Campion Sparrow Insurances is the new sponsor of the Laois football and hurling championships for 2009. Managing Director Michael Sparrow explains to Hogan Stand why they have decided to delve into the GAA end of things recently. Not too many can boast more experience than Michael Sparrow when it comes to serving for insurance companies in this country. The Tipperary man has 30 odd years experience in the field, which continues to grow older as the current MD of the group's Campion & Sparrow Ltd Laois branch. After 22 years of devoted service with Hibernian Insurance, Michael saw an opportunity to get his name firmly on the map in the insurance scene in Ireland and in 2001 he joined forces with Jim Campion to set up Campion & Sparrow Ltd in Portlaoise. A former minor hurler with Tipperary, Michael has an extensive hurling background with his native club Ballingarry as well as the well known Thurles Sarsfields club and this year he has helped push Campion & Sparrow Ltd towards getting involved in the local GAA end of things. Since the conclusion of the club championship in Laois last year, the County Board had sought sponsorship of their football and hurling championships, but in theses testing times with some companies reducing their sponsorship, it took a dedicated firm to stand up to the plate. Campion & Sparrow Insurances saw this as a perfect opportunity to endorse their position as the leading Insurance Brokerage in the O'Moore County and gave their commitment to get involved in a three-year deal with the Board, which involves all football and hurling championships, to give something back to the Laois community. The firm is delighted to be proud sponsors of the Laois championships and hope to work closely with clubs and GAA members to give value for money for their insurance requirements. This should see the building of long-term relationships between Campion & Sparrow Ltd and the GAA people of the county which will be good news for all concerned. "One of the members of the County Board approached us over sponsoring the club championships a couple of months after they'd finished up last summer," explained Michael. "We said we would and have been happy enough to go along with a three-year deal." But what is it exactly that the Campion & Sparrow Ltd do, and, furthermore, why would they feel it was necessary for one of their branches to get financially involved with Laois GAA? Founded in 1984 by the husband and wife team of Jim and Margaret Campion, from a single office in Urlingford Co. Kilkenny, the Campion Insurance Group has evolved to become one of Ireland's most modern and innovative commercial and personal lines brokers. Today the Campion Insurance Group has offices in Cashel, Kilkenny, Portlaoise, Thurles, Naas Road Dublin, Mullingar, and most recently Midleton, Co. Cork, in addition to the original Urlingford location. The success of the group, which now employs more than 100 people, has been due to a unique combination of strategic partnerships and acquisitions. Jim Campion is in little doubt about the reasons for that success. "In every case where an office has joined the Campion Group, the existing management have remained running the business," he states. "We have always recognised the importance of local knowledge and the value of the commercial and personal relationships which have built up over many years. "By retaining these vital roots within the community, yet enjoying the benefits which a large organisation offers in terms of skills and market reach, our clients can be sure they obtain the best solutions in an increasingly sophisticated and competitive insurance market." With the depth of knowledge and experience available to clients, the Campion Group are readily able to offer a full spectrum of covers from home and motor insurance, to complex commercial and speciality markets, and even unique once-off arrangements. Staff at the company are widely regarded throughout the insurance industry as a whole for their professionalism and integrity. They thoroughly analyse each clients' insurance needs before undertaking and aggressive and pro-active market search, to ensure not only is the best advice given but also the best possible terms available are provided. At the Campion Group, their mission is to be the best insurance intermediary in their respective region. It is already one of the "top-fifteen" firms in Ireland, in terms of client numbers and turnover. The working relationship which the Campion Group has built up with their insurers over the past 25 years has enabled the company to provide their clients with more innovative and cost effective solutions, compared to competitors, ultimately allowing the Group to flourish in an increasingly competitive market. To make such an effective rise in the space of a quarter of a century to be considered as one of the top insurers in Ireland is nothing more than impressive and Michael puts a lot of it down to the relationship with their clients. "The company's motto is well-known as 'providing a one to one personal service' and that's what we do here," he explained. "We will sit down with every single client, listen to them and try to service them in whatever way we can which best suits their needs." Through involving itself with the GAA club champion-ships in Laois, Campion & Sparrow Ltd hopes to grab the attention of new customers and if it were up to Michael, the group would maybe be as GAA oriented as Bank Of Ireland or Vodafone, but he is adamant that he is making good headway in Portloaise by getting in with the right crowd. "When you look at it closely, you can advertise so many different ways nowadays but the GAA is the one that reaches out to everybody," said Michael. "As well as that I think it's hugely important that we are seen as an outfit who are simply all take and no give. "We will review it at the end of the year but I could almost safely say that we will be onboard with the Laois County Board for the three years with this." In his own playing days, Michael hurled in one of the sport's main hubs of the Premier County, Tipperary. After wearing the blue and gold at minor level, his more senior years were with the Thurles Sarsfields club, whom he reached a senior county final with in 1992. A talented corner-back, he was unlucky to be on the losing side in the decider, as Sarsfields lost out to a Toomervara team on the rise after years of silverware drought. However, that's all in the past now and Michael doesn't dwell on such matters now, as he looks to lead his company towards staying competitive in insurance sales in these tough economic times. "True enough, it's going to be tough but I think our clients will remain loyal because they know the quality service we provide them," said Michael. "Now that we are on board with the Laois GAA we would hope to get our name out there even more so, but we certainly won't be expecting them to come flooding in through the doors. "You have to remain competitive, and keep other competitors on there toes," he added. Seventeen years on from when a Tipperary SHC eluded him, and Michael still has that winning attitude, which can be seen by the success of Campion & Sparrow Ltd. Tweet

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