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Profile
Taylor Rhodes is the CEO of Applied Systems. He first joined the company in 2019. Applied Systems can help everyone at your agency transform to make the day-to-day more efficient and extend the traditional storefront to online insurance experiences.
Previously, Rhodes was a CEO at SMS Assist and before that a president and CEO at Rackspace. Earlier in his career he worked with Automatic Data Processing as a major accounts district manager.
Rhodes earned an MBA in business from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Kenan-Flagler Business School, and an undergraduate degree in English from the University of Arizona.
Taylor came to Applied with a wealth of knowledge in leading digital companies. He has helped to re-energize Applied Systems, both internally and externally. Externally, he has helped to bring the company from a very professional, technical presence to a more relatable and easy-to-understand one by changing Applied’s tone of voice. Since he began in 2019, Applied has significantly grown its market share through organic growth and acquisition, including that of Policy Works in Canada and EZLynx in the US. Internally, Taylor has created a more modern culture around consistent communication and Diversity & Inclusion for the entire organization. While the entire company worked remotely through the pandemic, Taylor and the executive team sent weekly videos, updating the organization on various initiatives, company updates and industry conversations, in order to create a sense of together-ness even though we all worked from home. To ensure employees kept mental health a priority, he also instated “Fun Fridays” which gave all employees every other Friday off, as long as they coordinated within their department so that half the team was working. Taylor has also restructured all business units of Applied to strengthen leadership and take down silos of communication. To do this, he appointed a CEO for IVANS, a division of Applied, as well as a CEO for Applied Europe. These changes have created clarification of leadership and direction in their respective markets. Taylor was recognized as Top InsurTech Leader by ACORD, the global standards-setting body for the insurance industry. Since becoming CEO, Applied has also been recognized in the 2019, 2020 and 2021 Stevie Awards, 2019 Insurance Times Tech & Innovation Awards, 2020 Best in Biz Awards International, 2020 Golden Bridge Business and Innovation Awards, 2020 Insurance Business Readers’ Choice for Best Service Provider, 2021 Insurtech Awards by Capital Finance International, and 2021 Diversity Mark.
Taylor truly lives and leads by our core values. I feel he fully has the best of the company AND the employees in mind in every decision he makes. He has turned our company into one that values diversity, inclusion and belonging. He makes a point to know your name and be approachable. He has high goals for the company to attain, but his commitment to the employees has proven valuable because the employees work hard to reach those goals. He has made our company stronger, more successful and a more enjoyable place to work. We are more successful than we have ever been under his leadership.
Taylor is an innovative leader that inspires and motivates all of Team Applied. He is a great communicator and engages effortlessly with the entire company. Taylor encourages open and transparent communication and truly leads by example. He is a trusted leader and has a clear vision for the future of the company.
Taylor is a wonderful who embodies all of the qualities a great leader should. He always tells us that “he works for us” and wow what a humbling comment! He has really turbo charged our diversity and inclusion initiatives and the company is ten times better for the culture he has created!
Incredible, empathic leader who truly cares about his people, promotes Diversity and a safe place where all can work and thrive. Transformational and strategic driver hoping to transform the Insurance Industry so that it can, in turn, take care of people, their homes and assets.
Taylor is a great example of a leader at a tech company. He is kind & compassionate while always striving to make us better as a company & just as individuals. He has improved our company culture to an all time high.
Drive for innovation in our industry, compassion and respect for employees, ability to set a compelling vision for all. Strong ability to catalyze change.
Communication He’s very personable – clearly values his team members Is a culture leader, nt just a business leader
Great communicator, strategic thinker, transparent and honest leader, building an outstanding company culture
A strong motivator who consistently lets us know what is going on
Strong company initiatives and strong family values