For Mark Suhr, “Service” Has Many Meanings

Mark Suhr, owner and principal at Suhr & Lichty Insurance Agency in Seward, Neb., takes “Do unto others…” very seriously.

In addition to heading up his agency, Suhr has been one of his community’s first responders, fighting fires as a volunteer and serving on his fire company’s rescue squad for the last 40 years. He has served his profession, too, as a board member of the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents. This year, he became president of that group, a role that has him crisscrossing the country, speaking at conferences, and interacting with thousands of insurance agents throughout the U.S.

“To me, the connection between firefighting, insurance, and industry leadership is very clear,” Suhr said. “Whether I’m responding to an emergency call, helping a family recover from a loss, or advocating for independent agents across the country, it all comes back to service.”

Suhr refers to Suhr & Lichty as “a multi-generational, family-owned insurance agency.” His father, Don, founded the firm; his sister, Diane Lichty, is his business partner; and the agency also employs his son, Thomas, and his nephew, Tyler, as agents.

Firefighting could also be called a family business.

“I am actually a third-generation firefighter,” he said. “My mother’s dad was in the fire company here, back in the ’40s, and he was instrumental in starting the first rescue squad. In the ’50s, my father joined the fire company. And when I came back to Seward after college in the ’80s and started an agency, I became a firefighter, too.”

Suhr thinks his roles as firefighter and insurance agent overlap significantly, helping his clients feel doubly protected.

“If things don’t happen right in their lives and they have a bad day, be it a fire or an auto accident or some sort of liability claim where they’re injured, I get to respond to these emergencies as a first responder and insurance agent both,” he said.

“Insurance provides the first line of protection. I work with my clients to be sure they have the right home insurance, farm insurance, and auto insurance, so they’re able to protect themselves from the things that will happen to them. Firefighting is about providing another level of protection. On any given day, when I leave the office, I never know whether the next call I will respond to as a firefighter might just be one of my clients.”

Whatever the need may be, service is always uppermost in Suhr’s mind. “I strongly believe that being a servant leader is something all agents should strive for,” Suhr said. “Not only in their agencies, but also in their communities and within the insurance industry. Independent agents are often trusted leaders in the towns they serve, and we have a responsibility to show up, give back, and help make our communities and our profession stronger.”

The information included here was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, SI, and its employees make no guarantee of results and assume no liability in connection with any training, materials, suggestions, or information provided. It is the user’s responsibility to confirm compliance with any applicable local, state, or federal regulations. Information obtained from or via Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, SI, should not be used as the basis for legal advice and should be confirmed with alternative sources.

8/2026