Meet Our Team

At MarketPlace 4 Insurance, we’ve built our team with individuals who have the highest standards for integrity and a passion to be the best!  Our goal is to provide you the best experience possible.

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insurance agency acquisitions

Jerad Kirk

Partner/Financial Officer

Jerad started working in insurance over 10 years ago with the vision of becoming an agency principal owner. He began his career as a customer relations and personal lines producer and eventually moved into commercial lines and financial products. After managing a local agency in Marietta, Georgia for 2 years, Jerad took a job as an Acquisition Business Consultant with Nationwide Insurance helping over 75 agent owners succeed their agencies. With 5 years of experience in agency acquisitions, Jerad has hands on experience with valuations and analysis of agency operations.

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insurance agency acquisitions

Adam Herring

Partner/Acquisitions Officer

Adam has over 25 years experience in the Insurance and Financial Service Industry. He began his career in claims before moving on to sales, acquisitions, and agency ownership. Insurance and agency acquisitions are his passion and he enjoys helping other agency owners transition their legacy. As Acquisitions Officer, Adam focuses on developing agency perpetuation solutions for agency owners and for continuing profitable growth and talent acquisition for MarketPlace 4 Insurance. Adam is very experienced in the area of agency mergers and acquisitions and has helped numerous agents successfully perpetuate their agency legacy.

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insurance agency acquisitions

John L Smith

Partner/Sales Officer

John has been the proud owner of MarketPlace 4 Insurance LLC for the past 12 years. He grew up in the insurance business as his dad was a producing agent with Farm Bureau for 10 years prior to starting the Smith Agency. The Smith Agency was under the Nationwide Exclusive Agency model for more than 25 years under his leadership. John purchased the agency from his dad back in 2008, and has continued to build his family business through growth, profitability, and expansion.

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insurance agency acquisitions

Joe Pizzimenti

Partner/Sales and Operations

Joe has over 16 years of experience in sales and leadership in the insurance industry. He spent 7 years as a leader in the Nationwide claims department managing bodily injury, claims litigation and property claims.  Following his time in claims, he spent the next 7 years as a field sales leader assisting agency owners to grow their books of business, assist in the hiring of qualified employees, and develop strategies maximizes efficiencies within the agency operations.  Joe also brings outside industry experience to our agency that consists of building strong teams, use of motivational tactics, and implementing strong process and procedures to bring consistency. 

 

His prior roles in coaching college football, professional recruiter, and sales leader in the staffing industry have given him a diverse background to assist leading our sales and operations team within the agency.

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insurance agency acquisitions

Deborah Warrick

Accounting/Office Manager

Deborah has over 29 years of leadership experience and 17 years in the insurance industry. Deborah has been with Lacy West Thomas Insurance Agency for 17 years and has served in the roles of accounting and Office Manager. Before coming to the Insurance Industry, she served as the Field Director for Pines of the Carolina Girl Scout Council in Raleigh for 12 years. Deborah has 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren and is very active in her church and community. She is Property, Casualty, Life and Health Licensed and she has a passion for helping others with their insurance needs.

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insurance agency acquisitions

Cara Cruttenden

Director of Sales and Operations East

Cara Cruttenden is the Director of Sales and Operations and manages both personal and commercial lines (East) territory. She has been in the insurance industry for 27 years. She started her career at 20 years old with a Nationwide Insurance Agency, eventually transitioning to an Independent Agency for the last 16 years. Cara has since worked with Allstate Insurance and Independent agencies until joining Marketplace 4 Insurance in early 2021. Cara gained an array of experience with many companies and different roles along the way including customer service, sales, agency manager, overall general lines agent and trusted advisor.

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