In the world of school business where budgets are tight and the needs of students are ever-evolving, having a partner who views their role through a lens of risk management rather than just a policy number is vital. For Brad Keenan, property and casualty practice leader at Keenan, this isn’t just a career – it’s a family legacy and a deeply personal mission to support California’s school districts.

Although the Keenan name has been synonymous with California school insurance since his grandfather founded the company in 1972, Brad’s path to leadership was far from a given. A former USC Men’s Volleyball player with a degree in political science, Brad initially envisioned a career in sports marketing.

A rule of thumb from his grandfather also played into his career launch. The rule: Working at Keenan cannot be your first job. “We protect our culture at all costs,” Brad recalls of his grandfather’s philosophy. “He wanted all Keenans to have something to compare our culture to so we could truly appreciate what makes it unique.”

After a stint at a sports marketing startup, Brad joined Keenan as a management trainee. For 18 months, he shadowed every department, learning the business from the ground up before moving into the field as an account executive serving Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and Kern counties. This foundational experience instilled in him a deep respect for the “secret sauce” of the organization: The Keenan team’s behind-the-scenes work to keep students and staff safe, protect district dollars and do the right thing in support of schools.

Today, Brad leads the property and casualty practice, managing a team of 15 and overseeing the group dedicated to supporting school districts. His primary focus is on the horizon.

“My job is to look into the future to understand the challenges districts are facing or will be facing,” Brad says. “Whether it’s changing liability landscapes or evolving safety needs, we want to develop the resources districts need before they even have to ask.”

This proactive approach allows Keenan, a CASBO Premier Plus Partner, to act as a buffer for school districts. By managing the complexities of risk, Brad and his team enable school leaders and educators to stay focused on their core mission: Teaching students and keeping children and employees safe.

Because Keenan focuses primarily on school districts, it offers a specialized information network that identifies trends across counties and shares solutions statewide. Brad’s involvement with CASBO is a cornerstone of his professional philosophy. He’s a familiar face at Southern Section meetings and some Sacramento Section events. He has also shared his perspective as a speaker at CASBO conferences, notably tackling the negative spin on millennials in the workforce from a millennial perspective.

For Brad, the relationship with CASBO members transcends the traditional client-vendor dynamic. “I love that when we get a call, it’s not a client calling a vendor; it’s a friend calling a friend with a question,” he explains.As one of three Keenans currently at the company, Brad views his role as a privilege that carries significant responsibility. He’s quick to shift the spotlight away from his family name and toward the collective efforts of his colleagues in claims, operations and internal departments.

“Being a Keenan working for Keenan is very special to me, but the real recognition should go to our team of 800+ who support school districts every day. This includes customer-facing employees, those who handle claims and operations, and all those in our internal departments who work tirelessly to ensure Keenan clients get the level of service they expect.”