Company hires new account executives for personal and commercial lines

The McClone Agency, Inc. has hired seven new team members so far in the first quarter to meet the needs of the expanding firm.

“We’ve had a growth mindset for years,” says Dustin McClone, President and CEO. “And we never forget that our core mission is to make a positive impact in the communities we serve—that means the team needs to grow as the business grows so we can continue to support our clients and communities.”

McClone Insurance offers risk management services to Wisconsin businesses and individuals. The commercial account executives work with business clients to help them identify and manage organizational risks. Account executives in personal lines do similar work with clients seeking to manage personal risk (e.g., homeowner’s insurance, life insurance, etc.). These team members serve as a bridge between clients and insurance carriers, guiding and assisting clients through policy changes, renewals, claims and more. 

“It’s important to us that we retain the personal relationships we’ve built as we grow and expand to provide the right team, tools and resources,” McClone says. “When we do our jobs well, we allow families to be better protected and businesses to be more sustainable.

“These relationships feel especially important now as communities continue to face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic,” McClone adds.

New Team Members in Commercial Lines

Collin Bushing-Weidner joins the team with more than six years of experience in the insurance industry, most recently working for HNI Risk Services. He has a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and holds both the CISR and STAR designations. He works out of the Milwaukee office.                              

Jessica Batten joins the team with 17 years of insurance experience, most recently working at Gallagher & Co. She has an associate degree in marketing from the Madison Area Technical College and is working on a bachelor’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She works out of the Milwaukee office and specializes in large, national accounts.

Lara Laidley-Wall joins the team with more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, most recently working at Gallagher & Co. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and specializes in risk management for senior living, food manufacturing, healthcare and municipalities. She works out of the Milwaukee office.

Melissa Kart joins the team with more than 19 years of experience with a State Farm agency. She has a bachelor’s degree in business and computer systems from the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and she holds licenses for life & health insurance as well as property & casualty insurance. Melissa works out of the Milwaukee office handling accounts—primarily farm clients—that fall under both personal and commercial lines.

New Team Members in Personal Lines

Susan Gearin joins the team with more than 20 years in the insurance industry as both an underwriter and agent, most recently working for Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group. She has a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University and the AINS designation. She works out of the Menasha office.

Jared Krause joins the team with three years of personal lines insurance experience working for a direct writer as well as in an independent agency. He is currently working on a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He will be working out of the newly relocated Sheboygan office.

Jennifer Neumeyer joins the team as a Personal Lines Account Executive Admin and will be based out of the new Sheboygan office. She has an associate degree from University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan and has several years of customer service experience. Her most recent position was as a confidential assistant at the Kohler Co.

Founded in 1949, McClone is one of Wisconsin’s largest independent insurance agencies, offering comprehensive services in risk management, business insurance, employee benefits and HR management. McClone is headquartered in Menasha, Wis., with additional regional offices in Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Madison, Milwaukee and Sheboygan. For more information, visit mcclone.com.