history

When it comes to your peace of mind, experience counts.

Our first loyalty lies with our
clients.

Our founder, Alaister W. McLean

1956

Al McLean moved to Edmonton after spending a number of years as a Travelling Passenger Agent for the C.N.R. It was 1956 when he left the C.N.R. and opened an Insurance Agency with the financial assistance of his brother-in-law, Dr. Charles Allard and businessman Zane Feldman. A.W. McLean Agencies Ltd. was born and with the leadership of Al McLean, the Agency grew and became a well established Agency recognized for its professional service, commitment and expertise.

Al was an advocate and promoter of traffic safety education in schools, and more stringent driver licensing and regulation. Al was Director of the Canadian Federation of Insurance Agents and Brokers Association and in 1971 was voted in as the President of the Insurance Agent’s Association of Alberta.

We are proud and honored of our heritage. In the insurance world today, it is very difficult to start a Brokerage from scratch and be successful. McLean & Shaw is close to celebrating 60 years in the insurance business as an independent broker and it all began as a result of Al’s vision and foundation for success. We are proud to continue to serve the insurance requirements of some of Al McLean’s original clients today. This is an honor we do not take for granted.

1987

Don Shaw became principal of A.W. McLean and changed the name to McLean & Shaw Insurance Inc. Don was a good friend of Al McLean and was one of Edmonton’s risk Managers. Don continued the growth of the company until 1994.

1994

Gail Tory becomes Shareholder

2006

Gail Tory becomes sole owner and CEO

2011

Doug Laird joins and becomes shareholder and is appointed as President

Our first loyalty lies with our clients. We operate with their best interests in mind, finding the right insurer for both personal and business needs.

Our Team

Led by Gail Tory and Doug Laird, our team devotes the time and resources to listen, understand, and consistently deliver the required coverage at a competitive price.

Gail Tory

CEO

Doug Laird

President

Contact Us

We’re here to help!

Address

1707 91st Street SW

Edmonton, Alberta

T6X 0W8

Call Us

Phone 1: 780.452.5561
Phone 2: 800.824.4919

E-mail

info@mclean-shaw.com

Phone: 780.452.5561

Email: gtory@mclean-shaw.com

Gail was born and raised on her family’s dairy farm just south of Sherwood Park, Alberta. No stranger to hard work, she obtained a Business Administration Degree from NAIT and set-off to Red Deer where she began her career in insurance at a local brokerage. Gail returned to Edmonton five years later and acquired McLean & Shaw in 1994. With over 43 years of experience, Gail understands all facets of the insurance industry and enjoys finding unique and personalized coverage to suit today’s businesses.

Phone: 452.5561

Email: dlaird@mclean-shaw.com

get the best coverage and security for his commercial and personal insurance clients. He also has a wealth of experience on his side with more than 22 years of dedication to the insurance industry. Doug not only has a lot of practical experience in insurance on his side, he also has an impressive amount of education including a designation as Fellow Chartered Insurance professional, the industry’s greatest distinction.
It has been Doug’s climb up the ladder, working from the ground up that gives him a down-to-earth perspective. Regardless of the size of the policies or the business requiring McLean & Shaw’s services, Doug treats them all as people first. Knowing their needs, their interests and being able to relate on a one-on-one level, sparks his passion to deliver the best and ignites his determination to provide complete coverage at a competitive price.
With the connections he’s garnered internationally, including such top insurers as Aviva and Economical, Doug goes the extra mile to deliver the best packages possible. Doug is known in the industry as a savvy negotiator with an unrelenting desire to be the best.
He’s also dedicated to giving back to the community and industry. He has participated on MacEwan University’s Advisory Council for the Insurance and Risk Management Diploma Program, the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s local Advisory Council and Past President of the Insurance Institute of Northern Alberta. In 2017 Doug was honoured to receive the leaders award for Business in Edmonton.

Phone: 780.452.5561Email: apeszko@mclean-shaw.com

Aleksandra is originally from Poland and immigrated to North America when she was 19 years old. She has been working in the insurance industry for 15 years, starting in Chicago in 2003 then moving to Canada in 2010. She joined McLean & Shaw in March 2018 as Senior Account Manager where she services commercial accounts that include property and transportation.
Aleksandra enjoys the daily challenges the insurance industry brings. Constantly learning something new fuels her interest on a daily basis as well as servicing her insureds. Aleksandra enjoys weight training, cooking and hiking the trails.

Phone: 780.452.5561Email: anobbee@mclean-shaw.com

Amanda has been in the insurance business since graduating from the Mount Royal University Insurance program in 2006. She has followed in her dad’s footsteps by getting into the insurance industry and has no regrets for doing so. She started with an insurer before switching to the broker side and has experience in personal and commercial lines.
She was happy to join McLean & Shaw in 2015 and enjoys working with this brokerage mainly because of the wide range of business and their willingness to work with their clients to get the best outcomes for them. A very professional group and management team that is flexible and work well together.
She has worked in Calgary, Lethbridge and Edmonton, and is qualified with her CAIB, Fellowship in the Insurance Institute of Canada, and the Canadian Risk Management designation.
Amanda’s interests surround her husband and son, in addition to golfing, camping and travel.

Phone: 780.452.5561Email: bconnelly@mclean-shaw.com

Brooke joined the McLean & Shaw team back in 2015. Since working on the broker side of the business for 14 years, Brooke has taken on roles from Account Assistant to Producer, specializing in Commercial Lines and Surety. Her passion and drive makes her an asset to her clients and to her team. Her credentials include Canadian Accredited Insurance Brokers (CAIB) and completion of Dale Carnegie Courses in Communication and Human Relations.
When Brooke is not in the office, you can find her at the gym, spin class, golfing or spending time with family and friends.

Phone: 780.452.5561Email: djohnson@mclean-shaw.com

Darlene started working at McLean & Shaw 20 years ago as the receptionist. It wasn’t long after her first year that she obtained her insurance license, started working in Personal Lines then moved on to the Commercial Department where she has spent the last 17 years. Her focus has been transportation, crane operations and commercial property.
She spends a lot of her time tending to her award winning rose garden, riding her motorcycle, camping and vacationing down south.

Phone: 780.452.5561Email: lvissia@mclean-shaw.com

Lisa began her insurance career as an insurance processor back in 2002, eventually obtaining her insurance license and gained experience in both commercial and personal lines insurance. By the time Lisa joined McLean & Shaw Insurance in 2015, she was well established as a Commercial Account Manager. Known for her hard work and product knowledge, Lisa exemplifies the ultimate insurance professional.
Lisa is the proud mother of 2 kids and 4 grandchildren whom she loves spending time with. Outside of her insurance career, Lisa and her husband are busy being cattle farmers, calving 200 head of cattle in the spring. With such a busy life, Lisa still manages to spend many weekends horseback riding in the mountains.

Phone: 780.452.5561Email: mproulx@mclean-shaw.com

Moria has been in the insurance industry since 2008. She brings with her experience in both personal and commercial insurance. She has been with McLean & Shaw since 2013 and currently works in our commercial lines department as a Commercial Account Manager. Moria strives to provide professional and outstanding customer service and is currently working on her CIP designation. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family in the great outdoors.

Phone: 780.452.5561Email: rlyster@mclean-shaw.com

Ryan Lyster has been a licensed insurance broker for 10 years, with a strong focus on Commercial risks and the transportation industry. The element Ryan enjoys the most about the insurance industry is the continual forging of new relationships. Ryan has amassed a proven track record of consistently exceeding expectations of the clients he represents. The diverse culture, history and market relationships solidified by McLean & Shaw over the last 60 years, has allowed Ryan to pass the benefits onto his clients. Ryan considers himself fortunate to have come from a large family and enjoys spending time at his parents farm with his wife and daughter.

Phone: 780.452.5561 Email: lchan@mclean-shaw.com

Louise comes to McLean & Shaw with 35 years insurance experience under her belt. Her insurance history ranges from group insurance, personal lines and commercial insurance, business development, administration and management. She has always found every aspect of insurance to be rewarding and challenging. Louise has seen a vast change in the industry over the decades but remains confident that the priority will always remain customer focused with a strong emphasis on service. Both Louise and McLean & Shaw believe that the customer is the back bone of any successful business.

Phone: 780.452.5561 Email: byaehne@mclean-shaw.com

Beverly brings a wealth of experience to McLean & Shaw. She’s been in the insurance industry for more than 30 years and has contributed her expertise to the team and clients of McLean & Shaw since joining the company nine years ago. With credentials from the Canadian Accredited Insurance Brokers (CAIB), she offers a great deal of proficiency in tackling the challenges of presenting the best possible policies to her clients. Beverly enjoys dealing directly with her clients and employs a highly professional approach to her work. She feels she is also assisted by the fact that McLean & Shaw is an independent brokerage with a team-related method of providing insurance solutions and a reputation for great customer service. In her downtime, Beverly likes to spend time with her dog and family.

Phone: 780.452.5561 Email: bwalkey@mclean-shaw.com

Ben Walkey began his insurance career in 2009 and has been with McLean & Shaw since July 2017 in the capacity of Personal Lines Insurance agent. His knack for problem solving and his superior technical knowledge has been a welcome asset. His clients are his priority; he continues to stay current on all trends and changes within the insurance industry to ensure his clients receive the best possible coverage at a competitive price.
Ben is a fan of all sports with hockey making the top of the list. His priority though is spending time with his wife and young family. Having a young daughter, Ben is quickly learning the ins and outs of ballet recitals and learning to cope with an all female household. Things are about to change as he and his wife are expecting a son in the fall.

Phone: 780.452.5561 Email: sklufas@mclean-shaw.com

Shelly was born and raised in Alberta and has spent 30 plus years working in the insurance industry. Her experience is diverse; starting out as a direct writing agent, moving on to becoming a commercial auto underwriter, an owner of a brokerage and now enjoying the challenges of being a Senior Account Executive. Shelly prides herself on putting the customer first and doing the best job possible for her clients, making her an outstanding insurance professional. She has obtained her CIP designation and is working on her CRM. Shelly enjoys music and dancing, and when she’s not donating her time to a good cause, she is connecting with family and friends.

Phone: 780.452.5561Email: rwhidden@mclean-shaw.com

Being a Senior Account Executive seems a long way from getting a degree in police science, but Ryan would likely say there are more similarities between the two experiences than you would suspect. For openers, it immersed him into the world of security and exactly how much people value it. The perspective on crime not only helped Ryan with his first job as a private investigator specializing in insurance fraud, it also opened doors to the world of insurance. Ryan’s career path also includes spending 10 years in the transportation industry including roles in dispatch, heavy haul coordination and management. Ryan’s background in security and transportation has allowed him the opportunity to join the ranks of McLean & Shaw and currently focuses on commercial lines sales and services. A member of the Professional Young Brokers Association of Alberta and the Applied Systems User Group of Alberta, Ryan enjoys working at McLean & Shaw for the family-like atmosphere and the broad spectrum of clients that the company will write business for. Working as part of a great team, Ryan likes the opportunities for growth and development and the challenges that push him to deliver even better service. Ryan also has a strong passion for hockey and has been involved in the sport as a player, coach and director for nearly 30 years. He also enjoys his time with his family, especially lending support to his children in their sports and hobbies.