America's Benefit Specialist December 2022

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Jessica Word , CEO of The Word & Brown General Agency, has been selected

Colleen Stephens has joined Warner Pacific of Oklahoma as a Medicare

standing support of the health insurance trade group, including her service as lead for NAHU’s Technology Committee. In addition to her leadership role at Word & Brown, Jessica is a member of the California Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Board of Directors at the Center for Leadership at California State University Fullerton, and an active member of the Orange County Chapter of the Con nected Women of Influence.

by the Orange County Business Journal as an honoree in the publica tion’s 2022 Women in Business Awards. She received the award during a luncheon on October 20. With more than 20 years of experience at Word & Brown, Jessica has been CEO since 2021. She was selected by the OCBJ from among 200 nominees representing a diverse roster of Orange County business leaders. The OCBJ Women in Business awards annually recognize five outstanding pro fessional women who have made signifi cant contributions to their organizations, their professions and the Orange County community. The nomination form asks for information about each nominee’s achieve ments, business accomplishments, and industry and community involvement. “I am proud to see Jessica recognized for her role in the Orange County business community and her leadership at Word & Brown,” said John Word, co-founder of Word & Brown. “Her pioneering work ad vocating for women in business, mentoring others and driving technology advances are helping so many in communities through out Orange County and across the country.” Jessica has previously been recognized by Employee Benefit Adviser as one of the Top Women in Benefit Advising. She also earned recognition from CEO Today magazine as a healthcare leader. She was the 2020 recipient of an Innovation Award for Excellence in Leadership Development from the College of Business and Econom ics at California State University Fullerton. Earlier this year, she was acknowledged by NAHU with the J.A. “Jack” Ferguson Associate Company award for her out

sales consultant. She began her insurance

career with the Fireman’s Fund in 1985. In 1990, she

joined American Medical Security as a self-funding coordinator, later relocating to Oklahoma, where she worked as a district sales manager from 1994 to 2006. Colleen ranked consistently in the top five sales managers for new sales throughout the country, specializing in agent management for individual, small-group and self-fund ing products. In 2007, she commenced business as an account executive for a general agency. She helped the GA grow from a $0 premium sales territory to over $3.2 million in small-group medical premiums with a 90% retention rate. In 2010, Colleen entered the Medicare field. In 2017, she joined her husband Mi chael with Tallgrass Benefits to head up the Medicare Unit. Priscilla Stephens has joined Warner Pacific to be a part of the expansion of the new Oklahoma sales team as a multi-mar ket analyst. In her new role, Priscilla will continue to work with agents in Oklahoma and other states. Priscilla has over four years of hands-on experience working in the health industry in all segments of health insurance benefits. Based in Tulsa, Priscilla joined Tallgrass Benefits Agency in 2019 as an agent and account manager. Priscilla has become an integral part of the team and is continuing to grow in her career.

Michael Stephens , RHU, has joined Warner Pacific to lead the new Oklahoma sales team as the employee benefits leader. Michael has over three decades of hands-on

experience working with agents in all segments of health insurance benefits. Based in Tulsa, Michael formed Tallgrass Benefits in 2010 as a general brokerage agency. In 2012, Tallgrass acquired Scissortail Advisors Inc., both of which have been acquired by Warner Pacific under the Texas operations. Michael has been a member of NAIFA and NAHU, where he has served as presi dent of both TAHU and OSAHU. Michael has also served on the NAHU Board of Trustees as Region 6 vice president for five years and is a past chairman of HUPAC. Stephens served eight years on the HUPAC Board. Additionally, Michael is the recipient of a number of industry honors including the prestigious “David L. Shepherd Memorial, Health Underwriter of the Year” award in 2002, Presidential Citation and Distin guished Service Award in 2005.

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