Andy Burnside

Andy Burnside

Job Description

In my work, I help people better understand how to protect the things they value most in their lives; themselves and their family (life and health insurance), and their assets (Auto and Home Insurance). We understand Insurance, so our customers don’t have to!

Relevant School Subjects

Business

Areas Of Expertise

Business & Finance

Career Story

Completed High school and attended Western where I completed a major in Kinesiology (B.A.) and a minor in French.
My first job was in non-profit, where I did fundraising for Read-A-Thon (a charity for Multiple Sclerosis research and support). I got this job because I spoke French!
After this, I worked with The Toronto United Way, where I helped raise money (and awareness for many of United Way’s partner agencies) with Colleges and High Schools.
Next, I took a job as a Campaign Manager where I managed a fundraising campaign with the Toronto school boards and local Colleges and Universities.
I was offered a job as a Campaign Director in Barrie South Simcoe United Way and worked there running the Campaign for this United Way for about 3 years.
I started my own business as a fundraising and non-profit consultant where I worked with many great non-profits including the Ronald McDonald House and fundraising consulting firm Navion, where I helped develop a Campaign for the local library in Aurora, ON.
I took a job as a Campaign Director in Oakville and ran their campaign for a number of years and then was hired by the University of Western Ontario to work in their fundraising department during the Renaissance Campaign – a 200M campaign.
After working at York University Foundation to cover a maternity leave for a year, I took a job with a Fundraising Consulting firm called Compton International where I was the Campaign Director for a $300M Regional Hospital campaign in Abbotsford BC. I did a number of pitches to different organizations on behalf of Compton International and only worked there for about 6 months.
At this point, I returned to Ontario and started working with my father who was a State Farm Agent. I was increasingly frustrated with having to change jobs in the non-profit fundraising sector and always wondered what Insurance would be like. Very quickly, I realized I had been avoiding Insurance (as it’s what my father did) and found that I enjoyed the work; I realized that I could still help people as I had done in non-profit while making a career for myself at the same time.
I ultimately got my Mutual Funds, Life and General Insurance licenses and applied to be a State Farm Agent. After a number of months, I was accepted to the program, chose Waterdown as the location for my office and began training with the company.
About 6 years into my new Agency, State Farm sold their Canadian business (mine included) to Desjardins. We have been working with Desjardins now for about 8 years.