Dana Coates is the CEO and Director of Strategic Partnerships at UWIB Risk & Insurance Solutions, formerly United Western Insurance Brokers. With over 50 years of experience in risk mitigation, insurance advising, and business consulting, Dana has guided clients ranging from billionaires and their companies to family-owned businesses through some of the toughest challenges imaginable, from wildfires to climate change, from war to workplace violence, and from massive market shifts to everyday operational risks.
Dana’s family roots in insurance trace back to 1918 in Pasadena, California, and he has been a licensed broker since the mid-1970s. Since 1996, Dana has led UWIB as an independent agency headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, with additional offices in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Los Angeles, California. He is widely known for his innovative, tech-forward approach, blending old-school underwriting wisdom with modern tools like AMS360, BRINQ, OCR, and AI-driven platforms to improve client service and efficiency.
His career has included diverse roles, including police officer, auto mechanic, rancher, horseman, marksman, race car owner, and yachtsman, all of which shaped his unique perspective on risk and resilience. Dana thrives in complex and messy situations where his creativity and problem-solving shine, whether untangling high-value personal lines, navigating distressed commercial placements, or guiding organizations through automation and succession planning.At his core, Dana is client-first. He places his clients’ needs above financial gain and sees his life’s purpose as helping people find solutions and avoid calamity wherever possible. He believes deeply in mentorship, collaboration, and building “white-glove” client experiences rooted in both wisdom and innovation.
- Published on: July 10, 2026Education
Navigating Cyber Underwriting Questionnaires: A Guide to Success
In today's digital age, businesses face a multitude of cyber threats, making cybersecurity an essential concern. As such, cyber insurance has become a critical tool to help businesses guard against these risks...Read More - Published on: June 26, 2026Education
What We're Seeing in Small and Mid-Sized Businesses in 2026
After nearly five decades in business, and after working with family-owned companies, entrepreneurs, and organizations of every size, I've learned that every year brings a new set of challenges. Some years it's the economy. Some years it's technology. And some years it's simply uncertainty.Read More - Published on: June 26, 2026Education
Putting Our Strongest People in Positions to Win
Over the years, I've come to appreciate that one of the hardest parts of leadership is recognizing that not everyone contributes at the same level. I wish that weren't true, but experience has taught me otherwise. Some people consistently solve problems, take ownership, and move the organization forward. Others struggle, sometimes because they need coaching, and sometimes because they're simply in the wrong role. I've learned that pretending everyone performs equally isn't kindness. It usually creates frustration for the people carrying the heaviest load.Read More - Published on: June 23, 2026Education
What Happens When Technology Serves People Instead of the Other Way Around?
For much of my career, technology has promised to make work easier. Sometimes it has. Sometimes it has simply moved the work around. But over the past couple of years, we’ve been approaching artificial intelligence differently. Read More - Published on: June 17, 2026Education
Why Good Leaders Must Eventually Become Less Important
There’s a hard truth about business ownership that I’ve been working through personally over the past few years. If my company cannot grow without me being directly involved in most decisions, client relationships, and day-to-day execution, then I don’t really have a scalable organization. I’ve simply created a job. It may not even be a particularly good-paying one. It’s just a job that still depends on me for it to function. I know this because I’ve lived it. Read More - Published on: April 11, 2026Education
Cyber Incident Tabletop Exercise: A Comprehensive Outline
In today's digital landscape, organizations face an increasing number of cyber threats. Cyber incidents, ranging from data breaches to ransomware attacks, can disrupt operations, damage reputations, and lead to significant financial losses...Read More - Published on: March 31, 2026Education
Why Gig-Economy Businesses Still Need Workers’ Compensation Insurance (Even If You Only Hire Helpers “As Needed”)
If you run a small business that looks more like the gig economy than a traditional company, you’re probably thinking the same thing a lot of owners do: “I don’t have full-time W-2 employees, so why do I need workers’ comp?”Read More - Published on: March 16, 2026EducationOpinion
Insurance Renewal Mistakes: Why Submitting Quotes Through Multiple Agents Often Backfires
When it comes time to renew insurance, many business owners make the same well intentioned mistake. They send their insurance information to multiple agents or brokers, believing this will create competition, uncover better pricing, and keep everyone honest. Read More