Scott’s brewing budgets and business

AILA’s national secretary and South Australian chair, Scott Duell, has some fascinating hobbies, but unfortunately he gets little time to indulge in them.

Apart from his AILA responsibilities, Scott works full time as Business Development Manager for CHU Underwriting Agencies in Adelaide, a job he’s been in since November 2016.

Scott’s responsible for assisting the branch to achieve budgeted targets, through selecting and developing profitable business opportunities, and managing business relationships with all SA-based brokers and authorised representatives (ARs).

He has a program of regular customer contact through office visits, networking events, CHU signature events, and other industry functions.

He coordinates and conducts training for new CHU ARs and ensures they remain compliant by conducting audits and providing ongoing support and training, plus he conducts product training and presentations for intermediaries.

That’s a full-on workload, but Scott manages to juggle the national and chapter AILA roles as well. He joined the national board in October 2018 and only five months later became chair of the SA chapter.

Scott enjoys the underwriting agency sector, having worked for major insurers for 15 years and in broking for almost two years before diving into a different aspect of the insurance industry.

“The agency sector’s more agile, flexible and focused than the big insurers. Agencies are in niche markets, so they’re not trying to be all things to all people,” he told Resolve.

Scott joined AILA to expand his industry involvement and likes the ability to “give something back” by fulfilling his official responsibilities. He agrees the work’s time consuming, but says it’s achievable with the help of an extremely supportive employer. “I absolutely couldn’t do it without the support from CHU,” he said.

Scott says AILA’s educational role helps improve industry skills and knowledge and he supports the organisation’s aim to better connect with the insurance industry. “We’re not just an organisation for lawyers, but unfortunately some [in the industry] still think AILA’s only for lawyers.”

AILA’s networking opportunities help members meet people from all facets of insurance.

Back to those hobbies that get neglected when Scott’s doing his day job or working for AILA. They include home brewing and fishing.

Scott’s an aficionado of home brewing, developing different styles and flavours. He starts from scratch, blending the four key ingredients – malt, hops, yeast and water – to prepare his own brews.

While he admits the pre-packaged kits some major brewers produce are a good inspiration to start brewing, his hobby has progressed beyond that level.

He likes to drill down into the science of the process and understand what’s occurring at a molecular level. He even completed a short course at TAFE to further his skills.

Asked his favourite brew, Scott told Resolve that was like asking ‘which is your favourite child?’

But he admits to a penchant for IPA and sour beers in summer. He enjoys trying new beers on tap and, if he likes the taste, experimenting to emulate them at home.

To qualify as a good brew, a batch need only be “something I enjoy drinking”. Scott says there’s a lot of satisfaction gained from “getting your mates around and enjoying something you’ve made in the back shed”.

His love of fishing is a hobby he can combine with the home-brewing skills. Scott doesn’t care whether he actually catches a fish. “There’s nothing like sitting on a jetty with a beer and looking at the water.”

Plus a fishing trip can be a fun family day trip to SA’s glorious Yorke Peninsula with wife Lisa and their children, Hayden, 10, and Kayla, 7.

Sport is another of Scott’s passions. He’ll watch whatever’s on TV, including football, cricket and soccer. He has no particular affiliation with either of Adelaide’s AFL teams – the Crows or Port Power – but says his mother in law has “indoctrinated” her grandchildren so they’re staunch Crows supporters.