After high school, Turner Barnett wasn’t sure about his direction in life. Instead of immediately going to college, he packed his bags and hopped on the first plane to Spain. While traveling alone for three months, he immersed himself in the Spanish culture and language.
“When I got back to Austin, I had ideas of becoming a doctor. After several volunteer experiences, I realized that one of the most integral aspects of servicing someone is effective communication,” says Barnett. “From then on, I focused on my ability to communicate with the Spanish speakers around me, which has been infinitely rewarding.”
But with his father’s cancer diagnosis and later passing, along with the COVID-19 shutdown, Barnett’s future continued to be unclear. He shifted from pre-med to chemistry, then to studying Spanish. Upon graduating in May 2020, Barnett was looking left and right for opportunities for work, and Integra Insurance Services spoke to him.
“My first day at Integra is one of my favorite memories. I drove all the way to Lufkin. Out in ‘the sticks,’ I expected some good ol’ fashioned Texans, and that’s what I got,” says Barnett. “What I didn’t expect, however, was the beautiful workspace that immediately separated itself from the businesses around it.”
Barnett was also amazed by how the Integra staff knew the lives of everyone who walked into the office. It was important to him to have the ability to always be by the side of his clients, and Integra placed a lot of trust in him to achieve that.
“Integra has enabled me to volunteer for my community during the week,” says Barnett. “I’m pushed to connect with my neighbors, friends, business owners, and community members in a way I never would’ve with a desk job.”
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