Geoffrey Goldwater

All good leaders know that change is one of the most difficult challenges to manage in a successful business, and Geoffrey Goldwater said coming to terms with that is one of his greatest leadership lessons.

“Change is never easy,” the president and chief strategy officer for Odell Studner said. “It is inevitable, and the decision to be an influencer in your life and your surroundings is a gift that we have all been given, and it must be embraced. It must also be nurtured in others if the change you are looking to influence is the business you operate in.”

Goldwater graduated from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science in education by coaching sports at the middle, high school and club levels. He started his career as a claims manager for Specialty Risk Services, a national third-party administrator of claims services. While helping clients navigate the cost for their insurance programs, Goldwater learned to differentiate the value he brought through educating his clients.

He applied that skill as a sales executive at the Clair Odell Group and was later promoted to vice president of Lyons Odell, managing the temporary staffing division. He held key management positions with the Clair Odell Group (the precursor to Odell Studner), which was sold to Mellon Bank in 1998.

Goldwater is currently the youngest owner, principal and founding member of the Odell Studner Group insurance agency. He created Odell Studner Group’s National Risk Management Division. As president and chief strategy officer, Goldwater continues to raise Odell Studner Group’s visibility by serving as an industry leader at conferences, writing articles and granting interviews to staffing trade association periodicals.

“Geoff operates under a clear philosophy of servant leadership,” his team said. “He believes the ability to achieve his goals for Odell Studner is dependent upon the success of others. By acting as a coach, Geoff can assist his clients, partners and team members visualize what success looks like for their future and help them create a path based on goals that align with the vision and mission of the organization.”

In 2014, Goldwater was named one of Business Insurance magazine’s 40 Under 40, which recognizes 40 insurance executives under age 40 for leadership, professional achievement and market influence. He serves as a Congressional Workforce Development Committee member and sits on the American Staffing Association’s Workers’ Compensation Committee and the Mid-Atlantic Staffing Association Board of Directors. He was also on the Odell Studner Foundation Board of Directors and previously served on the New Jersey Staffing Association Board.

“By empowering our teams to execute and viewing our roles as facilitators to their success, we have delivered a unique experience where we are all able to win,” Goldwater said. “I see myself continuing to lean into the role of a servant leader and continue to focus on developing exceptional individuals and teams.”