As the managing partner and founder of the agency, I oversee all of our service divisions and interact with my commercial clients on a daily basis to ensure their needs are met.

The partnerships and relationships I’ve built with my clients is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. I love working with business owners and learning how they run their successful enterprises. By learning and understanding our partners’ operations, my team and I are able to create efficient and robust insurance programs tailored to their specific needs.

In 1995, Susie and I moved to Knoxville to start the agency out of the third bedroom of our home. We have been blessed and accepted by the Knoxville community and love calling east Tennessee home. Susie and I have been married since 1989 and have three wonderful kids, Avery, Abbey, and Paul.

I work directly with employers to design, implement, and communicate comprehensive employee benefits programs. With these high-functioning programs, employers have a competitive advantage in recruiting and retaining top talent so they can operate a successful business.

It is hard to believe I started my career in the insurance industry more than 30 years ago. After several years working with Allstate, I realized how much I enjoyed working with employers and employees to help them understand their benefits package. Experience has taught me more than any classroom or book, but I am constantly learning as our industry changes.

I am a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters. I also served on the TN Technical Advisory Group as Tennessee explored establishing a state-based insurance exchange, as well as the board of Knoxville Association of Health Underwriters.

My wife Angela and I have been married since 1987 and have two daughters, Samantha and Savanna.

As a commercial risk advisor, I work with business owners across an array of industries. I help create an insurance program to best serve their individual risk needs. My specialties include custom home builders, fire suppression contractors, trucking and related industries. Prior to beginning my insurance career in 2012, I worked at Ferguson Enterprises where I sold plumbing to plumbers and residential general contractors. My wife and I also made and sold woodworking “nick-nacks” under the name Kohlston Designs for three to four years. There’s probably an old, outdated website still floating around the world wide web somewhere.

Away from work, two of my favorite hobbies include fly-fishing and woodworking. I work out a fair amount as well. While I love many outdoor activities, the most adventurous part of my life is being a dad to my three children, Penn, Hollis, and Drew. My wife Kelly and I have been married since 2010. One of our favorite activities is having friends over for dinner and spending the night in fellowship and laughter.

As a Commercial Lines Agent and the Managing Partner in the Clarksville, TN office, I have the opportunity to meet and serve business owners with their insurance needs. I enjoy learning about the challenges they face as they grow their business and work with them as a partner to protect their investment.

I’ve been in the insurance business since 2007. Making a career change when I did was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, but now I can say it has been the most rewarding as well. I thoroughly enjoy the relationship aspect of our business.