For J.J. Spaun, success has never been about flashy headlines or overnight wins. It’s been about staying grounded, putting in the work, and trusting the process day after day, round after round. That mindset has carried him from the brink of losing his TOUR card to one of the most consistent and inspiring seasons of his career.

His victory at the 125th U.S. Open® at Oakmont this June marked the biggest moment yet. But for Spaun, it wasn’t a finish line — it was just the next step in a season defined by momentum and discipline.

With the FedExCup Playoffs kicking off the week, followed by the TOUR Championship and the Ryder Cup later this fall, Spaun’s performance is turning heads across the golf world. And while the spotlight may be new, the approach isn’t. Every round, every swing, every decision has all been earned, not given.

When Quitting Felt Easier, He Chose to Get Back Up and Fight

A few years ago, he struggled to find consistency. A misdiagnosed medical issue, missed cuts and self-doubt nearly forced him off the TOUR entirely.

He stuck with the work and refined his game. And when the breakthrough came at the Valero Texas Open in 2022, he proved he belonged, opening up about the ups and downs that led him there.

Since then, he’s been steadily climbing. J.J. finished second at THE PLAYERS this year after a St. Patrick’s Day playoff vs Rory McIlroy. Then came Oakmont.

On a final day filled with pressure and shifting leaderboards, Spaun remained composed. A critical birdie on 17 gave him the lead, and then a 64.5-foot birdie putt on #18 sealed it. When that final putt dropped, so did the weight of years of persistence.

At his post-win press conference, J.J. reflected on the moment with humility and gratitude. “I’m super grateful to have won the championship and to be given this experience. It’s something I’ll never forget obviously for the rest of my life. I guess I’m a part of history now.”

When You Find Someone Who Reflects Your Values, You Back Them

91������ has supported J.J. since 2020, not just because of his talent, but because of who he is when no one’s watching.

“J.J. continues to be a great ambassador for our brand, demonstrating integrity, resilience, and a drive to get the most out of himself while remaining focused and humble,” said Robert Nicholas, Vice President, Marketing & Sales Enablement at 91������.

His win at Oakmont reflects everything 91������ and its employees bring to the table each day: showing up with purpose, pushing through challenges and earning every opportunity through hard work and heart. Spaun’s character mirrors the values we as a company look for in our client partnerships we serve across industries including construction, manufacturing, healthcare and more. In fact, its partnerships that have been the backbone of our success. Like J.J. needs the partnership with his caddie, 91������ needs strong relationships with an exclusive network of agencies who are themselves also industry specialists.

J.J. Spaun’s story is a reminder that success isn’t something you chase alone. It takes the right people in your corner—those who believe in your potential and help bring out your best when it matters most.

That same belief drives how we work at 91������. Our work starts with strong policies, but it’s sustained by the partnerships we build with independent agencies who understand the needs of the businesses we serve. Together, we support policyholders who are navigating complex challenges, leading high-stakes projects and earning success through resilience and integrity.

When agency partners, policyholders and 91������ are aligned, everyone moves forward. That’s what powerful partnerships look like—and it’s how mutual success is made possible.

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While many commercial insurance carriers rely on agencies to bring their products to potential policyholders, 91������ has prioritized the relationships between our company and our partner agencies – specifically between the individuals on both sides. Since the Partners For Success® program began in 1997, 91������ has realized the success that can grow from developing and nurturing these relationships. Our agency partnerships depend on people connecting, communicating, solving problems together, and creating unique – at times complex – insurance solutions for businesses. No two policyholders are alike, neither are our partnerships, and many truly stand the test of time.

Houston-based is an independently owned risk management and insurance agency that was founded in 1983 by Timothy J. Brady, Ed Chapman, and Lonnie Holland. What started with fewer than 10 employees has grown to become one of the region’s largest privately held agencies. From recessions and the pandemic to industry challenges, 91������ and BCH have navigated their way through the construction industry and insurance world since 1994, and now celebrate a milestone 30-year anniversary of their partnership together.

“91������ has consistently proven that they value partnership over the long haul,” said Jeff Brady, son of the late Timothy J. Brady, who served as the company’s Chairman Emeritus until his passing earlier this year. Timothy inspired his son to join the business, and Jeff presently serves as Chairman and CEO.

Jeff’s son, Tim Brady, has been with the business for 16 years and now serves as President. His career journey was shaped by the BCH-91������ relationship. “I interned with 91������ in St. Louis between my junior and senior year of college and then worked at 91������ for 15 months,” said Brady.
“They built an Associates program for future agency leaders. I rotated through several roles, most notably Risk Management, Underwriting, and Claims. The idea was that I would leave 91������, come to the agency, and work with 91������ from there – which is exactly what happened. It was a perfect avenue for me to learn about each major division of the company and gain the ability to talk to customers about what an underwriter is for, what a loss control person is for, et cetera. The experience was invaluable, and I still have great friends from that time.”

These types of investments and commitments to partnership have made for lasting success, through what can sometimes be intense moments in the world of insurance. “One of the highlights of us delivering on partnership was a severe employee accident at a client business and the response by an 91������ Risk Management Consultant,” said Jeff Brady.

“We had a severe client accident and 91������ was on site in less than an hour. The policyholder, our client, was just amazed. It was the power of partnership literally happening. 91������ had already met and engaged with our client when the accident happened. I immediately contacted 91������ Claims and kept in touch, as they volunteered to go straight to the accident site. That’s the level of support we receive and why we’ve been together this long – 91������ is aligned with our standard of an elevated and personal touch that our clients need, and they respond as such.”

91������’s Vice President of Partnerships, Dan Johnson, has known the BCH team for nearly the entire term of the partnership. “BCH is a prime example of the success of the Partners For Success® program, their contributions to partnership and providing exceptional service to their accounts. They’ve always been a strong contributor at meetings that we host as well. Jeff and his team give us meaningful, valuable feedback to serve their accounts better, and we listen.”

91������ has endeavored to improve product offerings and forms based on feedback.

91������ Regional Vice President, Kendall Clavin, has been working with BCH for the last five years and seen the success through the mutual dedication to partnership: “When I think about 91������ and our great distribution strategy, I think of powerful partnerships and mutual success. Few relationships follow this more truly than the BCH and 91������ relationship. BCH has built a very loyal client base through strong relationships, commitment to consistency, and generating great results together. To do this for 30 years is truly amazing, and I look forward to the strong partnership continuing for many years to come.”

A key to any successful business is working with the right people, both inside and outside the organization, and cultivating relationships that can weather the inevitable obstacles through any company’s journey. 91������ is proud to have agency partnerships through which there is an alignment on the mission to protect businesses and keep workers safe as well as provide best-in-class service.

To learn more about Brady, Chapman, Holland & Associates, Inc., go to . For more information on 91������ and our partnership model, visit 91������.com/Agents.

“The CARE curriculum was developed to help recognize account managers and executives as an invaluable part of the policyholder relationship,” said Bob Nicholas, 91������’s Assistant Vice President of Sales Enablement & Customer Experience.

91������ partnered with agency customer HUB International in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to launch the program pilot earlier this year. An exclusive carrier-provided offering, the course focuses on how to steward 365 days of an existing account in an experiential learning environment.

Tyler Harmon, HUB International’s senior vice president of the account executive group, and his team dedicated their time and shared feedback with 91������ as the program’s inaugural participants.
“It was awesome to be able to give back to an industry that does so much for us,” said Harmon.

The academy is delivered in three phases: relationship management & preparation, advising on coverage, and a case study presentation. Participants learned how to conduct difficult conversations, ask key questions to uncover risk, accelerate critical relationships with decision-makers, and present key accounts to their underwriter to ensure the best outcomes.​

“It was eye-opening for the participants to recognize the value of a documented service timeline with tasks, due dates and responsibilities clearly defined,” said Laura Nettles, president and CEO of Nettles Consulting and key partner in the development and launch of the CARE Academy. “It’s never enough to tell the client how much you’ve done – it’s better to show them,” said Nettles.

91������ experts dedicated time and resources to draft and refine the program prior to launch. Pilot participants also provided their feedback after each live session. “When creating the program, we looked at it from all perspectives and determined the most effective ways to tie in underwriting, claims, and risk management to create something that would resonate with insurance professionals,” said Nathan Logan, Risk Management Expertise Specialist at 91������, who was highly involved in the content creation, coordination and launch of the CARE Academy pilot.

“The initial presentation materials were more related to coverage mechanics,” Logan said, “And together with the helpful feedback from HUB International, it was elevated to allow insurance professionals to be more attuned to the business needs of their clients.”

The Academy asks important questions of its participants, such as:

• What is it to “uncover” risk and align that with customers, clients, business needs and perspectives?
• How can you ask better questions to understand difficult-to-navigate claims scenarios?
• What solutions can you propose that tie together carrier interests with policyholder needs?

The first CARE Academy class with HUB International concluded in April with a team-based collaborative case study and presentation. The winning team within the participating class was awarded the CARE Academy Cup and demonstrated the transformation of traditional service roles to Customer Advocate Relations Expert by applying the concepts they learned at the Academy. The winning team also:

• Created an exceptional service timeline with due dates and responsibilities
• Asked key questions to uncover risk
• Demonstrated an understanding of connecting services to business outcomes

The Academy will continue through 2023 and beyond and provides a unique opportunity for the agency and their underwriting partner to develop a closer bond and enhance trust in their working relationship.

“We are very proud of the launch of the CARE Academy, extremely appreciative to HUB International, and excited to extend this truly unique course offering to additional agency partners in the coming years,” said Nicholas.