Group Lockhart has been taking care of hoteliers for 30 years
Supplier of the Year
James Lockhart will tell you himself: talking about insurance can be as dry as dust. But speaking to him about his insurance brokerage, which has been serving the hospitality industry for three decades, hardly fosters the sort of dull dialogue you might expect. Lockhart is an impassioned advocate of his trade.
“People aren’t keen to discuss insurance, but often the first questions a new employee asks are ‘How much do I get paid?’ and ‘What are the benefits?’”, says Lockhart, who is president of London Ont.-based Group Lockhart Inc. “Hoteliers are distinguishing themselves in the market and strengthening their brands by bringing well-designed employee value propositions (EVPs) to the table and engaging with their staff. When employees feel like their employer cares about them it cultivates loyalty.”
Whether it’s coverage for polishing the pearly whites or long-term disability insurance, benefits are undoubtedly something people appreciate. Lockhart personally works with each client to create a tailored plan to enhance their internal brand — how the company is perceived by its employees — and motivate staff to deliver external brand promises to the customer. He wants his clients to be employers of choice. “Everyone from an executive chef to an operations manager is looking for an attractive salary along with comprehensive benefits coverage and a retirement plan. An EVP that clearly articulates those benefits will attract and retain people with the competencies required to attain business goals,” says the 51-year-old industry veteran.
Group Lockhart’s clients range from large hotel chains to small independent businesses and Lockhart is genuinely concerned, not just for the health of the industry, but for the well-being of the folks who work in it, too. “The insurance business is about giving your clients peace of mind, but you have to establish trust in your relationship first. I’m a straight shooter. I’ll tell you the facts, whether it’s good news or bad news,” he says. “We promise that the claim will be paid when needed and we follow through on that promise.”
Lockhart recognizes the importance of investing in people. His philosophy is simple: attract, reward, retain; and he’s been implementing that doctrine with tremendous success for 30 years.
Insurance runs in Lockhart’s blood, actually. He learned the ropes from his father, Bruce Lockhart, a chartered life insurance underwriter, while studying business and economics at London’s University of Western Ontario. Upon graduating in 1981, he became vice-president of the family firm, Lockhart Insurance Brokers Limited, and, after a 15-year partnership, purchased the business, becoming Group Lockhart Inc. in 1996.
“When I started, we had the Ontario Hotel and Motel Association (OHMA) account. It was a small account at that time, but I felt there was a lot of potential in the industry,” Lockhart explains. In 1983, he moved to Toronto to focus on developing the hospitality benefit program. “I remember literally wearing holes in the soles of my shoes, pounding the pavement making sales calls,” he says.
While continuing to build the OHMA account, Lockhart landed his first chain account with Venture Inns, followed by Atlific Hotels and Resorts. Over the years, business expanded to include Best Western and other chains, and Lockhart developed strong ties with the Greater Toronto Hotel Association and the Hotel Association of Canada. Relationships with Westmont Hospitality Group, Concord Hospitality Group and Accor Canada followed later. “I’ve had many mentors in my career who have helped me along the way,” says Lockhart. “My father was one of them and so were many of the hoteliers who supported our business.”
Atlific Hotels executive vice-president and chief financial officer, Robert Chartrand, recalls meeting “Jim” more than 20 years ago. He laughs, explaining how Lockhart’s name and phone number are handwritten on a directory sticker affixed to the old phone in his office — evidence of a pre-Blackberry relationship. “Ours was a complicated plan because we have many different companies. Jim would always look at things from a creative, positive perspective and find the best possible solution,” Chartrand says. “He was on top of the market, making sure we had the right carrier and the best rates.”
Chartrand agrees that employees, including himself, will stay with a company longer when they feel respected by their employer. Lockhart helped him communicate with his staff to make sure they understood their benefits package. “James would actually come in and speak to our employees on some occasions or he would help us put together booklets that we could distribute. He also educated me so I could confidently talk about it,” says Chartrand. “James listens to you, and he’s very professional. I have a great amount of respect for him.”
Lockhart is respected across the industry as a leader who dedicates a great deal of time and energy toward strengthening the hospitality and tourism market. In 2000, the industry was trying to address human resource challenges and improve its image, often characterized as offering low pay and low benefits. Group Lockhart partnered with Toronto hoteliers to launch the Greater Toronto Benefits Compensation Survey, which measured total compensation in the industry, including salary data and benefits and benchmarked the data against national studies and Toronto Board of Trade information. The favourable results proved just how competitive the hotel industry was compared to other sectors.
In 2008, The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council asked Group Lockhart to join the advisory committee for its compensation survey, which was conducted again in 2010. “The study allows participants to better understand the tourism labour market and to assess the competitiveness of their offerings to better attract and retain the staff they need to effectively run their businesses,” Lockhart says. “Hoteliers face many challenges, and it’s becoming more complex — the labour population is aging, markets are changing rapidly, costs are increasing and ADR is not. Management wants excellence and consistency, but that can only be accomplished when you have earned the respect and loyalty of your guests and employees.”
Terry Mundell, president and CEO of the Greater Toronto Hotel Association, appreciates Lockhart’s commitment to the industry. “I met James and his wife in 1998 when I was working for the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association (ORHMA) and he was our benefit provider,” Mundell explains. “Group Lockhart is a company that cares deeply about the industry and the people it serves. James provides insight and advice. He is a partner and a friend. His involvement in this industry is about much more than benefits.”
His long tenure in the business serves him well. Group Lockhart has been providing group life and health benefits to ORHMA for 30 years and Lockhart was active in the London region for ORHMA, serving as president and director on the provincial board for two terms. This year, he was honoured to be named president of The London Club in his hometown. Somehow, Lockhart manages to balance all of this while spending time with his wife, Alison, and their two children, Brittany and Zachary. “My wife and I like to travel, and I find that initial impression when you arrive at a hotel is very important. You can tell when the staff is happy and it makes a difference,” Lockhart says. And, as long as he’s lobbying for the Canadian hotel industry, more and more of its staff will be smiling — and showing off their polished pearly whites.
photography by steve grimes
