Ingram's April 2023

CLASS of 2023

ANDREW GRAY He’s bootstrapped his insurance ser vices company from zero revenue and zero clients to a $20 million enterprise

she’s one reason why. The 36-year-old partner at Franke Schultz & Mullen isn’t just part of the trend—women make up nearly 40 of the firm’s part ners and nearly half its associates—but she’s working to lend a hand up the legal services and litigation ladder to other aspiring women. “Fostering and cultivating diverse talent is a founda tional part of our firm, and I believe it is the key to our continued growth and success,” she says. Hatley was recently named by Missouri Lawyers Media as one of just three attorneys in the state's Up and Coming Law Firm Leader awards and, more recently, a recipi ent of the Women’s Justice Award. On the clock, she represents diverse indi vidual and corporate clients in cases in 10 years—with a goal of $100 million in revenue within five more years. A heck of an accomplishment right there, but it’s not No. 1 on Andrew Gray’s list. Don’t get him wrong: “I love what I do,” he says. But “I am a family man first; I’m a proud father of four and married to an incredi ble wife, LeighAnne. Virtus is my second greatest honor.” Despite his success to date and its spot on last year’s Inc. 5000 list, “I won’t say (it’s an) accomplishment yet because we continue to scale the firm,” which now counts 100 employees, $200 million in brokered premium, and 70 percent year-over-year growth. “I have the most fun building and leading our team, and I’m incredibly proud of our culture, our values, and the way we bring our tagline—Push Forward; We've Got

ranging from wrongful death, sexual and physical abuse, to bodily injury claims, arguing cases before the courts of appeals in both Missouri and Kansas. “My most meaningful work,” she says, “is representing residential-treatment facilities and social-service organiza tions throughout the state who provide essential social, mental health, and family services to our community.” But, she notes, “I am most proud of my work as a mother to my two young children, Charlotte and Henry. My children are the joy of my life, and I am grateful to both my husband (Robert) and my law partners for their unwav ering support throughout my career, without which none of my accomplish ments would have been possible.” Your Back—to live every day,” says Gray, 38. “For our team, this means we pursue excellence, say “Yes” to bold opportuni ties, take calculated risks, and continu ously learn and get better together while chasing our dreams. For our clients, this means we're habitually wired to mitigate their risk and maximize their value so they can focus on achieving their dreams and building their business. For our communities, it’s our goal to make things happen, to do our part to advance our neighborhoods and communities.” In his spare time, he’s on the move. “I like action,” Gray says, “whether it’s travel ing, watching or playing sports, getting outdoors, enjoying good food, drinks, and live music, and taking it all in with great friends.”

HEATHER HATLEY Women, says Heather Hatley, make up less than 20 percent of civil litiga tors nationwide. That’s changing, and

Ingram’s IndustryOutlook Series More than 25 years ago, Ingram’s Magazine convened the first of its Industry Outlook assemblies, gathering leading executives from such key business sectors as banking, construction, health care, higher education and more for one-of-a-kind discussions on the opportunities and challenges facing each. As concerns with Covid begin to lift we’ll resume this important series. The menu for the remainder of 2023 are Industry Outlook Assemblies and Reports on Commercial Real Estate, Legal, Wealth Management, Banking & Fin- ancial Services, Higher Education, Transportation and Logistics and Philanthropy. Call today for information on how to align your organi- zation’s marketing interests with Ingram’s as a Program Sponsor and co-chair and for advertising opportunities within support articles.

Ingram’s Upcoming Industry Outlook Assemblies and Reports May Commercial Real Estate June Legal July Wealth Management August Banking & Financial Services September Ingram's 250 General Assembly October Higher Education November Transportation & Logistics December Philanthropy

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April 2023

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