NAIFA Members Serve Main Street

When Ryan Mulholland was young, his father told him that he should sell insurance. But it would take years of hard work—and no small amount of serendipity—for him to begin his career as an insurance agent. Now in his second year as a State Farm agent, he loves his work because he helps protect families every day. 

For Nicholas Lamanna, serving his hardworking clients is a passion both inside and outside of the office.

Getting Started

When Nicholas Lamanna graduated from Old Dominion University, he moved just outside of Manhattan to become a standup comic. He was waiting tables during the day and performing at night but knew he needed to make more money. He didn’t know the first thing about finance, but a hiring manager at a Midtown investment bank decided to take a chance on him. After a year as a stockbroker, Lamanna decided to pursue a master’s degree in finance and started his career at Northwestern Mutual not long after.

When Joshua Ruble graduated from college, he didn’t plan on a career in insurance. However, when a friend suggested a Risk Management Advisor role in Dallas, he quickly took the opportunity and relocated from Oregon.

Jamie Matson serves her clients at The Haney Company with a personal connection. 

Making a Difference

When Matson started her career in human resources, she soon found a passion for employee benefits. Through her work, she became acquainted with several colleagues in the insurance industry. So, when she decided it was time for a change, she took a role as an account executive at a benefits brokerage firm. 

When Cliff Kwartner was studying business administration in college, he didn’t know what he wanted to do. When he graduated, he narrowed his job offers down to two positions: mortgage broker or insurance agent. He decided to go into insurance because he saw it as a career rather than just a job. It was 2008—he made the right choice. 

Making a Difference

Kwartner loved his career from the start—he loved talking to new people and helping them plan for the life they wanted. One of the benefits of being an insurance agent is building relationships with others in the industry, says Kwartner. “Your reputation is your biggest asset. If you do good business and you do things the right way, that will go a long way.”

After several years in restaurant management, Erik Mickalson decided it was time for a change. He applied for a job at American Family Insurance, where his aunt and uncle were long-time agents. He got the job, but not because of nepotism—the recruiter who hired him didn’t find out about his family ties until months later.

After 16 years with American Family, Mickalson says the best thing about his job is being able to help people and protect families every day. He’s a multiline agent, but his bread and butter are life, home, auto, and commercial property insurance. While he works with a diverse array of clients, many of his clients are families like his own with middle-grade children. He jokes that his children’s soccer games are a great way to find prospects.

For Tori Chaulk, insurance runs in the family—it just skipped a few generations. Her great-grandmother was an insurance agent with Farm Bureau, and she was fascinated by it when she was growing up. So, when she graduated from the University of Tennessee, she decided to give it a try. 

Being an insurance agent turned out to be a perfect fit for Chaulk. She loves meeting new people every day and helping them find the right solutions for their unique situations. At Trey Bowen Legacy Insurance and Globe Life, she helps her clients with life insurance and property and casualty insurance. She’s especially passionate about life insurance, even though it can be a hard topic to talk about with clients. “[Life insurance] is the guaranteed insurance that you're going to use,” she says. “So, I’d rather help somebody plan for their family after they're not here rather than it be too late.”

Tinja Anderson is passionate about serving her clients and her community.

Serving Main Street USA

After spending a decade doing strategic sales and communications consulting for Fortune 500 companies, Tinja Anderson decided to make a change. “In consulting, it's all about business; it's never personal,” she says. When she joined MassMutual Greater Houston in 2018, she found that she liked the personal connection with her clients. Now, she provides comprehensive financial planning services, from fee-based planning to executive compensation to employee benefits. 

Alex Parker is dedicated to serving everyday citizens and helping underprivileged youth in his community.

Parker started his financial services career with Northwestern Mutual in 2019, providing comprehensive financial planning for Americans in over a dozen states. He works primarily with young professionals, helping them navigate their finances and manage wealth. The best thing about his career, he says, is seeing the impact he has on his clients’ lives and helping them become financially secure.

Greg Ling is dedicated to protecting families and making a difference in his community.

Ling started his career as a juvenile probation officer but soon transitioned to a customer service role in the insurance industry at Lincoln Financial Group. He jokes that, after working with teenagers, he knew he could handle working with sales representatives and upset customers. Ling excelled at his new position and quickly rose through the ranks. He was promoted five times in his first three years. However, when he reached the top of his customer service career, he decided to make the transition to sales.