Headquarters:
10 Shackleford Plaza, Suite 203, Little Rock, AR 72211
Year founded:
2018
Number of employees:
54
Phone:
501 475 7887
Email:
marketing@rvuins.com
Website:
rvuins.com
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/river-valley-underwriters
Jon Adams
Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Adams
President
Noelle DeFede
Partner and Chief Strategy Officer
Leadership
Jon Adams is the CEO of River Valley Underwriters (RVU). He joined RVU in 2020. Since his arrival, the company has experienced dynamic growth, strengthening its position as one of the leading independently owned MGA and wholesale brokers.
Prior to RVU, Adams served as executive vice president and later president of M.J. Kelly Company, where he directly oversaw day-to-day operations and strategic planning. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and financial management services from Missouri State University.
Chief Executive Officer
Jon Adams
Andrew Adams is the president and founder of River Valley Underwriters (RVU). He established RVU in 2018 and continues to oversee its day-to-day operations, including leadership of the underwriting teams.
Adams was named a RISE Professionals 35 Under 35 award winner in 2024 in recognition of his leadership and industry impact. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Management from Southern Methodist University (SMU).
President
Andrew Adams
Noelle DeFede is a partner and the chief strategy officer at Union Risk Services, where she leads the firm’s claims division with a specialized focus on captive insurance claims management. She works closely with captive clients to strengthen claims practices, improve loss outcomes, and protect long-term captive profitability. DeFede advises clients on best practices around claims reporting, documentation, communication, litigation management, and loss mitigation, helping ensure that claims are handled strategically from day one. Her leadership has been instrumental in Union Risk’s ability to deliver a hands-on, claims-focused captive insurance experience for middle-market and large commercial clients.
Partner and Chief Strategy Officer
Noelle DeFede
Jonathan Hoey
Chief Underwriting Officer
Jonathan Hoey, chief underwriting officer, brings over 20 years of insurance leadership to Western Financial Group. He leads underwriting and claims strategy, optimizing carrier partnerships and empowering high-performing teams. Hoey is recognized for his collaborative, integrity-driven leadership and has expanded Western’s delegated authority and specialty program capabilities, driving strategic growth and strengthening the company’s competitive edge across Canada.
Chief Underwriting Officer
Jonathan Hoey
Nicky Skinner
Business Development Manager
Nicky Skinner, based in Christchurch, was honoured as NZ Adviser’s BDM of the Year. With over 20 years of banking experience – including roles as bank manager, private banker and senior lender – she brings deep expertise to her work. Skinner supports mortgage advisers with product knowledge and deal presentation skills, focusing on building strong, trusted relationships. Her collaborative approach and dedication make her a valued resource, consistently praised for her guidance and support in helping advisers achieve outstanding client outcomes.
Business Development Manager
Nicky Skinner
Sarah Radonich
Third Party Support Manager
Steph Leeson
Business Development Manager
Margaret Leau-Sulusi
Business Development Manager
Pam Chhabra
Manager – Residential Strata
Sarah Radonich is a third party support manager (relief BDM) at Westpac, building strong relationships with mortgage advisers across New Zealand. With 15 years of banking experience, she supports a wide range of regions and communities, working alongside a team of experienced BDMs. Radonich is known for her responsiveness, collaboration and focus on delivering efficient, results-driven experiences for advisers and their clients, always striving for the best possible outcomes.
Third Party Support Manager
Sarah Radonich
Steph Leeson immigrated from the UK 14 years ago and began her Westpac career as a specialist lender. Now a business development manager, she supports mortgage advisers across Auckland and Northland, offering expert guidance and support. Leeson is highly regarded for her lending knowledge, responsiveness and collaborative approach. Her dedication was recognised nationally as a finalist for the 2025 NZ Adviser BDM of the Year award, reflecting her impact within the third party channel.
Business Development Manager
Steph Leeson
Margaret Leau-Sulusi brings over 20 years of banking experience to her role as business development manager, having started with Westpac in 2005. Her background includes lending support, senior lending roles and branch management. Leau-Sulusi partners closely with mortgage advisers, providing product expertise and strategic guidance to drive strong client outcomes. Known for her collaborative style and responsiveness, she is passionate about building trusted relationships and delivering customer-focused results.
Business Development Manager
Margaret Leau-Sulusi
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Commercial Manager
Stephen McMillan
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Adam Basaldella
Manager – Claims
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Product Manager
Claire Watson
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Commercial Manager
Stephen McMillan
“We also maintain open lines of communication with advisers so they know what to expect and can plan accordingly”
Hayley Burgess, ANZ Bank New Zealand
“We’ve invested heavily in resourcing and process improvements to reduce friction and speed up approvals”
Hayley Burgess, ANZ Bank New Zealand
In an industry where speed, relationships, and market access define success, River Valley Underwriters (RVU) has carved out a reputation as one of the most dynamic independent managing general agents (MGAs) in the US wholesale insurance market. Headquartered in Arkansas, this family-owned and operated business has achieved rapid, consistent growth — and the reasons behind that are deeply rooted in its culture and the people who lead it.
RVU was built over more than 30 years. Led by CEO Jon Adams and President Andrew Adams, the firm operates as a service-first organisation with a clear ethos: answer the phone, solve the problem, deliver the result. As the firm puts it, “When you call RVU, your call is answered by a real person, and when you call an underwriter, you can expect them to pick up the phone and speak with you directly.” In a marketplace increasingly defined by automation and impersonal processes, that personal touch has become a differentiator.
The emphasis on speed of service has been “pushed from the top down,” with the Adams family driving the growth strategy and instilling a culture that values both profitability and people. Being independently owned means RVU can act decisively — free from the bureaucracy that slows larger, corporate-owned operators.
At the heart of RVU’s recent revenue growth lies a clear strategic focus: speed of service combined with breadth and depth of market access. The firm has positioned itself as a genuine one-stop shop for retail agents, allowing producers to place a wide range of risks without shopping across multiple wholesalers. “We truly want to be a one stop shop for the retailers,” the company explains, adding that staying on top of market trends allows them to help “carriers and agents succeed no matter what the market is doing.”
This agility — planning for growth while adapting to an ever-changing marketplace — has allowed RVU to capitalise on commercial opportunities as they arise. As the firm acknowledges, “You always plan for certain growth goals, but you have to be able to adapt in the ever-changing marketplace.”
A significant portion of RVU’s client base has grown organically through prior connections and word-of-mouth referrals. Their reputation for exceptional service creates a self-reinforcing cycle: agents who experience RVU’s responsiveness recommend them to others, driving new business without heavy marketing spend. It is a model that rewards consistency and follow-through above all else.
Growth at this pace demands strong talent, and RVU approaches recruitment and training with the same hands-on philosophy it brings to client service. New underwriting assistants are paired directly with senior underwriters, learning on the job while gradually being given greater autonomy. The goal is to develop confident, capable professionals who can act independently — while always having experienced support on hand.
With ambitions to become one of the top independent MGA and wholesale brokers in the space, RVU shows no sign of slowing. Their formula — relationships, technical expertise, speed, and the right people — has proven to be the foundation of something genuinely built to last.
IQumulate invests in education and people, which are vital to attracting new business and talent to the company.
“We have long tenures for several of our key staff, including some in leadership positions, and this sound working knowledge of our business, practices and industry provides great insights and a wealth of experience to offer our clients,” says Bastow. “Our new head of sales, Graeme Gordon, formerly manager for New Zealand, joins us in Australia to drive our sales strategy and lead our team to successful outcomes for our clients and our business. We look forward to great things ahead with Graeme as he continues to be active and present in the New Zealand market as well as building sound working relationships and new connections in Australia.”
Clients can also expect a lot from working with IQumulate.
“Through active engagement with our trusted broker network, IQumulate provides relevant information, education and training content,” says Graeme Gordon, head of sales. “Our clients can expect IQumulate to support their business in several ways, providing an understanding of what premium funding solutions are available and how IQumulate can spread the cost of insurance and help borrowers get the right level of insurance cover to free up their cash flow for other expenses or business growth opportunities. Premium funding is often considered a tool for those who simply cannot afford to pay their premiums in full. While this is certainly a significant driver for many, it is also successfully used by profitable companies who use premium funding to manage their cash flows more wisely or better manage their liquidity.”
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