Page 42 - BusinessWest April 27, 2026

Jack Dowd
Partner, Vice President, Sales & Marketing,
The Dowd Agencies: Age 37
Jack Dowd says he never really thought about anything other
than a career in insurance when he was young. This
certainly differentiated him from most people his
age, but for a good reason.
Indeed, he watched his father, John, and grandfather
before him thrive in this business, with their name on
what had become a Holyoke institution, and he liked
what he saw.
“It all centered around my father — I held him in
such high regard, and I just wanted to be like him,”
recalled Dowd who represents the fifth generation
involved in the family business, and worked his way
from the ground up — literally. Indeed, he started as
an intern working in the basement, converting paper to
electronic files.
At his father’s advice, he started his career outside
the family business, gaining experience at an agency
in Boston and then for Quincy Mutual. He joined the
Dowd Agencies in 2016 and has moved up the ladder
to partner and vice president of Sales and Marketing.
He wears a lot of hats during this intriguing time
for the company and industry, one marked by
continued consolidation — and opportunities for
companies like Dowd to grow and expand their
footprint.
He’s a producer himself, but he also manages
the sales team as well as the marketing team.
And as a member of the senior leadership team,
Congratulations
Congratulations
Congratulations
Congratulations
to Jack Dowd for being honored as a BusinessWest 40 Under Forty!
Thank you for your tireless dedication to our mission and for enriching
the lives of others. We are proud to recognize your essential role in
bringing hope, strength, and joy to children with critical illnesses.
®
From your friends at Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Find out how you can join Jack in helping grant life-changing wishes for
children with critical illnesses by visiting wish.org/together.
A20 2026
he’s involved with efforts to explore acquisition
opportunities and, in many cases, make them happen.
“We’ve really started to push and grow beyond
Western Massachusetts; we’ve realized
there’s some opportunity to grow faster in
Northern New England,” he said, adding
that Dowd has purchased two agencies in
Vermont over the past 18 months, among
other acquisitions, and is looking at similar
opportunities across the region. “We’ve
tripled in size since I came to the agency.”
Dowd is also active in the local
community, serving on the Swish
Night committee for Make-A-Wish
Massachusetts and Rhode Island and on
the board of directors for the Holyoke
Taxpayers Assoc. Previously, he served on
the board of the Western Massachusetts
Council of Boy Scouts of America, and on a
committee supporting Brightside for Families
and Children.
And when not working and volunteering,
he’s spending time with his family — wife
Vanessa and two children, John IV and Clara
— especially at Lake Sunapee during the
summer.
“They’re getting into sports now, and T-ball
will be starting soon, so I’ll be coaching that,”
he said — yet another hat for someone who
already wears many.
—George O’Brien
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