You know the facts: insurance agents as a group are aging; the median age of a principal at an insurance agency, according to McKinsey & Co., is in …
Read MoreAre You Buyer Material?
May 14, 2020
Many agencies might not have considered selling in the past, but today’s attractive market has opened their eyes. For some, the time is right and valuation multiples are …
Read MoreSuccession Planning, Business Valuation, and the Bottom Line
May 7, 2020
Succession for your agency may seem a long way down the road, but it is never too early to begin planning for your eventual departure since it can …
Read MoreRise Above
April 30, 2020
All insurance agencies should have business goals that are well thought out. Your agency goals for this year should include:
Maximizing market opportunities; Driving increased sales; Reducing customer …
Read MoreThe Future of Personal Lines
April 23, 2020
From chatbots to instant quotes, insurers have long been at the forefront of the insurance community when it comes to digitalization and technology. Aimed at making the insurance …
Read MoreDigitalization and the Human Element Go Hand in Hand
April 16, 2020
As a CEO, I make it my job to stay abreast of insurance industry trends. Very little truly surprises me, but earlier this year I read something that …
Read MoreNo App? No Problem
April 9, 2020
Over 40% of online transactions now happen on mobile, and 62% of consumers are less likely to purchase again from a brand that provides a negative mobile experience, …
Read More5 Technology Trends Shaping Insurance in 2020
April 2, 2020
One look at the current insurance industry landscape is all you need to know that technology plays an integral role in this field. However, the degree to which …
Read MoreWake-Up Call on Walking
March 26, 2020
A new report projects that 6,227 pedestrian fatalities occurred in 2018, the highest number in nearly three decades. Pedestrians will account for 16% of all traffic deaths in …
Read MoreRideshare Scares
March 19, 2020
Personal auto insurance has always been more complicated than most policyholders realize.
But with the advent of ridesharing services leading many individuals to use their personal vehicles for …
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Mike Rice, Principal
Mike received his Bachelor of Arts from DePauw University and his Law Degree from Vanderbilt University. Mike has spent his entire life and almost his entire career in the insurance industry. Mike grew up in the insurance business around an independent agency founded by his grandfather and then run by his father. After graduating from and spending time with the Taft, Stettinius & Hollister law firm, Mike spent 12 years with American Financial Group, Inc., and its insurance affiliates, Great American Insurance Group and Great American Financial Resources. He founded The Insurance Connection in 2005. Mike resides in Cincinnati, OH with his family.

John Hayskar, Regional Vice President
John earned his Bachelor degree in Occupational Safety from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He has 25 years of experience helping large and small businesses achieve their financial goals. He has worked for manufacturers building their risk management programs, as well as for independent insurance agencies providing consultative services and selling P&C products. John joined The Insurance Connection in 2019. He focuses on identifying and recruiting new members and increasing awareness of SIAA with prospective agent partners. John is a licensed Property & Casualty and Life & Health Producer. He is originally from Palatine, Illinois and moved to the Cincinnati area in 2017 to be closer to family.

Sara Rogers, Personal Lines | Access Plus Manager
Sara has been a Property & Casualty Agent for over 17 years, specializing in personal lines. She started in the insurance industry as a telemarketer where she obtained her property and casualty license as well as her life and health insurance license. Sara has prior experience closing sales for Fortune 500 companies and as the office manager and lead underwriter for American Heritage Insurance Group’s Springfield office. Sara joined The Insurance Connection in 2014 and is the personal lines point of contact for newly signed ISMs until they receive their direct appointments with carriers. Sara resides in Medway, OH with her husband and has three children.

Bill Caesar, CIC, CPCU, Agency Development Field Specialist | Commercial Lines
Bill grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Wisconsin in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. He has been in the property & casualty insurance industry his entire career. Bill Lives in Centerville, Ohio with his wife Karen. They enjoy spending time with their three Newfoundland dogs, golfing and playing bridge.

Beth Fisher, Operations
Beth received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University. Beth has prior experience working as the Project Coordinator for the Loveland Area Chamber of Commerce. Beth has been with The Insurance Connection since 2011 and is a licensed agent specializing in bonds. She is in charge of Access Plus Commission, Agency/Carrier Codes, SIAA Compliance and Quarterly Reporting through the SIAA Business Planner. Beth resides in Loveland, OH with her husband and three daughters.

Melanie Bosse, Marketing & Communications
Melanie received her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with a focus in Media Production from Miami University in 2015. Prior to joining American Heritage Insurance Group and The Insurance Connection team, Melanie worked as a Police Dispatcher for the City of Cincinnati, prior to which she worked for DuBois Book Store handling their marketing, merchandising, social media and web production. She resides in Cleves, OH.

Holly Schick, Accountant
Holly received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus in Accounting from Xavier University. Holly’s accounting experience spans over 26 years in general accounting for small to mid-sized businesses and not-for-profit’s. Holly has worked for The Insurance Connection since 2011. She resides in West Chester, OH with her husband, Robert, and son, Joey.

Jim Colyer, Personal Lines
Jim joined American Heritage in 2020 after moving to the Cincinnati area from Pennsylvania. He was born in Germany and grew up in many different places because his dad was in the Navy. He is married with one son and a dog and has lived most of his adult life in Pennsylvania. Jim has worked in the insurance industry for the past 18 years. In his free time he enjoys home brewing, hiking, golf and photography.

Becky Ferris, CIC, CRS, Commercial Lines
Becky graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in secondary education. In the fall, she loves watching Ohio State football. While searching for a teaching position, she was contacted by a recruiter for a job in the insurance industry, where she has worked ever since. She earned her Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation, and enjoys working with the team at American Heritage Insurance Group.

Stephanie Furia, Commercial Lines
Stephanie studied Business Management at Miami University. She began working in insurance in 2003. Prior to joining American Heritage Insurance Group and The Insurance Connection, she worked for an insurance company doing rating and quoting new business for company field representatives. She currently resides in West Chester with her husband and four dogs.

Mark Iori, Farm & Commercial Lines
Mark was born and raised in Cincinnati, OH. He has been with The Insurance Connection since January 2017, and has been in the insurance industry for seven years. Prior to his career in insurance, he amassed 20 years of experience in the hospitality and customer service fields. He currently resides in Batavia, OH with his wife, Cindi, and their four children.

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