It’s Not Someone Else’s Issue: One Conversation Can Make a Difference

 

 

“Ours is an industry where, if we do our job well, no one knows we were ever there.”

This is a phrase I have often used when discussing advocacy because it captures one of our industry’s greatest challenges.

When surety works as intended, projects get completed, subcontractors and suppliers get paid, businesses continue to grow, and taxpayers are protected. Every day, surety provides protections that support business growth and continuity, safeguard public dollars, and help ensure communities receive the projects, services, and economic opportunities they depend on. The value we provide is often invisible because problems never materialize. At its core, surety creates trust, protects opportunity, and helps communities thrive.

As a result, many people see a bond as little more than a line item on a budget, an administrative requirement, or an added cost of doing business. What they do not see is the prequalification, financial analysis, business guidance, and ongoing support that help companies grow responsibly, navigate challenges, and create long-term stability.

That reality is exactly why advocacy matters.

If we do not tell the surety story, many elected officials, public leaders, and community stakeholders will never fully understand the value surety brings to businesses, communities, and taxpayers. Advocacy is not simply about defending surety when it is challenged. It is about building understanding before challenges arise and ensuring decision-makers recognize the important role our industry plays every day.

The strength of our advocacy is not measured solely by what happens in Washington, D.C. It is measured by the relationships our members build in their statehouses and communities every day.

With that in mind, I issued a challenge during our Fall Meetings.

Before we gather again in April 2027 at our Annual Meeting & Expo in San Diego, I am asking every NASBP member, affiliate, and associate to have one conversation with a local or state elected official, public official, or community leader.

Just one.

Invite them for coffee. Meet them at a community event. Stop by their office. Spend a few minutes sharing the surety story and explaining why our industry matters.

Remember, you are not just a surety professional. You are a constituent, a voter, and a taxpayer. That perspective gives your voice credibility and influence that no association or lobbyist can replicate.

Those conversations matter because they help decision-makers understand the real value surety brings to the people and communities they serve.

When we talk about surety’s value, the examples are all around us.

Sometimes that value is highly visible. We can point to schools, roads, bridges, and public facilities and explain how surety’s prequalification process, financial oversight, and bond protections help safeguard taxpayer dollars, promote responsible competition, and ensure projects are completed successfully. Surety plays a critical role in strengthening communities and supporting economic growth.

Other times, the value is less visible but no less important. Every day, surety bonds provide the assurance and security that allow businesses to operate, consumers to be protected, obligations to be fulfilled, and commerce to move forward. Whether supporting licensed professionals, guaranteeing compliance with laws and regulations, or helping businesses meet critical obligations, surety creates the trust that allows opportunity to flourish.

In both cases, the outcome is the same. Surety creates confidence in uncertain situations. It protects stakeholders, promotes accountability, and enables opportunity. Whether supporting the construction of critical infrastructure or helping businesses meet important obligations, surety serves as a foundation for growth, stability, and trust.

And the good news is that you do not have to do it alone.

NASBP provides advocacy resources, educational materials, talking points, and government relations support to help members engage confidently and effectively. For example, see the fall 2026 Surety Bond Quarterly article by Mark McCallum and Larry LeClair. One of the best opportunities to make an impact, and where I first discovered my passion for advocacy, is the Federal Legislative Fly-in on February 22-23, 2027. The Fly-in gives members the opportunity to meet directly with lawmakers and their staffs to discuss issues affecting our industry. Even more important, the relationships you begin building locally today can become powerful conversations on Capitol Hill tomorrow. NASBP is strongest when members move from participating to engaging, and the Fly-in is one of the most effective ways to do exactly that.

Which brings me back to the challenge.

Advocacy is not someone else’s responsibility.

It is not NASBP staff’s responsibility alone. It is not the responsibility of government affairs professionals, committee leaders, or those who participate in the Fly-In. Advocacy belongs to all of us. In fact, some of the most effective advocacy never takes place in a legislative hearing room. It happens when local surety professionals build relationships, share their expertise, and become trusted resources within their communities.

You are a voter. You are a taxpayer. You are a business professional. Your voice carries credibility because it comes from firsthand experience. Nothing is more powerful than a constituent helping a public official understand the value surety brings to the businesses and communities they serve.

Imagine what we could accomplish if every NASBP member arrived in San Diego next April having had one conversation with a local leader about the value of surety.

Thousands of local leaders would gain a better understanding of how surety protects public dollars, supports businesses, creates opportunities, and strengthens communities across the country.

My challenge remains simple:

Schedule one meeting.

Have one conversation.

Tell the surety story.

Because protecting and advancing our industry is not someone else’s issue.

It is yours.

Monica Donatelli is the NASBP President and National Surety Practice Development Leader at EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants. She can be reached at Monica.Donatelli@epicbrokers.com or 913.217.0894.