Pancho Villa's last words are said to have been, “Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something.”

(Which now makes me wish I'd saved this for my last column.)

So you might have noticed this month's cover is full of words that aren't our own. We wanted our Broker of the Year finalists this year to define themselves in a single word.

(Which shouldn't be as hard as it sounds in today's abbreviated social media environment. They're lucky they got a whole word.)

It's been an interesting exercise and a nice departure for our sixth annual Broker of the Year finalists. Call it a minimalist approach, but it can be productive—and revealing—to boil things down to their essence. We do it a lot here in the office—where nicknames crop up more than hangovers.

And don't think we didn't consider the inherent risks in this endeavor. How do we coordinate this logistical, Seussian nightmare (five photographers—including one prima donna—shooting five subjects in five states scattered across the country and somehow they all have to look and feel similar)? What if we get duplicates? What if someone doesn't want to play?

To wit, let's look at this year's crop, which also offers a “backstage” glimpse of what we do here. Oh, and some words offer meanings more readily apparent than others:

• There's Retirement Guy—Dean Clune, area vice president of Gallagher Retirement Services. He's the first one we shot, which pretty much set the tone. He's “innovative,” and in today's retirement market, you simply have to be.
• Then there's Aaron Davis, president of NextLogical Benefit Strategies, who we dubbed “Soul Patch,” because of the hip look he rocked in the photos. (Definitely a Benefits Selling first.) But that's two words, besides, we didn't get to pick. He went with “creative” and his proactive business shows it's more than a buzzword.
• Debbie Gilbert, owner and president of Innovative Insurance Solutions out of Texas—there's always a Texan—seemed to have the most fun. Her “authentic” approach to taking care of her clients is clear.
• Ah, Tinker Kelly, president of Voluntary Employee Benefit Advisors, down in Nashville. (I think I see him at every trade show.) The man's an industry staple and a consummate “professional.”
• Finally, there's Trey McLaughlin, principal of McLaughlin Smoak & Clarke Benefits from my publisher's first love, South Carolina. If you couldn't already tell from his screaming pantaloons and bowtie, his word choice, “collaborative strategry” certainly sets him apart from the crowd.