{"id":41456,"date":"2026-04-20T15:46:52","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T19:46:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/?p=41456"},"modified":"2026-04-20T15:46:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T19:46:52","slug":"techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"TechFirst Insurance Agency Focuses On Service While Leveraging Technology"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Kevin O\u2019Brien, co-owner of TechFirst Insurance Agency, co-founded the business in 2023.
TechFirst Insurance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Ann Donnelly<\/p>\n

After decades in the insurance industry, navigating family business dynamics, corporate consolidation and shifting market trends, Kevin O\u2019Brien could have easily coasted into retirement. Instead, he co-founded a new venture to blend modern technological efficiency with old-fashioned, face-to-face service.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien, co-owner of TechFirst Insurance Agency, launched the business in 2023 alongside local entrepreneur Mark Shaw. The agency is located at 543 Queensbury Ave., Queensbury, NY 12801, and can be found online at techfirstInsurance.com. For O\u2019Brien, the move represents the culmination of his extensive career and a deliberate response to an industry increasingly dominated by private equity firms.<\/p>\n

A veteran of the industry, O\u2019Brien spent nearly a decade at Travelers before joining his father\u2019s agency, founded in 1957. He was later recruited to Glens Falls National Bank, now Arrow Bank, to consolidate several local acquisitions into what is now Upstate Agency.<\/p>\n

Now back to carving his own path as an independent agent, O\u2019Brien said TechFirst Insurance Agency aims to combine strong service with the benefits of technology to offer a \u201cgold seal\u201d client experience by removing the paperwork of the 1980s and 1990s while remaining deeply tied to the community. \u201cWe simply want to be more consumer-friendly, because there are more tools out there to make it easier for the customer,\u201d O\u2019Brien said.<\/p>\n

However, he emphasized that technology will not replace the personal touch required when disaster strikes. With access to 12 to 15 carriers, O\u2019Brien works to match clients with the right coverage and pricing \u2014 a stark contrast to private equity-owned firms, which he said often prioritize investor returns over personalized care.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span>\u201cWith private equity, those investors want to make sure they get a return on their money,\u201d O\u2019Brien said. \u201cWe like to come to your house. We like to help you with your claim. Do you want an \u2018AI check\u2019 or do you want a check coming from a person?\u201d<\/p>\n

In an era of automated claims, O\u2019Brien said he urges clients to call him first before reaching out to the carrier after a minor incident, such as a fender bender or hitting a deer. He prefers to evaluate whether paying out of pocket is more cost-effective than risking a long-term premium hike, noting that a driver with multiple incidents in seven years can raise red flags for underwriters.<\/p>\n

One of the most pressing modern risks O\u2019Brien helps businesses navigate is cybersecurity. O\u2019Brien warned that hackers target vulnerabilities regardless of a company\u2019s size. \u201cThey\u2019re just knocking on your digital door,\u201d he said. Modern cyber insurance now covers everything from system recovery and ransoms to public relations and reputational risk management.<\/p>\n

He said modern cyber insurance not only helps recover hijacked computer systems and pays ransoms in Bitcoin, but also provides a marketing team to manage reputational risk and public relations following a breach.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien also pointed to external factors driving up property insurance costs, particularly a shortage of skilled tradespeople and supply chain disruptions. He noted that house fire repairs can sometimes take up to a year and a half, driving up replacement costs. He praised local educational institutions, such as SUNY Adirondack and BOCES, for reviving trade programs to build the next generation of workers.<\/p>\n

Despite his reliance on modern tools, O\u2019Brien maintains a classic, professional presence. He still wears a tie several times a week, a rarity that occasionally leads to mistaken identity at local convenience stores. \u201cI\u2019m often mistaken for a cop,\u201d O\u2019Brien said.<\/p>\n

Beyond insurance, O\u2019Brien is a passionate advocate for local businesses and community organizations. He mentors new business owners through the Startup ADK program at SUNY Adirondack, advising them that success requires time management, passion and a solid support team.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien is equally dedicated to the region\u2019s nonprofit sector. A recipient of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce\u2019s J. Walter Juckett Community Service Award \u2014 an honor he shared with his brother John \u2014 he has served on numerous boards, including the local United Way, and volunteers with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. He stressed that nonprofits are not just charities, but vital economic engines for the region that generate revenue, payroll and taxes.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, O\u2019Brien anchors his life and career in three core principles: building strong business relationships, giving back through nonprofit work and trusting a higher plan beyond his control.<\/p>\n

For new entrepreneurs, O\u2019Brien advised building a solid support team and bracing for a two- to four-year growth period before a startup stabilizes. \u201cAnd make sure you return phone calls.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Ann Donnelly After decades in the insurance industry, navigating family business dynamics, corporate consolidation and shifting market trends, Kevin O\u2019Brien could have easily coasted into retirement. Instead, he co-founded a new venture to blend modern technological efficiency with old-fashioned, face-to-face service. O\u2019Brien, co-owner of TechFirst Insurance Agency, launched the business in 2023 alongside local […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":41458,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-news"],"yoast_head":"\r\nTechFirst Insurance Agency Focuses On Service While Leveraging Technology - Saratoga Business Journal<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"TechFirst Insurance Agency Focuses On Service While Leveraging Technology - Saratoga Business Journal\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Ann Donnelly After decades in the insurance industry, navigating family business dynamics, corporate consolidation and shifting market trends, Kevin O\u2019Brien could have easily coasted into retirement. Instead, he co-founded a new venture to blend modern technological efficiency with old-fashioned, face-to-face service. O\u2019Brien, co-owner of TechFirst Insurance Agency, launched the business in 2023 alongside local […]\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Saratoga Business Journal\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-20T19:46:52+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/kevinobrien_fi.png\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jake Van Ness\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jake Van Ness\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/\",\"name\":\"TechFirst Insurance Agency Focuses On Service While Leveraging Technology - Saratoga Business Journal\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/kevinobrien_fi.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-20T19:46:52+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/#\/schema\/person\/a11ec438b5f0e57f1156754ba3931b86\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/kevinobrien_fi.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/kevinobrien_fi.png\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":630},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"TechFirst Insurance Agency Focuses On Service While Leveraging Technology\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/\",\"name\":\"Saratoga Business Journal\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/#\/schema\/person\/a11ec438b5f0e57f1156754ba3931b86\",\"name\":\"Jake Van Ness\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0d74f7533bd2ebb3908a187893d5eafbf1ee7752b11715c976372134cbea918d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0d74f7533bd2ebb3908a187893d5eafbf1ee7752b11715c976372134cbea918d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jake Van Ness\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/author\/jakev\/\"}]}<\/script>\r\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"TechFirst Insurance Agency Focuses On Service While Leveraging Technology - Saratoga Business Journal","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"TechFirst Insurance Agency Focuses On Service While Leveraging Technology - Saratoga Business Journal","og_description":"By Ann Donnelly After decades in the insurance industry, navigating family business dynamics, corporate consolidation and shifting market trends, Kevin O\u2019Brien could have easily coasted into retirement. Instead, he co-founded a new venture to blend modern technological efficiency with old-fashioned, face-to-face service. O\u2019Brien, co-owner of TechFirst Insurance Agency, launched the business in 2023 alongside local […]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/","og_site_name":"Saratoga Business Journal","article_published_time":"2026-04-20T19:46:52+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/kevinobrien_fi.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Jake Van Ness","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jake Van Ness","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/","url":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/","name":"TechFirst Insurance Agency Focuses On Service While Leveraging Technology - Saratoga Business Journal","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/kevinobrien_fi.png","datePublished":"2026-04-20T19:46:52+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/#\/schema\/person\/a11ec438b5f0e57f1156754ba3931b86"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/kevinobrien_fi.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/kevinobrien_fi.png","width":1200,"height":630},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2026\/04\/techfirst-insurance-agency-focuses-on-service-while-leveraging-technology\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"TechFirst Insurance Agency Focuses On Service While Leveraging Technology"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/","name":"Saratoga Business Journal","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/#\/schema\/person\/a11ec438b5f0e57f1156754ba3931b86","name":"Jake Van Ness","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0d74f7533bd2ebb3908a187893d5eafbf1ee7752b11715c976372134cbea918d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0d74f7533bd2ebb3908a187893d5eafbf1ee7752b11715c976372134cbea918d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Jake Van Ness"},"url":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/author\/jakev\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/89"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41456"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41456\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41459,"href":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41456\/revisions\/41459"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41458"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}