Our Associates
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Business Insurance
Teresa Bishop, CISR
Business Insurance Support Associate
Phone: 423-318-5825
Teresa Bishop is a Business Insurance Support Associate. She joined Strate Insurance Group’s team in November 2009. Teresa has 8 years of Customer Service experience. She graduated from Morristown-Hamblen High School West in 2000.
Teresa resides in Rutledge with her husband Neal and their son Ty. She is a member of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church.
Dianne Cooley, CISR, CPIW
Business Insurance Service Assoc/Automated Systems Coordinator
Phone: 423-318-5801
Dianne Cooley, CISR, CPIW, is Business Insurance Service Associate and Automated Systems Coordinator. She has been an employee of Strate Insurance Group, Inc. since June, 1988.
Dianne has worked in the insurance industry for 34 years, serving in both personal and business insurance as a customer service representative.
Dianne graduated from Morristown High School in 1968 and has attended East Tennessee State University and Walters State Community College in pursuit of an Associate Degree. In 1983, she earned the Certified Professional Insurance Woman designation. In 1989, she earned the Certified Insurance Service Representative designation.
Dianne is a Morristown native and resides with her husband, Roy. They have two daughters, two granddaughters and one grandson. She is a member of Buffalo Trail Baptist Church.
Sharon Elkins, CISR
Business Insurance Service Associate
Phone: 423-318-5806
Sharon Elkins, CISR, is Business Insurance Service Associate. Sharon has been an employee of Strate Insurance Group, Inc since 1995 and has been in the insurance industry since 1982.
She graduated from Carter High School in 1978 and attended Walters State Community College. In 1995, she earned the Certified Insurance Service Representative designation.
Sharon lives in Morristown with her husband, Jeff, and their two sons, Jordan and Jacob. They are active members of Russellville Baptist Church.
Tammy McDaniel, CIC, CISR
Business Insurance Service Team Leader
Phone: 423-318-5802
Tammy McDaniel, CIC, CISR, leads our Business Insurance Service Team. She has been an employee of Strate Insurance Group, Inc. since March 2001.
Tammy has worked in the insurance industry for 22 years, with 17 of those years spent specializing in business insurance. She graduated from Cocke County High School in 1988 and from Tusculum College in 1992. She has earned the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designations and is currently pursuing a Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designation.
Tammy resides in Russellville with her husband Jeff and sons Jake, Josh and Jonah. She is a member of Cedar Creek Baptist Church.
Bob Metelka, CIC
Business Insurance Representative
Phone: 423-318-5807
Robert M. Metelka (Bob) is a Business Insurance Representative for Strate Insurance Group. Bob joined Strate Insurance Group in April 2008.
Bob is a native of Maryville, TN. Bob brings a great deal of Public Relations, Sales, and Marketing experience with him. He has worked as a District Executive for the Boy Scouts of America in which he was active in the growth of the Scouting program in Hamblen, Cocke, Jefferson, and Grainger counties. He was responsible for program development, along with a variety of public relations and fund raising events.
Bob received a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications, Public Relations, along with a minor in Business Administration from The University of Tennessee in May 2004. He received various honors and was an active member of PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America). Currently he is a member of the Mission of Hope and with other professional affiliations.
Bob, his wife Sally, and daughter Aubrey reside in Strawberry Plains, TN and are members of the St. John’s Lutheran Church.
Tom Strate, CIC, CRM
President
Phone: 423-318-5803
Tom Strate, CIC, CRM is President of Strate Insurance Group, Inc. in Morristown, Tennessee.
Mr. Strate spends a majority of his professional time working with manufacturing accounts. His clients include companies domiciled in Germany, Japan, Australia, France, and Canada. Mr. Strate’s extensive experience and customer advocacy is the hallmark of Strate Insurance Group’s service standard.
Mr. Strate graduated from the University of Georgia, with a Bachelor of Business
Administration Degree, and a major in Insurance and Risk Management. He achieved the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) Designation in 1983, and the Certified Risk Manager (CRM) Designation in 2005.
Mr. Strate is very active in civic, community, church, and industry organizations. Some past areas of service include: Past President and Board Member of Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce, Past President of Hamblen County United Way, Past Campaign Chairman of Hamblen County United Way, Past Chairman of Young Agents of Tennessee, and named Outstanding Committee Chairman by Insurors of Tennessee in 1993, and Past Chairman of Rose Center and Council of the Arts. Some of Mr. Strate’s current services include: Board Member of Great Smoky Mountain Council Boy Scouts of America, Board Member of All Saints’ Episcopal School, and Board Member of Morristown-Hamblen Health Care System.
Mr. Strate attends First United Methodist Church with his wife and two daughters, and belongs to the Kiwanis Club of Morristown. He enjoys camping, hiking, and travel.
Claims Management
Debra Robinson, AIC, CWCP
Claims Manager
Phone: 423-318-5811
Debra Robinson, AIC, CWCP Claims Manager, is responsible for all aspects of the property and casualty claims process including assisting clients with loss control and risk management reports.
Debra joined Strate Insurance Group in October 1998 and prior to that, she worked with Travelers Insurance Company as a workers’ compensation adjuster.
With over 23 years of experience in the insurance claims field, Debra is well experienced in the claims process. She received the Associate in Claims (AIC) designation in 2004 and the Certified Workers’ Compensation Professional (CWCP) designation in May 2009. She is a member of MASEPA (Morristown Area Safety & Environmental Professionals Association).
Debra grew up in Siler City, North Carolina and graduated from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem. She now resides in Morristown with her husband and they have two daughters. She is an active member of Mount Olive Baptist Church.
Family Insurance
Bonnie J. Burchfield, CISR
Family Insurance Account Executive
Phone: 423-318-5804
Bonnie Jamison Burchfield, CISR is the Family Insurance Account Executive with Strate Insurance Group, Inc.
Bonnie has been employed with Strate Insurance Group since December 2000. She received her Property and Casualty License in October of 2001 and her Life License in June of 2008. She attended Safeco’s Personal Insurance School in Seattle, WA in September of 2002. Bonnie successfully passed the Personal Lines Institute of Certified Insurance Counselors Exam in 2004 and obtained her Certified Insurance Service Representative designation in April 2005.
Bonnie resides in Morristown with her husband Darrin and their children Zachary, and Carly Cate. They are active members of First United Methodist Church in Morristown.
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Employee Benefits
Lois Hannold, CEBS, CMS, FLMI
Benefits Consultant
423-318-5818
Lois Hannold joined Strate Insurance Group, Inc. in January 2009 as a Benefits Consultant.
Lois began her career over 20 years ago in the insurance industry with experience in customer service and underwriting. She then held the position of Benefits Consultant at a national Professional Employer Organization where her focus was the area of employee benefit compliance and administration for over 20,000 client employees. She most recently was an Employee Benefits Administrator for a prominent international law firm headquartered in Chicago, IL.
Lois and her husband Bruce relocated to Tennessee in 2008. They reside in Newport.
Nancy Holder, SPHR
Human Resources Consultant
Phone: 423-318-5817
Nancy P. Holder provides Human Resource Consulting services to our clients and handles special projects as part of the Employee Benefits Team. Nancy joined Strate Insurance Group, Inc. in 2002. She has more than twenty years in Human Resource Management and the management of Social Service programs.
Nancy graduated from Carson-Newman College with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She also attended the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Tennessee.
Nancy first earned the designation of Senior Professional in Human Resources in 1992 and remains a member of the Society for Human Resource Management.
Nancy has been involved over the years in many community organizations including the GFWC Junior Reading Circle, the original Girls Club of Morristown, CEASE, M-H Humane Society, the Morristown Housing Authority, and the United Way. She served as a volunteer Instructor of Beginning Tai Chi classes at Rose Center for five years.
Nancy resides in Morristown with her husband, Frank. She is a parishioner at All Saints’ Episcopal Church
Cindy Jarnigan, EHBA
Employee Benefits/Account Manager
Phone: 423-318-5813
Cindy Jarnigan, Employee Benefits Account Manager, joined Strate Insurance Group, Inc. in October 2007. She brings with her 5 years of Human Resource Administration experience.
Cindy graduated from Morristown East High School and attended Walter’s State Community College.
Cindy resides in Bean Station with her husband Mike and their daughter Taylor. She is an active member of New Prospect Missionary Baptist Church.
Tom Porter, CEBS
Vice President, Employee Benefits
Phone: 423-318-5816
Tom Porter, CEBS is Vice President Employee Benefit Services of Strate Insurance Group, Inc. in Morristown, Tennessee.
Tom Porter joined Strate Insurance Group, Inc. in March 2006. He brings with him a wealth of experience in working with all types of Employee Benefits plans for a wide variety of large and small companies in many industries. He holds the much valued Certified Employee Benefits Specialist designation and is available to assist you in all phases of your strategic planning process.
Prior to joining Strate Insurance Group, Inc. Tom held many positions in benefits including President of an insurance agency and Chief Marketing Officer of an insurance company. He has managed benefit consultant teams for 26 years and now leads the Strate Benefits Team.
Tom grew up in Mississippi and attended Delta State University where he majored in Business Management. He holds an Honorable Discharge from The United States Air Force, Tennessee National Guard and Mississippi Air National Guard.
Tom and his wife, Vicki, moved here from Colorado. He spent his early insurance career in the State of Tennessee and decided to return to Tennessee after spending many years in Texas and Colorado. Tom attends First Baptist Church with his wife and is an active member of Morristown Noon Rotary Club.
Sherry Price
Employee Benefits, Benefits Specialist
Phone: 423-318-5814
Sherry Price is Benefits Specialist, Employee Benefits Services. She has been employed with Strate Insurance Group, Inc. since May, 2007. She brings to the department a background in banking and accounting.
She received the Tennessee Life and Health Licenses in October 2007.
Sherry and husband, Craig Price, reside in Morristown. They have two children, Austin and Lacey, and a granddaughter, Sydney. They are members of First Baptist Church in Morristown and active members of the community.
Teal Simpson, GBDS
Employee Benefits Consultant
Phone: 423-318-5815
Teal Simpson joined Strate Insurance Group as Employee Benefits Services Associate in February 2004. Teal provides service assistance to our clients using individual and group life, health, and retirement products.
Teal brings a broad knowledge of employee benefits gained through 10 years experience including management of such benefits as life insurance, medical and dental insurance, disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, retirement and 401(k) plans for more than 2000 employees. Her responsibilities extended to maintenance of benefits databases, oversight of benefits reporting, and annual employee benefits statements. Teal has obtained her life and health license.
Teal graduated from High School in Illinois. After receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Management from Tusculum College in 1998, she completed her Masters degree in the same program in 1999.
Teal is involved with Tusculum College here in Morristown, serving on the President Advisory Council.
Teal resides in Bean Station with her husband, Jeff.
Administration
Sherry Harrison
Manager of Accounting & Finance
Phone: 423-318-5812
Sherry O. Harrison, CPA, is Accounting Manager for Strate Insurance Group, Inc. Sherry joined Strate Insurance Group in 2002. She has more than 20 years experience in Accounting.
Sherry graduated from Carson-Newman College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. She became a Certified Public Accountant in 2002 and is licensed to practice in Tennessee and Virginia. She is a member of the Tennessee Society of Public Accountants.
Sherry resides in Morristown with her husband John. They have two sons and five grandchildren. They attend Centenary United Methodist Church.
