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Management Team

MANAGEMENT TEAM

President/CEO

Terry Buckner
Executive VP/ CFO

Frank Lancaster
Chief Operating Officer

Lisa Levy
Chief Growth Officer - Property Casualty

Agnesa Bakhshyan
Chief Growth Officer - Employee Benefits

Arsen Mkrtchyan
Chief Marketing Officer

Lianna Kinard
President, Buckner Colorado

Lance Butler
President, Buckner Idaho

Brad Nielson
Vice President of Producer Development

Chris Boone
Vice President of Human Resources

Sierra Treon
Controller

Whitney Ennis

President/CEO

Terry Buckner

Terry H. Buckner is the President and CEO of Buckner —a third generation, Utah family-owned business. Terry studied as a finance undergraduate student at Brigham Young University and earned his MBA from Utah State University in 1979. He completed his Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation in 1983. After assuming full command of Buckner in 1992, Terry made several critical strategic moves that allowed the company to experience explosive growth, expanding to more than 20 times the size than when he took the reins. Terry has served as the Chairman of the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and served on various advisory boards for BYU, Utah State University, and Weber State University.

Terry and his wife, Lynne, are parents to seven children and 13 grandchildren. He enjoys mountain biking, golf, and skiing, as well as experiencing new foods, activities, and cultures as he travels with his family.

Executive VP/ CFO

Frank Lancaster

Frank began his insurance career in 1999 working in a small insurance agency while developing his education. After graduating with an Accounting degree from the University of Utah and obtaining an MBA from the University of Colorado, he fully committed to the insurance industry by immersing himself in budgeting, mergers and acquisitions, operational workflows, and compliance.

Frank’s personal focus is centered on a patient wife and 3 great kids. His hobbies consist of anything outdoors, including snowboarding, volleyball, motorcycle riding, and the occasional camping trip. He is a little bit of a foodie and loves to find the local “hole in the wall” restaurant. Frank also enjoys attending a baseball game when he needs to relax.

Chief Operating Officer

Lisa Levy

Lisa has been in the insurance industry for over 40 years and joined Buckner in August 2016. She has held positions with various regional and national brokers and has also been a commercial lines underwriter with a large national insurer.

Lisa holds both a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation. She is active with various insurance organizations.

Chief Growth Officer - Property Casualty

Agnesa Bakhshyan

Agnesa joined The Buckner Company in 2017 bringing with her over 20 years of insurance experience. Prior to joining Buckner, Agnesa owned her own agency for 10 years. Although experienced with most industries, she specializes in the hospitality and construction sector. Agnesa has earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Westminster.

Agnesa loves to travel and has been to Hawaii, Europe and the Caribbean, but her favorite vacation spot is Mexico. Something unique and interesting about her is that she was born in Armenia. Agnesa is a member of numerous organizations including UWNG, YWCA and Women in Business. Agnesa has been exceptionally successful, but her greatest success has been attributed to her becoming a mother.

Chief Growth Officer - Employee Benefits

Arsen Mkrtchyan

Arsen began his insurance career in 1997 and has grown in the Employee Benefits field for over 20 years, predominantly in Sales & Account Management. For the past 6 years, Arsen’s career has diversified into Technology and FinTech industries, serving in various leadership positions. He graduated with a B.A. in International Business and an M.B.A. in Technology Management from Westminster College.

In Arsen’s personal life he enjoys reading, riding motorcycles, scuba diving, sailing, cross country skiing, exploring mountain trails, camping, and traveling with his family. A unique talent of his is that he is also fluent in Russian. He is passionate about bringing people together to build ecosystems that encourage collaboration and teamwork.

Chief Marketing Officer

Lianna Kinard

Lianna joined Buckner in 2016 as Vice President of Marketing. In her role, she manages the firm’s brand communications and marketing strategy for five offices. Lianna earned a B.A. in Marketing from the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah and is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in General Management from Harvard University.

Lianna is from Honolulu, Hawaii and was a member of the National Scholastic Surfing team in high school. She enjoys traveling with her children.

President, Buckner Colorado

Lance Butler

Lance joined Buckner in 2017, bringing with him over 25 years of insurance experience. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and has experience in various sectors within the insurance industry.

Lance enjoyed playing sports as a child and considers his kids to be his greatest accomplishment in life. Carmine’s on Penn is his favorite restaurant and Hawaii is his favorite place for a getaway.

President, Buckner Idaho

Brad Nielson

Brad entered the insurance industry in 1978, joining Buckner in 2010. His areas of expertise include Agriculture, Aviation, Fuel Distributors, and Construction. He has obtained his CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) licensure.

 

Brad counts hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and sports among his various hobbies. He considers raising his family his greatest accomplishment.

Vice President of Producer Development

Chris Boone

Chris is the Executive Vice President of Producer Development and manages Buckner’s Utah County Office, located in Pleasant Grove. Prior to joining Buckner, Chris worked in the construction industry for 8 years. His background and licenses provide him with industry-specific knowledge and expertise that are extremely valuable to his clients. Chris earned his bachelor’s degree in Finance from Utah Valley University and later went back to complete his MBA, with a Finance Emphasis as well. Chris is a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and is actively involved in several Home Builder and Contractor Associations.

Chris loves to spend time with his wife (Shelby) and their 3 children. He enjoys working with his hands and isn’t afraid of hard work. Chris enjoys hunting, riding horses, fishing, playing sports, and anything that gets him in the outdoors with family and friends.

Vice President of Human Resources

Sierra Treon

Sierra started with Buckner in 2015 as the Human Resources Director. She oversees the “people” side of the company, including Benefit Administration, Legal Compliance, Employee Relations, Payroll, Recruiting/Onboarding and the Wellness Program. Prior to joining Buckner, Sierra spent nearly three years managing the HR Department for Oakwood Homes.

Sierra graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources. She earned her Group Benefit Associate designation in 2017 and is a Society of Human Resources Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) . Sierra enjoys the outdoors and loves spending time with her family. After moving 15 times while growing up, she now calls Denver home.

Controller

Whitney Ennis

Whitney began her insurance career in 2021 when she joined the Buckner Company. She previously worked as the controller at a manufacturer of screen guards for cellphones for 9 years. After graduating with an Accounting Degree from Utah State University, she went on to obtain an MBA from Capella University.

Whitney loves to travel and has a goal to see all Seven Wonders of the World one day. She has a loving family with a husband and two boys who keep her more than busy with their sports and activities. If you go to a Jazz game, theater, or concert, there’s a high likelihood you’ll bump shoulders with Whitney.