going.”
Before being promoted from COO to
president and CEO this May, Bortman presented a formal presentation to the company’s partners. She says that showcasing her strengths and proving that she was the best person to fill her mother’s shoes was a “good exercise,” even though she already had Tipton’s whole-hearted approval.
“She knows this business inside and
out,” Tipton says. “My daughter embod- ies everything we stand for at Universal Insurance: collaboration, accountability, enthusiasm, and relentless loyalty. She has forged incredibly strong relation- ships with our partners over the past 15-plus years. I have every confidence in her.”
Aspirations For UIP According to Tipton, UIP’s vision has always been “to provide insurance solutions in an enthusiastic and collab- orative way, remaining relentlessly loyal to our clients and our team while holding ourselves accountable for our actions.”
Bortman plans to uphold that
enduring vision while complementing it with her own objective of building up team leaders who can enhance the company’s existing insurance programs and build new ones. She’s already begun investing in UIP’s management team, hiring a business coach to focus on its vision, strategy, leadership, and growth. In addition, she has been employing new team members and grooming others to become under- writers in order to “continue on the momentum of a growing company.”
Serving as a board member for
another insurance agency, Bortman is highly motivated to build new relation- ships while remaining friendly with the competition.
“The success of this company and
the people we support are of the utmost importance to me,” says Bort- man, who’s passionate about watching others grow and blossom. “As presi- dent, I’ll do everything I can to build on the legacy my mom has created. We’re not a small business anymore, and the time is right for me to bring new ideas and a fresh approach to our company’s next phase. It’s an honor to take on this role, and I’m looking forward to execut- ing an exciting strategy for continued growth and innovation.”
MiniStorageMessenger.com • August 2023 37 Charitable Work Tipton and UIP have been supporting Canine Companions, a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization that trains and provides assistance dogs to people with disabilities, since 2010. The charity has placed more than 6,000 dogs with recipients at no charge. Tipton served as a volunteer puppy trainer in the past, raising puppies from their breeding program for 16 to 18 months and teaching them their first 30 commands to prepare the service dogs for advanced training that will enable them to assist disabled people with living independent lives.
Morgan, one special dog that she raised, served as the company’s “chief
emotional officer” until she passed away at 12 years old. In her honor, Tipton will be receiving another puppy to raise this September.
If you are interested in supporting Canine Companions or learning more about the charity’s good work, visit
Canine.org.
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