40 Under 40 The Class of 2011

Benjamin Garvey: 33

Vice President, Insurance Center of New England

Benjamin Garvey

Benjamin Garvey

Bill Trudeau, COO of the Insurance Center of New England, called Benjamin Garvey “a tireless advocate for his clients and for the Western Mass. business community as a whole.”
Speaking more modestly of his business, Garvey offered, “the better that this area does, the more opportunity there is, and the more need there is for insurance. There’s a direct correlation.”
He said that his work allows him a decent amount of time to dedicate himself to volunteer organizations, which provide “many different ways to give back to the community.” And, as a quick glance at a list of his activities would attest, he doesn’t waste a moment of that time.
For example, Garvey sits on the Board of Directors for the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce and the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, is the sergeant at arms for the Chicopee Rotary Club, and volunteers for Junior Achievement.
He singled out two organizations in particular as important ways he helps others in the community. He is a member and former president of the Pioneer Valley Rebuilders, which has a mission of providing on-the-job construction and carpentry training for non-violent offenders emerging from the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department. Meanwhile, Garvey volunteers for the Community Accountability Board, which also helps people to transition back into society after having been incarcerated.
“It gives you an interesting perspective,” he explained, “and it reminds you that life can be tough, and there are many struggles that we all need to go through. Ultimately, you have people who are great individuals who had a bad break or made a bad decision, and it affects them in a negative way. You want to be able to help them turn it around, and leave them with the best life that you can.”
Greater Springfield is a special place, Garvey noted, with an incredible history of firsts.
“There is so much to be proud of here,” he said, “and in getting to help people — well, I’m fortunate that I get to do that in a number of different ways.”
— Dan Chase