Cheryl Koch has been in the insurance industry for a very, very long time. Now, you might think that makes her old, however, old is merely a state of mind. Over the years, Cheryl has served in nearly every capacity in an Independent Agency, having been an Account Manager, Producer and Agency Owner. She now devotes her time to agency management consulting and training and speaking at industry functions throughout the country. She is the President and CEO of Agency Management Resource Group located in Roseville, California. Cheryl consults on marketing and sales, sales management, agency operations, automation, and strategic planning.

Cheryl is also a devotee of lifelong learning and has earned a number of insurance industry professional designations: CPCU (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter), CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor), ARM (Associate in Risk Management), AAI (Accredited Adviser in Insurance), API (Associate in Personal Insurance), AAM (Associate in Automation Management), AIM (Associate in Management), AIS (Associate in Insurance Services), ARP (Associate in Research and Planning), ACSR (Accredited Customer Service Representative) and AFIS (Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist). It is the last designation, AFIS, of which she is most proud, having created it along with the late Dr. Emmett J. Vaughan. Some would say that Cheryl is a real insurance nerd, and she would not disagree.

Cheryl has a Bachelor's degree in Economics from UCLA and an MBA from Sacramento State University, where she served as a faculty member in their Risk Management and Insurance program for many years. She has also served as President of the Sacramento Chapter of CPCU and was on the CPCU Society's Board of Governors for three years. In July 2010, Cheryl also took on the responsibility of heading the Education Department for IBA West, the California 'Big I' state affiliate. In that capacity, she is responsible for advancing the association's educational initiatives and assisting members in growing and improving their agencies.

Cheryl is currently serving a three year appointment with the Curriculum Board of the California Department of Insurance and is a member of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America Virtual University Advisory Committee.

When she's not busy with her insurance activities, Cheryl enjoys spending time at baseball games, and has been to nearly every major league ballpark. She is a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, which should explain a lot about her.

Casey Roberts brings 35 years of experience in the insurance industry as a personal lines and commercial producer, sales manager, insurance consultant, continuing education teacher and trainer.

In 2010 Casey formed Laurus Insurance Consulting. The new company's name was chosen with intent and purpose. The name "Laurus" is derived from Latin words meaning "victory" or "success". The main purpose of Laurus Insurance Consulting is to help insurance professionals reach their goals and sales potential.

He has served as director for the AFIS (Agriculture & Farm Insurance Specialist) designation as well as on IBA West's Agribusiness committee. He received his Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) credentials in 1989, Accredited Customer Service Representative (ACSR) in 1992 and his AFIS designation in 2005.

His past continuing education efforts have included teaching topics on a national level as varied as: insurance agents/brokers errors and omissions, workers' compensation, agency management, personal lines, farm property & liability, excess & umbrella, risk management, agency operations and numerous other commercial lines topics.

Casey's other passions include a seldom improving golf game and officiating women's collegiate basketball in northern California.

Debby Hernandez is an agency management consultant and trainer. She is currently affiliated with Agency Management Resource Group (AMRG), a training, education, and consulting firm located in Lincoln, California, serving various facets of the insurance and financial services industries.

Most of Debby’s 24-year career has been spent in the Independent Agency system managing customer service personnel, agency operations and in training all levels of agency staff. Her experience includes servicing all lines of personal and commercial insurance, implementing agency policies and procedures, handling all aspects of insurance agency accounting as well as having been an agency owner herself. Debby’s experience also includes several years as an underwriter for an MGA.

Debby is fluent in with the Applied System having been a power user since 1997. She has helped many agencies revamp their service departments, implement procedures and cut overhead through efficient use of automation.

Debby is currently pursuing her ARM designation.

Doug Gant recently retired from State Farm Insurance and is an agency management consultant and educator, and a frequent speaker at insurance meetings.

Most of Doug’s 35-year career has been spent on the claims side of the business. His father was an insurance agent for over 25 years and directed Doug to a career in the insurance industry.

Doug received a B.A. in History from BYU. In addition, he has earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation and has also earned the Associate in Insurance Services.

Doug brings a long history of teaching excellence. He has received the Jack F. Derrickson award for outstanding course leadership in 2002, was appointed to the CPCU and IIA National Registry of Outstanding Course Leaders, and is currently an outstanding CPCU/IAA course leader for the Insurance Institute of America. These awards were in recognition for Doug’s teaching skills and his students’ high pass ratio on national exams. He has taught CPCU and IAA courses for the Insurance Educational Association (IEA), UC Davis Extension Program, and State Farm Insurance.

Doug is also an active member of the CPCU Society. He received the Society’s Leadership Recognition Award in 1993. He is a past President of the California Golden Empire Chapter, has participated on a national task force for the Society, and is currently on the National Nominating Committee. In addition Doug is an active member of the Boy Scouts of America. Doug’s main hobbies are family history and fly fishing (see photo of one that did not get away).

Mike Orrick's 25-year career in insurance sales began at MetLife, and California Marketing Services, where he excelled as a producer. Mike was the founder of Monkey Marketing, Inc., an insurance telemarketing company with an impressive national client list which included Heffernan Insurance Services, Farmers Insurance, Interwest Insurance, Owen and Dunn Insurance Services, George Peterson Insurance Services, Intercare Insurance, Aflac, and Warren G. Bender Co. from 2002 to 2006. Mike also did a stint out side of the insurance world from 1994-2002 where he was the sales manager for Soundstrategies, an audio advertising company and was the founder and CEO of CityVoice, a voice activated city guide to the greater Sacramento area.

Mike worked for Warren G. Bender Company a prominent Independent Insurance Agency from 2007-2010. He started as a full time producer. In 2008 Mike was named the Business Development Manager and in 2009 he was promoted to Sales Manager.

Mike left Warren G. Bender at the end of 2010 to pursue his passion for creative marketing and sales and joined IBA West as their Director of Membership and Sales.

He works closely with California Property and Casualty Brokers and Agents helping them with the products, services, education, and advocacy that IBA West provides for independent agents and brokers in California.

Mike also does sales consulting, teaching, and coaching for select agencies nationally.

Mike's years of experience in sales and as an entrepreneur of successful start ups has given him the knowledge of and insight to what it takes to be successful in the insurance sales profession. Mike's belief is that a good sales foundation consists of developing and perfecting the basics of prospecting: phone calls, door-to-door calls, and networking. He believes good sales people don't sell they build strong relationship with their prospects and clients that are created out of trust, respect and the professional services they bring forth.

Mike coaches boys high school and AAU basketball where he has coached for YBA AAU and Granite Bay High School. Mike also enjoys music, fishing, golf and having fun with his family and friends. Mike was born and raised in Roseville, California and graduated from Oakmont High School in 1985 before going on to San Francisco State where he majored in marketing. Mike has been married for twenty one years to his wife Kirsten and they live in Lincoln, California. They have two children Eden and Evan Orrick. Eden is a Sophomore at the University of Arizona and Evan is a Senior at Whitney High School.

Pat Gaffney is an insurance and risk management consultant and educator. He is currently the owner of Gaffney Insurance & Risk Management Consulting and is affiliated with Agency Management Resource Group, a training, education, and consulting firm located in Roseville, California, serving various facets of the insurance and financial services industries.

Pat’s lengthy career in the industry includes carrier experience as an underwriter and marketing representative, as well as experience as an agency producer and owner. Pat has also edited new insurance forms for a major insurance carrier, and rewritten insurance training manuals for a national insurance education credential program.

A graduate of the USF&G School of Insurance & Suretyship in Baltimore, Pat has also earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU), Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), and Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI) designations.

Pat has served as a guest lecturer at various universities, including California State University, Sacramento, the University of California at Davis, St. Mary’s College in Moraga, and Pepperdine University in Malibu. He authors and conducts industry seminars and workshops for IIABA, IBA West, Young Brokers and Agents of California (YBAC), the Western Insurance Agents Association (WIAA Group), and state independent agent associations throughout the country.

He is an instructor in Agency Management Resource Group’s new program, "The Ultimate Producer School," an innovative three-week program designed to provide sales and marketing, IT, risk management, technical, human resources, and other essential skills for tomorrow’s "ultimate" producer.

Pat is a member of the Advisory Committee for IIABA’s Project InVEST in Sacramento, the Sacramento Valley CPCU chapter’s Education Committee, and Chairman of its Candidate Development Committee. Pat was also appointed to the California Department of Insurance Curriculum Board, which advises the Commissioner of Insurance on matters of policy and content regarding standards for insurance agent licensing and continuing professional education.

Professional credentials...

Sherri Stein is an agency management consultant, and frequent speaker at industry meetings and events nationwide. She is an independent management consultant affiliated with the Agency Management Resource Group (AMRG) providing client focused solutions related to management/succession planning, agency valuation strategies, operational management and organization leadership to stimulate agency growth and improve profitability. AMRG is dedicated to helping insurance organizations become extraordinary.

With more than twenty-five years in the Insurance Industry, Sherri has worked for Safeco, Allstate and Crum & Forester Insurance carriers, Independent Agents/Brokers and Direct Writers. In addition to consulting, a sampling of the positions she has held include: Vice President of Operations, Marketing Director, and Director of Agency Business Consulting, Underwriter, Sales Manager, National Training Manager and agency owner. In addition, she has authored articles for various industry trade publications.

Sherri earned a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Alaska and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Washington. She has served on the National Board of InVEST; Seattle board chair of Business Volunteers for the Arts; IIABA's Council for Best Practices and as National Chairperson for the Agent and Broker Section of CPCU and is a licensed Agent Broker.

Consulting Services...

Sherri is a proven resource for enhancing agency growth, productivity and value, providing real solutions for real agencies. She has expertise in the areas of:

• Analyzing operating costs, revenue streams, compensation, value and productivity
• Workflows and improving staff productivity
• Maximizing the use of technology
• Desk management for zero backlog
• Strategic business planning & organizational development
• Perpetuation & succession planning
• Marketing, Producer acquisition & Sales Management
• Operations due diligence for merger/acquisition
• Comprehensive Errors & Omissions audits

Shirley Rosenberg is an agency management consultant and trainer. She is currently affiliated with Agency Management Resource Group (AMRG), a training, education, and consulting firm located in Roseville, California, serving various facets of the insurance and financial services industries.

Most of Shirley’s 35-year career has been spent in managing human resources, accounting, and in training all levels of agency staff. Her experience includes servicing all lines of personal and commercial insurance, implementing agency policies and procedures, and handling all aspects of insurance agency accounting, including audits for operating and fiduciary accounts.

Shirley has earned the Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI) designation. She has also been a very active member of IBA West, including membership on the Board of Directors, the Agency Management committee, and serving as Chairman of the Education committee.

In addition to her work with independent agencies, Shirley currently serves as the Political Action Consultant for IBA West and is responsible for mobilizing California agents, brokers, and their clients on a grassroots level, regarding legislative issues. Shirley has long been dedicated to serving as an advocate for the interests of independent insurance agents and brokers.