Kristie Smith, AINS

Kristie Smith graduated from Old Dominion University in 2012 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. After beginning her insurance career in Worker’s Compensation claims, she decided to make a change and pursue a career in underwriting. Kristie joined Continental Underwriters as an Assistant Underwriter in 2014 and was quickly promoted to Underwriting Analyst Team Lead in 2016. Kristie is a quiet leader who showcases her skills in her work product and challenges her team to always provide superior service to their customers. Kristie is a master organizer and uses these skills to help her team stay on top of their daily tasks and long-term goals. Kristie takes every challenge head-on and will not stop until she finds the most comprehensive and competitive insurance solutions for her customers. Kristie continues to expand her knowledge and further her education by learning hands-on from her Continental Underwriter’s teammates, and by going back to the classroom to obtain insurance industry designations. Kristie recently received her Associate in General Insurance (AINS) and is currently working toward her Associate in Commercial Underwriting (AU) designation, and looks forward to continuing to sharpen her underwriting skills as her career progresses.

In her spare time, Kristie enjoys going to the beach as much as possible, spending time with her Chihuahua Jaxon, and hanging out with friends and family.

Shelbie Barker

Shelbie joined Continental Underwriters, Inc. in September of 2020. She has over 6 years of experience in the industry, primarily in commercial underwriting. Shelbie enjoys problem solving and striving to provide the very best service for our customers. She is eager to take on new opportunities and is more than happy to help in any way she can. She looks forward to developing her career with Continental Underwriters, Inc. and learning all she can about forestry products.

When not in the office Shelbie can be found at home in Louisa County, Va with her boyfriend, James, and their two dogs, Shadow and Steel. Shelbie has a passion for photography and has an eye for finding beauty in unexpected places. She also enjoys cruising and exploring new places with her boyfriend and family.

Andrew Belcher

Prior to joining our team, Andrew worked through high school and college at his family’s trophy business where he gained a solid business foundation. While in college he decided to pursue a career in insurance and build his own name. Upon receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Risk Management from Virginia Commonwealth University, Andrew joined Continental Underwriters, Inc. as an Assistant Underwriter. Andrew has worn many hats over the last 8 years, now holding a role as Underwriting Division Lead where he manages a book of business on the Structured Risk Team and also has the pleasure of leading and working closely with all the talented underwriters at Continental Underwriters. Andrew has a passion for the wood products space and works hard to see the exposures as more than what is submitted on a piece of paper. He sees how a company runs, how it grows, and what it needs to be properly protected. He learns each business and works hard to bring value as he builds an insurance program around the specific needs of that business and those it employs. Andrew brings a young, fresh mind to our underwriting team and an eagerness to win as a team while doing it the right way, and have fun doing it! He challenges us all to work harder and smarter to ensure we are the best in the industry.

In his spare time, Andrew lives for anything to do with sports, competition, being outdoors, and traveling with his wife and young daughters.

Melissa Berry

Melissa grew up in Rockingham County, VA and moved to Richmond, VA with $20 in her pocket and a dream of success. In 2007, she started her insurance career at a local insurance agency where she held the roles of Technical Assistant and Assistant Underwriter. As most in the industry know, when the Insurance bug bites, it doesn’t let go! In 2011, she received the offer of a lifetime – a chance to work for a company with an amazing culture and mentors to help guide her to achieve that dream she moved to the big city for! Melissa’s new role ended up transitioning away from underwriting and toward an administrative and support role, which she came to realize was her area of excellence. She continued this role through the creation of Continental Underwriters, Inc. in early 2013. Melissa was, and continues to be, a cheerleader for every member of the Continental Underwriters team. She is passionate about what we do and the industry we serve, and has played an integral role in the growth and success of Continental Underwriters over the years. With the growth of the company, new opportunities have emerged and Melissa has taken over the role of Marketing Director. Her passion, caring, strong work ethic, and constant desire to improve make her the perfect fit for the role of leading our marketing, social media, events and design. Afterall, who better to promote our business than someone who jokes that she bleeds Continental green?!

Melissa now resides in Mechanicsville, Virginia, with her husband and daughter. Her daughter loves to visit the office from time to time to say hi and make everyone smile with the electric personality she gets from her mom. In their free time, Melissa and her family often visit her family in Harrisonburg, and cheer on their local college team, the James Madison University Dukes! Go Dukes!

Corey Bounds

Corey grew up working in his family farm supply business where he learned that hard work is a way of life. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 2002 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, and started his career in the insurance industry. Since then, the entirety of Corey’s experience has been dedicated to risk assessment and loss prevention specific to the forest products industry, starting at Lumbermen’s Underwriting Alliance in 2002 where he was a Loss Prevention Representative. Five years later, Corey was promoted to Loss Prevention Manager and four years after that to Regional Loss Prevention Manager for the Eastern United States. Corey’s fast rise is a reflection of his strong work ethic, his desire for success, and his dedication to his team and his customers. Corey has visited hundreds of mills across the United States since starting his career, and has seen first-hand the risks inherently present in the forest products industry. He has developed a natural ability to analyze and understand risk and risk exposures for small milling operations all the way up to large, complex milling facilities. Not only does Corey work with and assist our insureds to help them run a safe and profitable business, but he also trains and educates our underwriters to ensure they understand the unique aspects of each operation we work with. Corey is indispensable to both the Continental Underwriters team and to our customers!

Corey resides in Mississippi with his wife and three children, where they enjoy spending time together camping, canoeing, playing baseball and softball, and showing livestock. Corey is also actively involved in his community and church.

Olivia Wood, CPCU

Olivia recently graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) with a degree in Risk Management and Insurance. She served as President of the VCU chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma, the International Risk Management, Insurance, and Actuarial Science fraternity. She joined the Continental Underwriters team in September 2016 as a Risk Assessment Assistant. Olivia immediately impressed us with her desire to learn, her strong work ethic, and her attention to detail. Upon graduation, she joined the CU team full-time as an Underwriting Analyst. We work hard to keep up with her appetite to learn and her desire to expand her knowledge of the insurance industry! She is up for any task and always works hard to get it done quickly and accurately. In her free time, Olivia is an active hiker and kayaker, and enjoys being outdoors. Olivia’s opportunities within the industry and at Continental Underwriters are endless. She will be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years!

Autumn Garcia

Autumn joined our CU team in mid- 2020 with prior experience in the insurance, administrative and customer service industry. She was more than ready to take on any tasks given to her, well equipped with all of the knowledge necessary to succeed in her role. While she did take some time away from working to raise her daughter, she has not lost her touch and greets each new workday with a bubbly spirit and sunny disposition. She prides herself on being a reliable, confident, and enthusiastic person.

Autumn’s other passions include baking, Netflix binging and spending quality time with her friends and family, especially her daughter. She is eager to further her knowledge of the industry and is excited to see what else it may have in store for her.

Amanda Huang

The entirety of Amanda Huang’s experience in the insurance industry has been spent serving the forest products niche. After graduating from James Madison University in 2005 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, Amanda started her insurance career at a Managing General Agency and Wholesaler specializing in the forest products industry. Amanda held various positions starting as a front desk assistant, moving to underwriting, and eventually taking on a dual underwriting and operations role. With the formation of Continental Underwriters, Inc. in early 2013, Amanda’s career continued to shift toward operations. Since that time, Amanda has worked tirelessly to build a strong foundation for the company to grow. From building agency management systems, to developing our internal goals and initiatives, to assembling a dream team of individuals to make it all work, Amanda’s main focus is on the achievement of Continental Underwriters’ short and long-term growth strategies. Even with that broad focus, you can still find Amanda involved in much of the day to day underwriting. Her experience and attention to detail make her a key resource for all of our underwriters, and staying involved in the day-to-day underwriting helps her to make informed decisions for the company as a whole.

When away from the office, you can find Amanda spending time with her husband and chasing around her young son and daughter. In her free time, Amanda enjoys reading, watching movies, cooking, and traveling with her family. Nothing beats cheering on her James Madison University Dukes, though. Go Dukes!

E. Taylor Overton, III

Before joining Continental Underwriters, Inc., Taylor spent four years as a Remodeling Carpenter, using the very products we support. From kitchen remodels to additions, and everything in between, Taylor developed an eye for detail, and an appreciation for a hard day’s work. In 2017, Taylor returned to Virginia Commonwealth University to obtain his Bachelors of Finance: Risk Management and Insurance Degree. His love for the outdoors and working with his hands makes him an outstanding fit for Continental Underwriters Loss Control Department. As a Risk Assessment Representative, Taylor works directly with our customers to build strong Property Conservation Programs and strives to maintain quality relationships around the country.

Taylor grew up in Tidewater Virginia and is very familiar with the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the forests that make them so wonderful. He is an Eagle Scout, and enjoys traveling. As an adult, he has traded his backpack for a motorcycle, and travels the country each summer. Taylor married his college sweetheart of 8 years in 2018. The two of them enjoy live music, cooking out, and spending time with family. They have two giant dogs, Slingshot and Layla.

C. Preston Herrington, III

Preston has over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry and over 20 years specific to the forest products insurance segment. By building and maintaining relationships with industry leaders and mentoring future leaders, Preston has enjoyed a successful career.

The cornerstone of his success, competitive nature and ability to get the job done, regardless of the circumstances, comes from the 5 years he spent in the Navy, 3 of which as a U.S. Navy SEAL. After defending his country, Preston worked for various insurance companies in an underwriting capacity. In 1996, he decided to leave the large company arena and join a small agency where he spent 17 years as a Managing General Agent and Wholesaler specializing in forest products insurance. In 2013, Preston and his team created Continental Underwriters, Inc. and as they say, the rest is history!

Preston’s experience in the forest products insurance industry and his focus on his employees and customers has created a winning team with passion and commitment to be “The National Solution to Your Local Risk.” While much of his time is now dedicated to the strategy and growth of Continental Underwriters, Inc., he still thrives on getting involved with underwriters, agents, and insureds to provide the best products and services possible. It is not uncommon to find him involved in the insurance placement of a complex risk, working with adjusters on a large claim, or even sitting at the desk with a young underwriter sharing his knowledge and expertise. Preston’s passion is helping people and solving problems, and that is exactly what he does every day!

As a native of Louisiana, Preston is interested in all things associated with the outdoors. When not at his second home on the Chesapeake Bay, or chasing around his three children and spending time with his wife of over 15 years, he can be found in a deer stand, duck blind, on a golf course, in a boat, or behind the wheel of an antique car. Preston also has a passion for cooking and is known to cook a mean pot of gumbo! Having lived in Richmond, Virginia for over 20 years, Preston is also active in various social and civic organizations, and enjoys staying connected to the local community.

Carmen Justice

Carmen graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) with a degree in Risk Management and Insurance. While at VCU, Carmen was an active member of Gamma Iota Sigma, the International Risk Management, Insurance, and Actuarial Science Fraternity. In addition to a full course load and GIS activities, she worked full-time as a restaurant manager and interned at a local insurance agency that specialized in insurance for tow-truck operations. It’s easy to see why her peers describe her as being a highly motivated person who is determined to achieve her goals no matter what it takes! Carmen enjoyed learning about the transportation industry and the risks associated with it so when she joined the Transportation Team at Continental Underwriters, she felt right at home! We are lucky to have such a self-motivated and hard working person on our team!

Glen Allen, VA is home to Carmen as she has lived there all of her life. During her free time, you can catch her spending time with her family and friends. Carmen enjoys playing basketball, longboarding, drawing, and going to the beach when she is not working.

Bernie Kurtzweil

Bernie is a 30 year veteran of the Property/Casualty Insurance industry. He is a Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and has earned his Associate in Risk Management and Associate in Reinsurance designations, along with the Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt certification. Throughout his career, Bernie has worked at several top-notch insurance companies and managing general agencies. Bernie has experience underwriting diverse lines of coverage and even led the implementation and launch of the first ever Cyber Liability product! His insurance career brought him to forest products in the early 2000’s when he became the Program Manager for one of the leading providers of insurance for the forest products industry. Of course, Bernie’s hands-on experience in the industry came much earlier. Bernie’s first exposure to forest products came at age 7 when he began working with his father’s logging operation in Wisconsin. He continued this for 16 years until he earned degrees in Finance and Economics from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. Bernie’s combination of real world and insurance experience is rare and offers the foundation for bringing together practical solutions for complex problems. His perspective allows us to see the big picture and the smallest of details when creating comprehensive asset protection strategies for our customers. At Continental Underwriters, Bernie enjoys being able to share his knowledge and experience in finding new opportunities, solving challenges, and making the full circle back to the wood products industry that began for him over 46 years ago.

His wife of over 20 years and two daughters spend as much time outdoors as possible. If not at their mountain retreat, you can find them at home in Ashland, VA.

Tzachi Lozano

Tzachi Lozano came aboard in May 2021, he works to help moderate and maintain workflow. Before starting at Continental Underwriters, Tzachi studied political science and business entrepreneurship at VCU. After graduating, he worked in home renovations and was able to continue his previous passion for martial arts. Now, part of the CU Team he is happy to use the experiences he cultivated over the past decades of working in tight knit groups to achieve goals. Tzachi has always been eager to learn new things and processes. Now, diving into the insurance world, he seeks how he can play a part in helping the CU Team and all partnerships achieve new goals.

Tzachi has had the opportunity to travel across the US, UK, Europe, and Africa. A lover of the path less traveled and meeting new people, he has been able to adapt to many different situations. While venturing, he has learned not only the importance of people’s differences but how those differences, when brought together create the most powerful solutions. Teamwork is a necessity for success. This is why Tzachi feels so much at home with Continental Underwriters, where teamwork and community are primary.

When not in the office, you will find Tzachi out and about, checking out the newest spot downtown or the dustiest hiking path. No adventure is too big or too small!

Stacy McPherson

Stacy McPherson graduated from Virginia Tech (Go HOKIES!) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Information Systems. After graduating, Stacy started her career as a staff accountant with HHHunt before moving in to public accounting with a local regional firm here in Richmond, specializing in construction and retirement plans. Prior to joining Continental Underwriters, Inc., Stacy spent time as a Working Capital Manager and Senior Accounting Manager at two local Fortune 500 companies. Stacy is excited to be adding the insurance business to her professional experience and couldn’t have asked for a better company to start her insurance career. She looks forward to learning the business and being part of the amazing opportunity and growth that Continental Underwriters, Inc. has to offer.

When Stacy is not counting beans, she loves spending time with her husband, Logan, enjoys watching her boys, Cooper and Holden play sports, hanging with friends and family, cheering on the Hokies and the Atlanta Braves and vacationing…anywhere!

ANDREA MORRISON

Andrea came to Continental Underwriters, Inc. with over 9 years of experience in the insurance industry, most of which were spent handling claims. She joined our team in February of 2019 and has been a great addition already! She is passionate about helping others, eager to develop her career and expand her knowledge of our forest products niche, and excited to provide superior service to our clients, agents, and carrier partners.

Andrea recently relocated to Richmond, VA and in her spare time enjoys exploring all that the Richmond area has to offer. When she’s not at the office, you will find her spending time with her family, visiting local wineries, or traveling. She loves relaxing by the water and takes any opportunity she can to make a trip to the beach with her family and her silver Labrador Retriever, Beck.

Dale Schmincke

Dale graduated from Radford University in 1995 with a Business Degree in Operations Management. Shortly after graduation, he began his career in his hometown of Forest, Virginia working for a direct marketing company. Within a few years, Dale was eager to accept an opportunity to move to Richmond, and expand his career working for a young and exciting marketing agency. For the next 7 years, Dale worked with companies to grow their customer base through the successful development & implementation of direct marketing campaigns. In 2006, Dale helped start Venture Specialty Insurance (VSI), and used his marketing experience to target specialty niche markets within the insurance industry. Within a few years, VSI grew into a top retail agency in the commercial auto industry, and Dale came to love the insurance industry, the competitive nature involved in the development and selling of new products, and the joy of building partnerships he formed with insurance carriers. In 2014, a unique opportunity to create a Transportation division with a focus on the specialty niche of wood haulers and logging companies emerged. Dale joined the Continental Underwriters team and has managed the development and steady growth of these two product lines ever since. Dale knows the industry and, most importantly, knows the people within the industry. He knows and understands what business and agency owners are experiencing and makes it a priority to work with them and our carrier partners to put together comprehensive and competitive insurance programs for our customers. Dale will bend over backwards for our customers to make sure they get what they need each and every time in order to run a successful and profitable business.

When not at work, you will find Dale with his wife and daughter. Whether coaching soccer, visiting family and friends at Smith Mountain Lake during the summers, or skiing during the winters; the weekends are spent with his two favorite girls.

Woody Stanchina

Woody graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in December 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Risk Management and Insurance. During his time at VCU, Woody was involved in Gamma Iota Sigma, the International Risk Management, Insurance, and Actuarial Science fraternity, and was elected Vice President of the fraternity his senior year. Woody joined the Continental Underwriters team in 2015 as a Risk Assessment Intern while he was still a student at VCU. His strong work ethic and drive for success fit right in with our team and made it an easy decision for him to join the Forest Products/Manufacturing team as a Production Underwriter upon graduation. Woody continues to drive for success and push us all to be better every day. He is eager to learn and build relationships throughout the industry, and is always up for the next challenge! Woody is a great advocate for his customers and is always willing to take the time to get the job done right. He is a rising star at Continental Underwriters and within the insurance industry. We are lucky to have him on board and look forward to watching him achieve great success!

Woody has lived in Richmond, VA his entire life. When not at work, Woody loves sports and the outdoors. He can typically be found in the mountains fly-fishing or skiing, in a duck blind, on the golf course, or watching his beloved Alabama Crimson Tide on the football field. When it comes down to it, the most important things to him are spending time with his friends and family.

Callie Vasiliou

Callie joined Continental Underwriters, Inc. in February of 2020. She brings with her 3 years of experience in the industry, primarily in claims handling. Callie brings a positive attitude to the office, works well under pressure, and is a quick learner. She strives to provide the best customer service to our clients, and is always willing to help out wherever she is needed. Callie is eager to learn as much as possible in her role as an Underwriting Technician, and hopes to grow within the company.

When not in the office, she can be found at her home in Goochland, VA spending time with her husband, Alex, and beloved dog, Kimber. She aspires to have her own little farm in the near future. She also enjoys visiting wineries, spending time with family and friends, and watching hockey. GO CANES!

Taylor Wilson

Taylor graduated from Wofford College in 2014 with degrees in Finance and Economics. He began his career spearheading business development within the oil industry at a wholesale fuel supplier.  There he was tasked with growing the business from just North Carolina into ten additional states. Although he found success there, he always knew he wanted to work in the insurance business.  His opportunity came in early 2021 when he joined Continental Underwriters as an Underwriting Analyst.  He has taken on his new role with enthusiasm and a strong desire to learn quickly. His client-centered approach, his team player mentality, and desire to solve problems will bring the best solutions and contribute to our continued growth and success.

Taylor is a native of Richmond.  In his spare time, he enjoys distance running, reading non-fiction novels, and watching the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor and on the road. He’s an avid skier and one day hopes to have visited every ski area in North America.  Taylor also has a passion for cooking, good food, and wine.  Above all, he values time with his wife, family, and friends the most.