Our Team of Experts

Senior Financial Group has been assisting Medicare beneficiaries and their families for almost 40 years. We provide expert, unbiased assistance to Medicare recipients who expect, and deserve, the highest-quality insurance at the best price.

Our licensed, independent advisors treat everyone with dignity and respect, and always operate with professionalism and integrity. We have built our reputation on excellent service, helpful guidance and education at no cost. You can trust that you are receiving the most complete health insurance coverage.

Benefits Consultant

Blair Alley

 

A Knoxville native, Blair Alley brings a local perspective and passion for helping others to his role. Married to his high school sweetheart, Kelli, they’ve built a family with their son, Brooks, and dog Emmie.

Leveraging his business management degree from East Tennessee State University, Blair has spent the last four years empowering clients with the knowledge and guidance they need to navigate their health coverage.

When he’s not helping clients, you can find him enjoying the great outdoors: fishing the local waters, hitting the hiking trails, or conquering mountain bike adventures.

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Dave Budde Benefits Consultant

SFG is an organization that puts people first.”

Dave is an insurance advisor that enjoys helping our future and current clients find the solution to their needs.

Dave and his wife have three adult sons and five sweet grandchildren. He is actively involved as a coach for a little league baseball team, adult mentor at his church, community basketball participant, and a high school football booster club board member.

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Jerry Emert Benefits Consultant

The team atmosphere at Senior Financial Group is not like anywhere else I’ve worked. There is great leadership and a deep level of commitment to service from my fellow co-workers.”

 

Jerry Emert is from Houston, TX but grew up in Karns, TN. After working in term life insurance, Jerry joined Senior Financial Group to help Medicare beneficiaries with their insurance benefits.

Some interesting personal details about Jerry: he holds a certificate from the Diamond Council of America for clear stones, and he has four daughters.  “The three oldest keep me busy with their hobbies- I have an equestrian, a musician, and an artist.”

Jerry’s professional philosophy is to work hard and do no harm, and he look forward to having a long-lasting career helping seniors navigate the complexities of Medicare.

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Denise Farris Benefits Consultant

Denise has a bachelor’s degree in information technology and an extensive background in the Life & Health Insurance Industry. Having been in several roles, including a claims adjuster at Provident Insurance and a Life & Health Claims Supervisor at Settlers Life. Denise focuses on helping seniors understand their options in today’s complex Medicare marketplace.

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Richard Fleming Benefits Consultant

“What I like about SFG is the work environment of excellence. They have a great supporting staff that helps you strive to be your very best.”

Ricky has been serving the senior population since 1995 and has clients across 10 different states. He enjoys helping people by providing the best available plan that meets all their medical and financial needs.

Ricky was born and raised in Meridian MS and moved to Knoxville in 1996. He and his wife Jennifer have a beautiful daughter, Madeline. They enjoy hiking, traveling, and just being outdoors.

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Seth Gibson Benefits Consultant

I’m excited to work for a company that constantly emphasizes integrity and doing what is right for our customers. I plan to be a true help to as many customers as possible by providing honest and helpful consultation.”

Seth has worked in the insurance industry since 2017. He joined the Senior Financial Group team in March 2021 as a Medicare Benefits Consultant. He advises clients on their Medicare options, supports them through the enrollment process, and assists them with their current or future coverage options.

Prior to joining Senior Financial Group, Seth worked in personal lines insurance and in 401(k) administration. He is from Seymour, TN and has a degree from the Faith Bible Institute. Seth loves reading and spending time with his wife and children.

His personal and professional philosophy is to always do what is right, always be learning, communicate effectively and honestly, and to value each customer. When asked what makes Senior Financial Group different than other organizations, Seth references the focus of integrity throughout the company.

“There is a consistent emphasis by everyone here on integrity. It is not just stated in a set of core values, it is truly integrated into this company’s culture.”

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Karen Hambrick Benefits Consultant

“In my prior life insurance experience, I was told to just get the client into a plan.  I found that I couldn’t keep it that simple because that wasn’t always best for the client.  It is important to me to understand the needs of the people I am talking with and help them accordingly.  Senior Financial Group has definitely been the right fit for me as they set as a core value the importance of doing what’s best for the client!”

Karen Hambrick and her husband Chris have four children and two sons-in-law.  Their youngest who is in high school keeps them busy with marching band in the fall and pole vaulting in the spring.  They have been in Knoxville a year and a half and enjoy spending time with family who live nearby and being active members of their church community.

Karen’s passion for music led her to pursue a vocal performance degree at Belmont University and she had the opportunity to be a part of some vocal session work in Nashville. She also recently developed an interest in fishing, which she loves to pursue in her free time.

 

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Chandler Johns Benefits Consultant

 “In 2022, I joined Senior Financial Group after recognizing the needs of the members of my community were best served by offering additional products and providers, backed by a strong team of professionals.”

Chandler Johns was born and raised in Cookeville, TN where his family has lived for four generations. He was blessed to be able to grow up watching his parents in their dental practice. There, they provided their patients with the same level of care and respect as if they were members of his own family. This laid the foundation of his approach to taking care of Medicare beneficiaries.

After graduating from Tennessee Tech University with a degree in finance, Chandler moved to Knoxville where he lived and worked for five years gaining valuable experience in the financial industry with Vanderbilt Mortgage. In 2012, he began his career in the insurance industry helping families with their life and health insurance needs. Later that year, he moved back to Cookeville and continued helping families in his hometown.

“After seeing my parents trying to navigate the confusing waters of Medicare, and the number of random people who contacted them, I decided there needed to be someone in the community they could trust to help guide them,” he said. In 2020, he transitioned to United Healthcare and specialized in working with Medicare members.

In 2016, he reconnected with Amanda Ebersole. They knew each other as kids, both attending First United Methodist Church and were involved in Cookeville Children’s Theater. Today they are married and have one son. Most Saturdays you will find the Johns family at the UC United soccer fields cheering on their son, then going home and changing into UT Orange to cheer the Vols onto victory.

 

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Nik Kakanis Benefits Consultant

“SFG cares and treats everyone like family. Working for SFG gives me great satisfaction in connecting with and helping clients with their needs.”

Nik enjoys in his spare time reading and learning about different cultures, traveling and spending time outdoors with the family.

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Randy Kiss Benefits Consultant

“SFG has the right people in the right places to assist the Medicare population with choices available to them today.” 

Randy Kiss is a Benefits Consultant at Senior Financial Group with over 40 years of experience in the insurance industry. He began his career in 1980 working with Medicare Beneficiaries and managed his own successful agency for the first 24 years. After that, he transitioned to Humana MarketPoint as a Senior Market Manager for 17 years before joining SFG. Randy was born and raised in the Kingsport, Tennessee area and has lived there his entire life with his wife Regina. They have five children and nine grandchildren, with one more on the way.

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John LaMacchia Benefits Consultant

Each of our advisors has one main objective: To seek the care of each client.  Our help is exclusively for the benefit of the client.  I personally enjoy working at SFG because of the company atmosphere of friendship. We just simply enjoy each others’ company.  The most unique aspect of our company is the leadership. Their high expectations, yet without micro-managing allows a relaxed working environment. It doesn’t hurt that everyone has a great sense of humor!”

John is a licensed Medicare/Insurance Advisor and has been working in this industry for the last 6 years.  John says his specialty is anyone turning 65 and seeks a clear, easy, and non-biased explanation and education on Medicare.

As a retired teacher, John uses his background in education to comprehensively educate his clients on the ins and outs of Medicare in order to make the best coverage decision(s). John has led a series of educational Medicare seminars in both Knoxville and Erwin, TN.

John and his wife Ann of 36 years have three sons: John Jr., Michael, and Pierce.  John Jr., his eldest, is a Pathologist and Medical Research Scientist in the Harvard Medical Complex in Boston. Michael and Pierce own K Brew Coffee shop here in Knoxville. In his free time, John enjoys cycling. He once rode across the United States, and plans to do so again when he turns 65!

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Jenny Lucas Benefits Consultant/Administrative Assistant

People should choose Senior Financial Group for their insurance needs because we were voted as Knoxville’s Best Insurance Agent several years in a row. Our licensed agents are personable, kind, and considerate and can give you a sense of security that your insurance coverage is fully taken care of and works with your needs.”

Jenny has been with Senior Financial Group since 2012, and is part of our administrative support team.

Jenny loves to hike, fish, and spend time in the mountains, but her favorite pastime is shooting competitive pool (billiards) with her team.


Dave Mangold Benefits Consultant

 

Dave Mangold was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. After graduating from Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration Personal Management, he started in the insurance business in 1968. In 1976, he opened his own agency, Northern Ohio E & S Agency, which he ran for 35 years.

Twelve years after retiring, Dave joined Senior Financial Group as a Medicare benefits consultant. Today, Dave and his wife Mary Ann live in Lenoir City, Tennessee. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, fishing, bowling, and meeting new people.

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Art Mearns Benefits Consultant

I enjoy working at Senior Financial Group and helping our clients with their insurance needs. I think it is most important to respect and treat all clients as I would like to be treated.”

Art has lived in Knoxville for the last 16 years but he’s originally from upstate New York. He loves to spend his free time with his wife biking or skiing in the great outdoors. One of his favorite hobbies is photography of the beautiful East Tennessee landscape. He also has a dream to take a trip with his wife to Europe and have an adventure aboard a river cruise.

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John Morrison Benefits Consultant

“SFG allows you to work independently with great support staff. SFG has all of the major carriers to meet any client’s needs.”

John has been licensed in the insurance industry for 38 years. He has worked in the Medicare market for the last 20 years. During John’s career, he has been an agent, sales manager, and sales executive, as well as a business owner.

John is originally from South Portland, Maine. He moved to Tennessee in 2011 to enjoy the warm weather and lower cost of living. He is married to his wife, Patty. He is proud of his three children and nine grandchildren. When he is not working, he loves to play golf and supports all the New England professional sports teams.

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Marc Nieman Benefits Consultant

As I began my career with Senior Financial Group in 2009 my intentions were that this was only a temporary stop while waiting for the oil and gas industry to recover and I could resume my original career path. However, I never dreamed how blessed my life would become as a result of this opportunity. I’d never before done something so hands-on and rewarding as this. Not just writing an insurance policy, but helping people down the path with financial aid and community services that they were previously unaware of. I always heard that if you find something you love to do for a living you’ll never work a day in your life. I think they were right.”

Marc enjoys golf, fishing, fundraising events with his BBQ smokers, his church, working with young people, and of course family time.

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Harris Ogburn Benefits Consultant

I believe that always helping people and doing what is advantageous for the client will consistently lead to both my success and the well-being of the people with whom I interact.”

Harris was born and raised in Raleigh, NC, graduating from North Carolina State University. He has worked in the insurance and financial services industry for more than 20 years, previously concentrating on retirement planning for individuals and groups. Harris moved to Knoxville in August 2019 and prior to joining Senior Financial Group worked at AIG Retirement Services.

When asked what he likes about working at Senior Financial Group, Harris says “great people, great products and the desire to do what is right for the client.” Harris enjoys woodworking and woodturning and likes to go camping in his free time.

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Adriana Paredes Benefits Consultant

SFG provides me the opportunity to share my Medicare knowledge when it is most needed. I’m rewarded in many ways by helping others and earning a living at the same time!

Adriana is a licensed insurance advisor and specializes in consulting Medicare beneficiaries. She has been assisting seniors with Medicare since 2014 and is truly passionate about what she does. She is currently licensed in 37 states and is eager to help families find the solutions they’re looking for.

Adriana has one daughter and a precious husky named Romeo. When Adriana is away from the office, she enjoys reading, walking and hiking, and traveling with her family.  Adriana was born in New York but has done quite a bit of traveling, spending some years in South America. Tennessee has been her home for more than 22 years.

Adriana is bilingual and is licensed in the following states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI and, of course, TN.

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Regon Paris Benefits Consultant

“I believe if something needs to be done, it must be done right.”

As a successful electrical/plumbing contractor and entrepreneur, Regon has always helped people and has been a problem solver. He looks forward to continuing to help people discover the best possible options for their specific situations.

Rick was born in Virginia but was Raised in McMinnville, TN. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Teresa, since 1983 and blessed with 2 children and 6 grandchildren.

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Jason Pearcy Benefits Consultant

“Every day Senior Financial Group is making a difference in the lives of thousands of seniors in East Tennessee.”

Jason’s role at Senior Financial group is Medicare Consultant/Insurance Producer. His duties include personally serving clients as they navigate their insurance needs. Jason has worked in the insurance industry since 2015 but has worked in service-based industries for his entire career. He specializes in identifying and providing for the insurance needs of individuals and families in every age bracket.

Jason is married to his college sweetheart and the two have a daughter named Rilan and a son, Jamon. He enjoys golfing, hunting, fishing and reading. Being raised in the home of a Pastor, he has served numerous young people that are subject to the pressures of growing up in ministerial homes. He also has worked with multiple non-profits that benefit troubled youth and mission workers.

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Bobby Peterson Benefits Consultant

A good advisor must listen to hear and understand, not simply to reply. I try to understand and empathize with each situation. This allows me to customize the most comprehensive protection and level of support for each person’s unique and individual needs.”

Bobby grew up in Louisville, TN. After attending Emory & Henry College, where he was a double major in vocal performance and acting performance, he moved back to his family homestead.

Bobby has been a licensed Insurance agent since 2010, specializing in Medicare benefits, life insurance, and supplemental health insurance. He joined Senior Financial Group in March 2021 where he is responsible for advising clients on their Medicare options, supporting them through the enrollment process, and assisting them with all available coverage choices to ensure comprehensive care.

Prior to joining the SFG team, Bobby was the Corporate Sales and Marketing Manager for Dave & Buster’s in Sevierville, TN. An example of a true southern Renaissance Man, Bobby is a classically trained opera singer who enjoys singing, playing his banjo, and making music in general. He also loves to cook and enjoys cheering on the Vols, the Braves, and the Colts.

When asked what makes Senior Financial Group unique from other insurance agencies, Bobby says it is the sincerity of doing the right thing, not only for our clients but also for each person on our team.

The culture of honesty, appreciation and the deep investment in our clients and employees is refreshing and rare in the insurance industry.”

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Kindle Petteway Benefits Consultant

 

With four years of experience in Medicare, Kindle Petteway brings a diverse background to the team. Formerly a skilled bartender, her journey led her through a successful career as a model spanning runway, print and editorial work. Notably, she held the title of Miss Alexandria Virginia United States in 2010.

Originally hailing from sunny San Diego, California, Kindle has also called Alexandria, Virginia, Denver, Colorado and Las Vegas, Nevada home. In March of 2022, she made Harriman, Tennessee her new residence.

Outside of her Medicare expertise, Kindle is deeply devoted to her faith and plays an active role in her church. With a passion for the arts, she thrives in creative pursuits such as cooking, singing, painting and furniture refreshing. An accomplished beauty blogger, cosmetologist, and makeup artist, Kindle even studied Hollywood SpecialFX makeup artistry.

As the youngest among three siblings, she balances her role as a fiancée and a mother to her two children.

Committed to giving back, Kindle finds fulfillment in volunteering at homes for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her multi-faceted background and generous spirit make her an invaluable member of the Senior Financial Group team.


Andrew Price Benefits Consultant

“Although everyone has different needs, everyone wants the same thing regarding their Medicare plan.  They want a plan that they don’t need to worry and stress about if it’s going to protect them.”

Andrew has been helping assist people figure out their Medicare options since 2008.  For the first two years, he worked with a single company called Today’s Options.  He then discovered to help people the most he needed to represent all the companies in our region.  Andrew has been a partner with National Contracting Center since 2010 and decided to come fully on board with SFG in 2022.  Andrew gives his personal cell phone number out to all his clients so that you can always reach him.  If you call him in the afternoon, you will probably hear children in the background.

Andrew has 3 children and decided to adopt 3 local foster children in 2018, giving him a house full of 6 children.  When Andrew isn’t assisting people with their Medicare or wrangling children you will find him fly fishing on a trout stream.

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Steve Smith Benefits Consultant

Steve Smith joined Senior Financial Group in September 2022 as a licensed Medicare Benefits Consultant and has been working in the insurance industry for more than a decade. He is committed to ensuring his clients have all the support they need throughout their Medicare journey.

Born and raised in West Palm Beach, FL, Smith attended Berean Christian School and Palm Beach Community College. He now resides in Knoxville with his wife of 30 years. The couple is blessed with two children and three grandchildren.

In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his grandchildren and getting involved in church.

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Linda Williams Benefits Consultant

“I became part of Senior Financial Group in 2022. My goal is to always keep learning and seeking knowledge in order to better myself and to have the most updated information for my clients. Senior Financial Group is all about keeping agents well informed and current.”

Linda is an RN and has worked in healthcare, including insurance Utilization Review and Case Management. She recently retired after having a forty-seven-year career in healthcare. As an RN case manager in a hospital setting, Linda knows how to identify a person’s overall needs, not just relating to insurance coverage.

Linda has been a licensed insurance agent in TN since 2015, in addition to her full-time career. Linda’s focus as an insurance agent is assisting people turning sixty-five or retiring. She loves to connect with clients in their early 60s to provide education regarding their Medicare options and feels it’s never too early to start this process.

She has been married to her husband Eddie for forty-five years and they have two adult children, Jared and Karrianne, and have been blessed with four grandchildren. Linda enjoys reading, board games, gardening, church, travel, and spending time with family and friends. Linda and Eddie have traveled to all states except Hawaii, which is on the bucket list along with river cruising, ocean cruising, and international travel.

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Support Staff

Tarran Allen Insurance Operations Manager

“I pride Senior Financial Group for having the best customer service. Our friendly staff is eager and ready to help. There is nothing like having the satisfaction of a happy customer at the end of the day.”

Tarran enjoys crunching numbers and serving as our liaison between the admin staff and agent team.

Tarran is a full-time working mother of two beautiful girls. In her downtime, which is not often, she enjoys reading, swimming, Zumba, and having movie nights with her family.


Greg Boling Business Development Manager

“Doing Medicare Differently” means doing the right thing for the customer.  Our goal is to build long-term partnerships through honesty and diligence.

In his spare time, Greg enjoys the abundant outdoor activities Knoxville offers. Some of his favorites are hiking, boating, and bicycling. He believes Knoxville is a great place to live and work.


Tammy Brogan Agency Manager

Tammy Brogan’s role at Senior Financial Group continues her lifelong passion of giving back Knoxville, a community she has called home for more than three decades. Originally from West Virginia, Tammy spent her college years on the sidelines of Neyland Stadium cheering on the Vols while earning her bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She would later earn a Master of Business Administration from Bristol University.

She kicked off her professional journey in the emergency medical industry, before starting her own non-medical assisted care company for seniors. In addition to being an entrepreneur, she holds an assisted living and senior housing administrator’s license.

Tammy is driven by her compassion for seniors and has an unwavering commitment to help them find insurance products that work best for their personal circumstances.

In her own personal life, Tammy loves to travel, practice yoga and hike the scenic trails of the Great Smoky Mountains. Tammy and her husband are the parents to one son and a golden retriever puppy named Bucky.


Haifa George Human Resources Manager

“I believe in the importance of focusing on helping others while being true to oneself in the process.”

Haifa is the Human Resources Manager at Senior Financial Group.  She is responsible for managing all aspects of HR including talent acquisition, benefits, strategic planning, compensation, policies & procedures, employee relations and development, payroll, etc. She has served in HR in a variety of industries of the past 20 years.

In her free time, you can find Haifa at home with her twins and husband or out walking the greenways.  She enjoys music, painting, reading and spending time on her screened-in porch.


Nicole Guzowski Administrative Assistant

I’m here to learn as much as I can about Medicare to help our clients and support our agents. If you need me, I will do my best to help you, because I know you will do the same for me.”

Nicole was born and raised in Buffalo, NY where she graduated from Buffalo State College. She moved to Knoxville in 2016. A mother of two, Nicole worked at Farragut Middle School before joining the team at Senior Financial Group, where she supports the agents and ensures that the office runs smoothly.

Nicole loves working at Senior Financial Group because of the people. “Jerold is amazing and so down to earth, he creates a work environment that is really enjoyable. Honestly, everyone that I work with has been easy-going, helpful, and willing to listen.”

Nicole’s hobbies include playing frisbee golf, paddle boarding, hiking and spending time with her family. She enjoys exploring new places in Knoxville with her family.


Jerold Johnson President

“We create a stable environment at Senior Financial Group so that next year you’ll be working with the same agent. Every year, companies and plans change. They’ll send you a 78-page booklet that you have to read through to find out what’s different. But we do that for you and are always on the lookout for ways to save you money.”

Meet Jerold Johnson, President of Senior Financial Group

When Jerold Johnson started Senior Financial Group in Knoxville more than 30 years ago, his aim was to fill an under-served niche in the East Tennessee community, but in a vastly different way than his competitors.

More than 10,000 Americans sign up for Medicare each day, and Johnson says, “everyone assumes—including most insurance companies—that those policies need to be similar, but here we recognize that everyone is in a unique situation”.

Johnson has made sure his approach and philosophy have carried through to the rest of the company by hiring and retaining insurance agents that are trained to offer personalized help so clients can choose the right path. “We tailor their plan without concern for our commission or which insurance company they wind up with.”


Katherine Wilusz Marketing Specialist

Katherine Wilusz was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. After graduating from the University of Tennessee in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Communications, she began working as a true crime television producer before making a career change to marketing.

Prior to joining the SFG team, Katherine was the Marketing and Communications Specialist at Del Conca USA where she created and implemented marketing programs for major customers, including Lowe’s Home Improvement, The Home Depot and Wayfair. She also worked in marketing and public relations for major corporations and nonprofits, including UScellular, Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and Highway Transport.

She joined Senior Financial Group in September 2022 and is responsible for developing innovative marketing and advertising strategies to support business objectives, as well as managing internal and external communications.

In her free time, Katherine loves to cheer on her alma mater at UT football games, explore downtown Knoxville, attend music festivals and spend time with her husband Ryan.


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