Our Brokers/Agents:

*See Executive Staff

Jim Gellein, CISR-Marketing Manager...top
After serving in the Navy and attending the University of Washington Jim entered the insurance business in 1983.  He joined Colonial Western Insurance in 1990 and has performed well in various departments and roles such as accounting, automation, health, personal lines and commercial lines.  He has taken his experience from these assignments and applied that to his role of Marketing Manager in which he handles the sale of small commercial lines accounts, and works with our other brokers to market and place medium and large commercial accounts with our insurance carriers.

Robert Duarte, Account Executive ...top
Robert is a graduate of San Diego State University.  He started his insurance career with State Farm Insurance Company and held the positions of personal lines underwriter, underwriting manager, agent and commercial lines insurance specialist.  His vast and diverse background enabled him to become very successful selling commercial lines insurance with State Farm by evaluating and analyzing exposure basis and consulting on coverage’s with his clients.  Robert jointed Colonial Western Insurance in 2006 after 15 year’s with State Farm and now specializes in the medium and large commercial account arena.  Robert is fluent in Spanish and is knowledgeable in all commercial product lines.

Shannon Emory, Account Executive ...top
Shannon Emory attended San Diego State University and has over 20 years of experience as a commercial Account Manager in the independent insurance agency field.  She has successfully written new business and managed large books of business, maintaining excellent client and company relationships.  Prior to joining Colonial Western, she was an Account Manager for a large, regional property and casualty agency that specialized in physician related risks. 

Dana Greatman, Account Executive ...top
Dana attended the University of California following her move from Chicago to California.  She began her career in the insurance industry shortly after college and started with Colonial Western in 1984.  She started as a customer service representative and moved into sales and currently holds the position of account executive in the sales department.  Dana’s experience, knowledge, and commitment to continuing education in has enabled her to develop long term relationships with her many clients.  Her focus is to provide the best protection and pricing by focusing on her clients needs.  Dana handles all sizes of commercial accounts and specializes in the artisan contractors’ field. 

Joe Jones-CPCU, Account Executive ...top
Joe graduated from Fresno State University with a degree in Business Administration, earned his Certified Property and Casualty Underwriters designation in 1973, and MA degree in Strategic Market Planning for Northwestern University in 1989.  He has been in the insurance business since 1969 and has held positions as Branch Manager for Home Insurance Company and Regional Executive for Zurich Insurance Company before joining Colonial Western in 2000.  Joe handles all sizes and classes of commercial insurance and has special expertise in the farming and artisan contractors’ fields while working our of Colonial’s Fresno location.

John McCardell, Account Executive ...top
John has been a member of the insurance community for over 50 years.  After attending the University of Southern California he started his career on the insurance company side of the business before moving to the agency/brokerage business.  John ultimately became the president of an agency and coordinated that company’s acquisition by Colonial Western where he became the branch manager of Colonial’s San Diego location.  John has served the industry in various capacities over the years as a member of the State Board of Director’s of the Independent Brokers and Agents of CA, president of the San Diego Independent Brokers and Agents Association, and San Diego agent of the year.  Today John is an account executive specializing in the commercial insurance arena and handles all sizes of commercial businesses.

Hilda Mesropy, Personal Lines Manager ...top
Hilda was born in Tehran, Iran and graduated with honors from the University of Tehran with a BA in Literature.  Following her graduation she worked in London, England before returning to Tehran to work in the United States Embassy from 1974 to 1979 in the Personnel Department.  She immigrated to the United States following the government changes in Iran, and started her career in the insurance industry in 1984.  She has held various positions in the personal lines arena specializing in entertainment and high net worth clients and since 2001 has managed the personal lines operation at Colonial Western.  Hilda handles all types of personal lines coverage’s and can assist clients in placing business with our personal lines insurance companies.