Headquarters:

Tucson, AZ

Year founded:

2007

Number of employees:

Phone:

520 917 5295

Email:

info@rightsure.com

Website:

rightsure.com

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/rightsure-insurance-group

“It’s our willingness to consider unique circumstances and offer innovative solutions where other carriers may not”

Christine Schneider, Arch Insurance

Jeff Arnold

Founder

Felicia Garcia

Executive Vice President

ShaunMonet Kunkel

Vice President, Finance

Leadership

Jeff Arnold has been called a thought leader and a global ambassador for the insurance industry. He is the president of RIGHTSURE, a hybrid platform that is part insurance agency, part insurtech, and part aggregator. He is a two-time best-selling author and enjoys writing and speaking on All Things Insurance. In his nearly 30 years as an industry leader, Arnold has participated in over 60 transactions involving the sale or purchase of agencies, MGAs, and companies. Renowned for his expertise in mergers and acquisitions (he pioneered new “deep diving” due diligence standards), he has managed deals ranging from a few hundred thousand to more than $100 million.

Founder

Jeff Arnold

Felicia Garcia has been in the insurance industry for 19 years and is the executive vice president of RIGHTSURE. She has been involved in three insurance start-ups, ranging in size from 44 to 160 employees. She executes strategy for the technology and operations sides of the company’s business model. Garcia completed Columbia University in the City of New York’s Executive Education Program and holds several distinguished certificates from Harvard’s Executive Online Program, HarvardX. 

Executive Vice President

Felicia Garcia

Shaun Monet Kunkel, vice president of finance for RIGHTSURE, has worked in the insurance industry for over 30 years. Before joining RIGHTSURE three years ago, she had collective experience on both the agency and carrier sides. She had been a principal for an independent agency conducting both personal and commercial business in Arizona. She also held several positions at AIG in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas, culminating her career as vice president of sales. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona and her MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Vice President, Finance

ShaunMonet Kunkel

“It’s our willingness to consider unique circumstances and offer innovative solutions where other carriers may not”

Christine Schneider, Arch Insurance

Leadership

“It’s our willingness to consider unique circumstances and offer innovative solutions where other carriers may not”

Christine Schneider, Arch Insurance

Leadership

Juliette Burke

Vice President, Licensing and Compliance

Juliette Tetley-Burke didn’t always plan on a career in insurance. For 10 years, she worked as a teacher. When she decided that a career change was in order, she learned that Jeff Arnold needed someone with an education background for corporate training. After several rounds of interviews, she decided to become a licensed insurance agent and accepted the position. That was almost 15 years ago, and she’s been working in insurance ever since. She has a bachelor’s degree in education from UCSD, as well as her CISR designation, and she’s working toward her CIC designation.

Vice President Compliance, Accounting

Juliette Burke

Cristi Carrington

Chief Distribution Officer

Cristi Carrington has worked in the insurance industry for over 25 years and is the point person for Brown & Riding’s carrier relationships. She manages the underwriting division and has developed many specialized programs for the company during her tenure, including a Habitational program, DIC, MPL, All Risk, including Wind & Earthquake, and a nationwide risk purchasing group for a top 40 nationally ranked retailer. Carrington works on several committees and industry associations. She currently serves on WSIA’s Board of Directors as the PAC committee co-chair and is vice president of the Surplus Line Association of Washington Board of Directors.

Chief Distribution Officer

Cristi Carrington

RIGHTSURE is North America’s most-awarded insurance firm providing coverage for pets to jets, homes and drones, and all things in between. It operates across 42 states and prides itself on delivering a superior client experience by leveraging proprietary and third-party technology. RIGHTSURE is also renowned for creating a positive and energetic work environment, referring to its staff as Famously Friendly Humans. “We are an 85-percent female executive firm that lends itself to the high value we place on employee engagement, client experiences, and seek to provide a work-life balance that embraces new ideologies about work and the many professionals these days seeking to work for a firm that understands the need for a career to fit in with other life goals,” explains ShaunMonet Kunkel, vice president, finance. The company ensures its workforce is supported in a variety of ways. There is a benefits and compensation committee that annually reviews compensation packages, so they remain at a competitive level relative to the marketplace. Alongside an attractive base salary, the benefits employees receive include:

Christopher Welty, PHR, SHRM-CP

Chief Human Resources Officer

Andrew Grim

Executive Director of Specialty, National Casualty Practice Leader

Nealy Farshadi

Principal, Strategic Client Relations

Simon Williams

Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955

Christopher Welty joined Brown & Riding in 2007 as an HR assistant and swiftly advanced within the company. His dedication and talent led to a series of promotions, culminating in his appointment as the firm’s CHRO in 2019. During his tenure, Welty has seen B&R more than quadruple in growth. He helped successfully integrate the company through two mergers and has been a strong advocate for many of the company’s important benefit plan enhancements. He excels at collaboration and has been a key contributor in establishing and promoting the company’s culture and offering programs and opportunities to help employees.

Chief Human Resources Officer

Christopher Welty, PHR, SHRM-CP

Andrew Grim is Brown & Riding’s executive director of specialty and works with the Executive Leadership Team and Practice Group Leaders to promote marketing uniformity, streamline recruiting efforts, and manage specialty formation and development. He is also tasked with spearheading innovative strategies for the firm’s industry and specialty practice areas. Grim also serves as B&R’s National Casualty Practice Leader, a position he has held since 2021, overseeing the practice group’s continued growth and marketplace reputation. He has been a member of WSIA’s Membership & Ethics Committee since 2018 and is also an IICF Southeast Division Board Member.

Executive Director of Specialty, National Casualty Practice Leader

Andrew Grim

Nealy Farshadi is instrumental in helping strengthen and grow Brown & Riding’s client relationships. She maintains and improves quality procedures, oversees B&R’s ISO certification, and manages the firm’s client feedback program. Her contributions enable the executive management team to act on client input effectively. As a result, B&R’s client feedback scores greatly exceed the average and continue to improve each year. Farshadi also supports and furthers the growth of B&R and its employees by contributing to professional development within the organization and being a resource to staff.

Principal, Strategic Client Relations

Nealy Farshadi

Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.

Partner

Kimi Shah

Partner

Kimi Shah

Partner

Kimi Shah

Sarah M Stewart

Associate Vice President, Leasing and Call Centre Operations

Karen Bannister, CM

Vice President, Marketing

Dave Longbottom

Chief Technology Officer

Alex Ventura

Head of Marketing

Damian Palovick

Senior Vice President of Underwriting AXA XL – Delegated Authority Programs, North America

Dr. Mary Lavoie

Head of Risk Management and Senior Vice President AXA XL – Delegated Authority Programs, North America

Mark Bernacki

Chief Underwriting Officer

Ryan Armijo

Chief Operating Officer, Underwriting Division

Bob Petrilli

President, Underwriting Division

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RIGHTSURE

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Small business

Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability

Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance

Turnaround time – claims

BDM support

Broker communication, training and development

Overall service level

BDM support

Medal

Overall service level

Broker communication, training and development

BDM support

Turnaround time – claims

Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance

Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability

Small business

Medal

Overall service level

Broker communication, training and development

BDM support

Turnaround time – claims

Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance

Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability

Small business

“We value technical expertise, fact-based and data-driven analysis, communication, and collaboration”

Francine Minervini, Arch Insurance

“We value technical expertise, fact-based and data-driven analysis, communication, and collaboration”

Francine Minervini, Arch Insurance

“We value technical expertise, fact-based and data-driven analysis, communication, and collaboration”

Francine Minervini, Arch Insurance

property and casualty employee benefits personal risk program and retirement

Headquartered in Valhalla, NY, USI connects over 10,000 industry-leading professionals from approximately 200 offices to serve clients’ local, national, and international needs. USI has become a premier insurance brokerage and consulting firm by leveraging the USI ONE Advantage, an interactive platform that integrates proprietary and innovative client solutions, networked local resources, and enterprise-wide collaboration to deliver customized results with positive, bottom-line impact. With a long history of deep and continuing investment in local communities, USI attracts best-in-class industry talent. To learn more about USI or to view available career opportunities, visit usi.com.

technical excellence portfolio management data analytics focusing on communication collaboration

These factors are actively and routinely reaffirmed by senior vice president and chief technical claims officer Francine Minervini. She says, “We value technical expertise, fact-based and data-driven analysis, communication, and collaboration. Our process incorporates communication throughout the life of the claim and encourages communication with insureds, brokers, claims management, and our underwriters and actuaries.” Eager to develop and become better, Arch has a raft of future plans to boost its offerings amid the rapid pace of technological change. “We are in the midst of a system transformation that will modernize our claims system; we are also working with Strategic Analytics to introduce AI into the claims mail process,” shares Shiva Altadonna, senior vice president, claims shared services. “As a starting point, it will allow us to identify and route First Notice of Loss even faster to our claims professionals for handling and give quicker peace of mind to our customers that we are fanatical about responsiveness.”

“It’s our willingness to consider unique circumstances and offer innovative solutions where other carriers may not,” says Christine Schneider, senior vice president, casualty claims. “Also, strategically executing on opportunities based on market conditions has continuously supported Arch’s growth.” Leadership encourages all segments of the business to be bold, take calculated risks, celebrate accomplishments, and learn from mistakes. The focus is placed on the goals of each initiative, along with the necessary specific strategies. A key factor in Arch’s success has been the implementation of a new claims system that interlinks with the firm’s ‘North Star’ of placing employees in a position where they can add value on a daily basis. Senior vice president, financial and specialty claims Brian Kristiansen says, “We segment claims by line of business and hire employees with experience in those lines. We provide them with additional training and mentoring to ensure the continued development of expertise in those lines.” Another driver of Arch’s market-leading performance is its investment in data analytics and data transformation, increasing its ability to utilize business intelligence to improve product offerings and the abilities of its claims department, with a strong emphasis on claims handling and claims excellence. In addition, the firm continuously seeks feedback from the broker community on any areas where they would like to see potential improvement, particularly in claims service. Arch Claims specifically has done considerable work around communication with brokers over the past year, including an extensive survey to solicit feedback on the claims experience. Schneider says, “Through their commentary, we strive to be able to build even more trusting, respectful, and responsive relationships with all of our partners.” The claims department underscores the importance of:

• health/dental/life insurance • matching retirement fund contributions • on-site gym • weekly catered or self-ordered meals • RIGHTSURE gear that their people are proud to wear • PTO program of 26 days per year

Annually, RIGHTSURE also invests a significant sum in intentionally designed and individually crafted continuing education programs. Juliette Burke, vice president, legal and compliance, comments, “While some of this will, of course, include how to read and interpret the legal contracts we sell known as insurance, the majority of our staff development is focused on communication, authenticity, conflict resolution, and a self-assessment of skills needing to be improved.” Another key part of the firm’s success is the result of creating a collegial environment, where a true team ethic exists. “Every single member of our leadership team is intimately involved in re-recruiting each of their staff regularly and often. We are proud to showcase on our website, in our social media, and on the television sets around our office the anniversary milestones and accomplishments of our staff,” says Felicia Garcia, executive vice president. Tech is embraced at RIGHTSURE, which enables the team to not only deliver for clients but also to grow as professionals. The firm is mindful, though, of only introducing appropriate tech that doesn’t shackle its workflows or operations. Jeff Arnold, RIGHTSURE’s founder, adds, “No technology is integrated or implemented at RIGHTSURE without an exhaustive, meditative reflection of how it will impact our staff, our policyholders, or our vendors.” With RIGHTSURE’s reputation for being an innovative and customer-driven firm, the difference maker for employees is the internal environment, which is distinct and unique. “The relentless focus on building and shaping our company culture is instantly felt whenever someone visits or calls. Real authentic culture doesn’t have to be spoken of. You can feel our company’s culture the moment you interact with someone at RIGHTSURE,” notes Arnold.

Annually, RIGHTSURE also invests a significant sum in intentionally designed and individually crafted continuing education programs. XXX comments, “While some of this will, of course, include how to read and interpret the legal contracts we sell known as insurance, the majority of our staff development is focused on communication, authenticity, conflict resolution, and a self-assessment of skills needing to be improved.” Another key part of the firm’s success is the result of creating a collegial environment, where a true team ethic exists. “Every single member of our leadership team is intimately involved in re-recruiting each of their staff regularly and often. We are proud to showcase on our website, in our social media, and on the television sets around our office the anniversary milestones and accomplishments of our staff,” says Felicia Garcia Executive Vice President. Tech is embraced at RIGHTSURE, which enables the team to not only deliver for clients but also to grow as professionals. The firm is mindful, though, of only introducing appropriate tech that doesn’t shackle its workflows or operations. Jeff Arnold, RIGHTSURE’s Founder adds, “No technology is integrated or implemented at RIGHTSURE without an exhaustive, meditative reflection of how it will impact our staff, our policyholders, or our vendors.” With RIGHTSURE’s reputation for being an innovative and customer-driven firm, the difference maker for employees is the internal environment, which is distinct and unique. “The relentless focus on building and shaping our company culture is instantly felt whenever someone visits or calls. Real authentic culture doesn’t have to be spoken of. You can feel our company’s culture the moment you interact with someone at RIGHTSURE,” notes Jeff Arnold, RIGHTSURE’s Founder.

• health/dental/life insurance • matching retirement fund contributions • on-site gym • weekly catered or self-ordered meals • RIGHTSURE gear that they are proud to wear • PTO program of 26 days per year

Annually, RIGHTSURE also invests a significant sum in intentionally designed and individually crafted continuing education programs. XXX comments, “While some of this will, of course, include how to read and interpret the legal contracts we sell known as insurance, the majority of our staff development is focused on communication, authenticity, conflict resolution, and a self-assessment of skills needing to be improved.” Another key part of the firm’s success is the result of creating a collegial environment, where a true team ethic exists. “Every single member of our leadership team is intimately involved in re-recruiting each of their staff regularly and often. We are proud to showcase on our website, in our social media, and on the television sets around our office the anniversary milestones and accomplishments of our staff,” says XXX. Tech is embraced at RIGHTSURE, which enables the team to not only deliver for clients but also to grow as professionals. The firm is mindful, though, of only introducing appropriate tech that doesn’t shackle its workflows or operations. XXX adds, “No technology is integrated or implemented at RIGHTSURE without an exhaustive, meditative reflection of how it will impact our staff, our policyholders, or our vendors.” With RIGHTSURE’s reputation for being an innovative and customer-driven firm, the difference maker for employees is the internal environment, which is distinct and unique. “The relentless focus on building and shaping our company culture is instantly felt whenever someone visits or calls. Real authentic culture doesn’t have to be spoken of. You can feel our company’s culture the moment you interact with someone at RIGHTSURE,” notes XXX.