Bill Donato has stepped into his new role as president of retail insurance at Patriot Growth Insurance Services, taking charge of the company’s property and casualty, as well as employee benefits divisions. Despite Patriot’s rapid growth—completing over 180 acquisitions in just six years—Donato says the company is focusing on balancing its size with a more local approach.
Rather than sprawling out, Patriot is keeping decision-making close to clients and local markets while using national resources like specialty expertise, data analytics, technology, and shared services that smaller agencies usually can’t access on their own. The goal is to combine the best of both worlds: strong local relationships powered by the backing of a big firm.
On the property and casualty side, Patriot is zeroing in on specialties like construction, captives, and risk management. For employee benefits, the company is investing in group self-funding and alternative risk strategies to help employers manage costs better. They’ve also set up a top-tier client group to serve high-net-worth personal lines accounts.
Donato explained that these specialty areas align with the talent and experience already within Patriot’s network. For example, several agencies have deep construction expertise at local and even national levels. Now, the company is giving those teams access to better resources—claims support, risk control, safety programs, and technology—to pursue bigger and more complicated accounts.
Despite its reputation for aggressive acquisitions, Patriot remains selective. Donato said the firm looks for agencies that fit its culture and have growth ambitions, not those simply aiming to exit. “We want leaders to stay and help us move to the next level,” he said.
Leadership changes at the company echo this approach, with Donato now president of retail insurance, Bob Monard serving as CFO, and Clara Arrington as general counsel. The company sees these moves as investing in the next generation of leadership.
While technology plays a significant role, Donato insists it should never overshadow personal relationships. Patriot uses AI and data tools to streamline sales and market targeting, but the team makes sure technology supports conversations with clients rather than replaces them. “We don’t want to hide behind technology,” Donato said. “We want to keep the connection with our clients.”
Looking at the insurance market, especially property and casualty, Donato notes that conditions are shifting. Some commercial lines are softening, others like commercial auto remain pressured, and property risks change depending on location. This uneven landscape is exactly why Patriot’s local-first strategy matters.
“Local trends beat national trends,” he said. “You can’t just talk about the market as a whole because, for example, what’s happening in North Dakota is very different from somewhere else. We want people there who really understand those local details.”
Donato believes that being close to clients well before renewal time is critical. When markets get tricky, control comes from strong relationships, knowing the right solutions, and supporting customers through uncertainty. That’s where good brokers can really make a difference.
Looking ahead over the next five years, Donato expects Patriot to grow its specialty focus, continue buying top agencies, and use shared resources better while protecting local independence. His motto is “smaller, stronger, faster.” It sounds strange for a growing company, but Donato thinks being big enough to invest yet small enough to listen is the key to their next chapter.
“We’re still young at six years old,” he said. “This isn’t the end for us. It’s just the start of the next phase.”