Thank you!

As the seasons change throughout the year, so do the chapters of our lives. Each season brings its own unique blessings, and it’s important to cherish them all.


For us, a new chapter is approaching. Linda Thearp has announced her retirement, effective March 31, 2025. Linda’s unwavering dedication to the clients of Valley Insurance has been the foundation of a culture of excellence that will continue to inspire for generations.

When we acquired Valley Insurance over 12 years ago, Linda committed to staying for five years to ensure a smooth transition. Instead, she has given us seven additional years of service—an incredible gift that has allowed our agency to flourish.

On behalf of Jimmy, Bryant, and myself, we want to express our deepest gratitude to Linda for her many contributions—not only to Valley Insurance and its clients but also to the Sweetwater community. Her legacy is one of professionalism, compassion, and impact, and we wish her a well-deserved retirement filled with health, relaxation, and abundant blessings.

As we reflect on this transition, let us remember to embrace the good times while they last and welcome new beginnings with hope and optimism.

2025 Changes

The following are changes that will refocus the agency and align it with our partner agencies so each are run with the same efficiency and production levels which these following changes have continued to prove successful.

Organizational Restructing

Moving forward, no formal titles will be used for in-office management roles. An updated organizational chart has been provided to reflect responsibilities. The organizational changes will permit for more consistent answers and problem solving across our agency footprint. The organizational chart will be as follows:

Managing Partners: Jimmy Hill and Steven Shelton
Director of Operations and Finance: Bryant Baines
Agency Team Members: Licensed Insurance Advisors (All team members report only to Jimmy, Steven, or Bryant. Not to any other team member)

Vacation

  1. All vacation requests, except for emergency days, must be scheduled through omegaoneweb.com and approved.
  2. Selection Process:
  3. Vacations must be selected one week at a time and in order of employee longevity.
  4. Example: Terri will select one week from her available time. Danielle will then select a week from her available time. Daria will then select a week. After February 1, all weeks are available to be selected or changed if they have not been selected during the selection process. (Please note it would be encouraged for each team member to leave time for unexpected occurrences or situations.
  5. Deadline: All vacation requests must be finalized before February 1, 2025.
  6. Any holiday week taken in 2025 cannot be chosen as the first selection in 2026.
  7. Example: If a team member selects Thanksgiving week 2025, they cannot choose Thanksgiving week as their first selection for 2026.
  8. These weeks will include Spring Break, Fourth of July, Fall Break, Thanksgiving, and Christmas

Paperless Transition

  1. Terri will handle the scanning of all commercial files into Partner.
  2. By April 1, 2025, the office will transition to a paperless file system.

Staff Roles and Responsibilities

Daria:

  1. Focus on expanding personal lines through. Account rounding of personal lines. Organic growth via agency and company marketing efforts.
  2. Emphasis on life insurance sales: Offer Express Life to current clients as an initial option. Drive organic life insurance sales through marketing efforts.
  3. Linda will begin training Daria on ESB using current commercial policies needing to be rolled over. These training sessions will occur on Mondays as determined by Linda over the next few months.


Danielle:

  1. Continue managing commercial lines.
  2. Delegate personal lines endorsements and certificates to Terri.


Terri:

  1. Oversee scanning and digitizing commercial files.
  2. Handle customer service items, personal lines endorsements and certificate of insurance and evidence of insurance processing.