Duane Smith Recognized Among Corridor's Most Influential
posted by TrueNorth Companies on Sunday, January 1, 2017
Duane Smith, President of TrueNorth, has been recognized as one of 2016's Top 25 Most Influential People in the Eastern Iowa Corridor.
The list of the top 25 includes a diverse range of business and community leaders such as Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett (#2) and University of Iowa President, Bruce Harreld (#6). TrueNorth's Duane Smith ranks #5 on the list. This is the fourth time Duane has made the CBJ list, and 2016 marks his third consecutive year.
The Most Influential list is created based on the results of a survey sent out to Corridor Business Journal subscribers. The premise of this list to formally recognize the men and women who have made a significant contribution to their respective businesses, industries, and communities. You can find a full list of those recognized here.
Duane began his entrepreneurial career at the age of ten as a paperboy for the local newspaper in Lamont, Iowa. This entrepreneurial spirit flourished as Smith grew, eventually leading him the University of Northern Iowa. After graduating with his business degree, Smith returned home to expand his father's small insurance agency and opened two more offices in Strawberry Point and Arlington, Iowa. In 1986, Smith opted to move the business to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, operating the business under the name Insurance Service Corp.
In 2001, Insurance Service Corp merged with Davis Jones Lamb and Verhille & Associates to create TrueNorth Companies, appointing Duane Smith as the firm's President and CEO. At the time of its creation, TrueNorth had approximately $9 million in revenue - in 2016 alone, the firm has successfully matched this figure in organic growth. With Smith's leadership, TrueNorth continually ranks among the nation's top 5000 companies (six years!) and has been recognized as one of the best privately-held insurance firms in the country.
CBJ's 2016 Most Influential list is comprised of many great leaders and TrueNorth is privileged to call one of them our own. Congratulations, Duane on this very special honor!