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Owner

Mike Brashears

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? Owner/partner at the agency handling the finance and doing sales.

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 2010.

What is your favorite part of your job? Helping team members.

Which office are you located in? SB, Honolulu, and Corona Del Mar.

What do you like to do in your spare time? Family, surfing/snorkeling, driving cars.

Partner

Ken Newendorp

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? Owner/partner at the agency. My area of expertise is in commercial insurance working with contractors, the hospitality industry, HOA’s, building owners, and others.

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 2010.

What is your favorite part of your job? Getting to know our clients, hearing their passion in creating their business and helping them protect what they’ve built and continue to grow in the future.

Which office are you located in? Santa Barbara.

What do you like to do in your spare time? I’m married and we have two boys, Andy (16) and Tyler (10). I love spending time with my boys surfing or coaching them in sports, or just going on hikes & bike rides. My wife and I love to travel and experience the world together. In addition to those things I like working out, going to the gym or playing volleyball at East Beach.

Broker

Kelsi Gordon

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? Insurance Broker – startups and small businesses and high-risk homes.

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 12 years.

What is your favorite part of your job? Helping clients through difficult claims.

Which office are you located in? Corona Del Mar.

What do you like to do in your spare time? Go to the gym and boat trips with family.

Personal Lines Agent/Customer Service

Kelly Fleming

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? I am the office manager as well as an agent and am responsible for many different tasks here at Brashears & Newendorp. I appreciate that partners Mike & Ken have entrusted me with new responsibilities overtime helping me to grow and become well rounded in my professional life. I would say my area of expertise would be that I am focused, highly detailed, and take pride in my work.

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 2013

What is your favorite part of your job? I really enjoy finding solutions to create more efficiency but mostly I love my work family!

Which office are you located in? Santa Barbara

What do you like to do in your spare time? Running, gardening, music and spending time with family and friends

Broker

Dan Van Hirtum

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? I am a Producer. Specialty in Aviation, Ocean Marine, Restaurants, LRO—Landlord, Small Business.

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 10 Years.

What is your favorite part of your job? Customer satisfaction.

Which office are you located in? Santa Barbara.

What do you like to do in your spare time? Outdoor activities, literature, photography.

Broker

Jared Godinez

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? I am a commercial producer that specializes in construction and real estate, technology, sports and fitness, agribusiness and commercial marine passenger and fishing operations.

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? Since September 2017.

What is your favorite part of your job? The part of my job I enjoy the most is being a valued part of my clients’ overall risk management strategy. Offense may get the oohs and ahhs, but defense wins championships.

Which office are you located in? I work out of the Santa Barbara office, across from Trader Joes on De La Vina St.

What do you like to do in your spare time? In my spare time I like to take my family exploring outdoors and I also like to go adventure riding on my 1980’s mountain bike.

Broker

Bobby Messenger

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? I am a new producer at Brashears & Newendorp. I am a generalist. I have expertise in high end, Private Client personal Lines coverage in the Santa Barbara Area. I have expertise in Commercial Lines: LRO, Contractors, Janitors, Restaurant/Bars, Small Businesses, Sport Leagues/Fitness Studios, Coffee Shops…

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? June, 2023

What is your favorite part of your job? I enjoy talking to clients and getting to know what they value. I love proposing solutions to protect their assets and selling Insurance contracts.

Which office are you located in? Santa Barbara and Newport Beach

What do you like to do in your spare time? Running on the beach, beach volleyball, buoy swims, surfing, hiking, camping, enjoying Santa Barbara and the outdoors.

Broker

Alexia Scafidi

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? Commercial and Marine Insurance account manager

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? September 2021

What is your favorite part of your job? Seeing our clients happy and confident that they chose Brashears to handle their insurance needs, learning new people and new tasks, making my coworkers laugh with my lame jokes and being around people that I can trust. I love the location too!

Which office are you located in? Santa Barbara, CA

What do you like to do in your spare time? In my spare time I enjoy being with my friends and family, attending various music festivals/concerts. Bing watching TV/movies. I love being outside and enjoying nature whether I am BBQing/hiking/walking/biking/Camping or just lounging at the beach. I love going out to eat & trying new foods. My greatest joy in life, however, is traveling with my daughter and best friend Kayli B.

Broker

Pam Patolo

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? I am fortunate to have the role of Sr. Marine Account Manager with experience in Marine Insurance

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 2 Years

What is your favorite part of your job? Working with our insureds and underwriters, which establishes relationships and respect are the most important in our industry, is a favorite part of my job. But overall, our team(s) is family, which I value as my most favorite.

Which office are you located in? Santa Barbara

What do you like to do in your spare time? Golf, walking my dog, reading, and watching TV have taken over my spare time these days as I retired softball last year.

Broker

Nate Wissman

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? Marine Insurance Broker.  As a retired U.S. Coast Guard marine inspector/ investigator, with over 24 years of service, I provide a unique perspective to owners and underwriters.

My areas of expertise include:

  • Small passenger operations and marine engineering.
  • Sail rigging, hull inspections, repairs,  and vessel construction.
  • Recreational boating safety, charters, merchant mariner licensing.
  • U.S. Coast Guard regulatory requirements and inspections.

Advocating on behalf our client to get the best possible coverage in the marine insurance market.

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 1 year

What is your favorite part of your job? Getting to meet new customers and serving our insured.

Which office are you located in? Honolulu Branch

What do you like to do in your spare time? What ever it is my daughters are getting into,  which in most cases includes surf,  skate, and swim activities. If I get a spare moment to myself, you might find me restoring an old car, or smacking a few golf balls and the range.

Broker

Molly Griffin

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? My role at Brashears & Newendorp is personal lines agent/customer service, my area of expertise is maintaining personal line’s accounts while providing the best service to meet our clients needs.

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 2022

What is your favorite part of your job? My favorite part of my job is being able to maintain a great client/agent relationship to better assist clients with any personal line’s needs.

Which office are you located in? Newport Beach

What do you like to do in your spare time? In my spare time you can find me at the beach, going to concerts or spending quality time with friends & family.

Broker

Chris Beckert

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? Marine Insurance Broker

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 2 years

What is your favorite part of your job? Helping commercial vessel owners protect their businesses

Which office are you located in? Santa Barbara

What do you like to do in your spare time? Work on my ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley

Broker

Courtney Cullen

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? Account manager within the Marine and Aviation departments

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 2022

What is your favorite part of your job? Being able to help people

Which office are you located in? Honolulu

What do you like to do in your spare time? Proud of the fundraising I do for the Hawaii Special Olympics, it’s a very special organization to me because of my special needs brother. I have a floating zoo with my partner, two dogs and two cats. Where we live on our Columbia 45 Sailboat. Enjoy sailing, scuba diving, reading and adventure.

Broker

Jessica Ariola

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? Operations Manager of the Honolulu Office specializing in Marine and Aviation Insurance coverages

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 12 years

What is your favorite part of your job? Finding unique ways to cover hard-to-place risks. Educating others about the insurance industry so that they understand a little more about what they are purchasing.

Which office are you located in? Honolulu HI

What do you like to do in your spare time? My kids keep me pretty busy, in the little spare time I do have I enjoy taking yoga classes and sleeping in!

Broker

Karen Yamashita-Fovargue

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? Marine Insurance Account manager who also writes new personal yachts & boats

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 2016

What is your favorite part of your job? Helping the clients

Which office are you located in? Honolulu

What do you like to do in your spare time? Hangout with my dogs, catch up on rest and whatever interests me that day

Broker

Peter Aldapa

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? Sales broker specializing in Marine Insurance as well as commercial insurance. I have clients across many industries including restaurants, retail, and technology companies.

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? Since 2019

What is your favorite part of your job? I take pride in assisting clients with their insurance needs. Building strong relationships and protecting their interests is my primary focus.

Which office are you located in? Corona del Mar & Santa Barbara.

What do you like to do in your spare time? I enjoy spending time at the beach, going on hikes, and watching soccer.

Broker

Susana DeRobles

What is your role and area of expertise at Brashears & Newendorp? Commercial Account manager and oversees the commercial service team

How long have you been working at Brashears & Newendorp? 4 years

What is your favorite part of your job? I’m always learning something new, and I love that because for me it’s an opportunity to make a difference.  I enjoy working with our clients, the Brashears & Newendorp family and appreciate the support of our underwriters, I truly value our relationship.

Which office are you located in? Santa Barbara

What do you like to do in your spare time? I enjoy hiking and simply spending time with my family & creating memories.