Shady Side Academy

PARTNERS IN EDUCATION

Shady Side Academy is a nationally respected private school that functions like a small college. Spread across four campuses in greater Pittsburgh, its 1,200 students thrive in world-class facilities: robotics and computer labs, a cutting-edge maker space, performing and visual arts centers, football fields, tennis courts—even a hockey arena.

A decade ago, Shady Side had a crisis on its hands. A major mechanical failure had hit its hockey rink, and the ice was melting fast. To make a bad situation worse, the academy’s former insurance carrier wasn’t much help with its claim. “It turned into months and months of meetings,” says the school’s controller, Amy Szlachetka. “In the end, we didn’t get the help we were expecting.”

That letdown spurred Amy and her team to search out a new insurance broker. This time, they wanted a genuine partner—one who would take the time to understand the academy and take its interests to heart.

They found all that—and more—in Henderson Brothers.

“They feel like more than a partner,” says Amy. “It feels like they work down the hall from me because we see them so much. And that leads to a wonderful understanding they have about how we operate and how we want to move forward.”

Counting on the Best.
In its first year with Henderson Brothers, Shady Side saw a 10 percent drop in insurance costs. But it’s the company’s proactive, service-first approach that Amy values most. “We have quarterly meetings,” she says, “but it’s what happens in between those that allows Henderson Brothers to tailor everything they do for us.”

John Aliveto makes it his business to understand Shady Side Academy inside and out. As Henderson Brothers’ risk control specialist, he’s constantly on campus, touring mechanical rooms, inspecting garages, reviewing safety plans, conducting trainings, and monitoring the health of the school’s stately old trees.

“It’s a unique campus,” says John. “We have to look at the big picture. How do we maintain the vibe the school has while still making sure we’re preventing and eliminating hazards for our faculty, staff, students and visitors?”

“It’s a unique campus,” says John. “We have to look at the big picture. How do we maintain the vibe the school has while still making sure we’re preventing and eliminating hazards for our faculty, staff, students and visitors?”

National Experts in Education.
Henderson Brothers extends that same high-touch service to educational clients all over the country. From private to public schools, vocational tech to higher ed, the company’s education practice group keeps its finger on the pulse of emerging risks. Jared Sadowski leads the company’s education practice group. “We have to make sure we’re getting into each school and creating a custom plan for them,” he says. “It’s very important for us to keep in mind every school is different, no matter what.”

Jared’s team keeps its edge through active participation in a network of more than 100 insurance agencies around the world. Together, they analyze the emerging risks—from social media trends to data security—their education clients face. “That allows us to communicate the information proactively,” says Jared, “before it occurs at that next school where it might be percolating.”

Averting a Meltdown.
But no one can predict the lifespan of an ice chiller. A decade into the school’s partnership with Henderson Brothers, its hockey rink was hit with another mechanical failure. This time, though, Shady Side had the experts on its side. Within a week, the rink was back up and running, and the school’s claim was handled seamlessly.

It’s the kind of expert service Amy has come to expect from Henderson Brothers. “We don’t have to spend our time and resources in meetings with insurance carriers,” she says. “Henderson Brothers goes to bat for us.”

How did our team of education experts help Shady Side Academy avert an on-campus meltdown? Chalk it up to our proactive partnership and a commitment to fight for our schools — even when the pressure’s on.

Contact us to learn what the Henderson Brothers experts can do for you.

Jared Sadowski
Vice President
Education Practice Group Leader
[email protected]