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.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Sadia Al-Hilo

Sadia joined Buckner and the insurance industry in 2020. After graduating from the University of Utah with her Bachelors in Social Work, she worked as a social for 7.5 years. Sadia’s background gives her specific knowledge and expertise in the Healthcare and Social Services industries. Her focus is to provide tailored risk management solutions in all types of commercial lines coverage.

Sadia is passionate about serving marginalized populations such as the chronically homeless, those who struggle with addiction, trauma care and recovery. Her greatest accomplishment is working full time and being financially independent, while completing college. In her free time, Sadia enjoys reading and being with her two cats, and is currently learning how to play the violin!  

Employee Benefits | Ogden

Blaine Allen

Blaine has more than 30 years of insurance experience, having received his start in the industry in 1985. He joined Buckner in 2006 and specializes in the employee benefits sector.

His greatest accomplishment is his fantastic family—he is proud of each child, grandchild, and spouse. His favorite movie is A Man From Snowy River and Alaska is his top choice for a getaway location. Blaine enjoys hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and most outdoor sports. His favorite restaurant in Utah is Maddox.

Employee Benefits | Ogden

Camren Applegate

Camren joined Buckner in 2015 as an Employee benefits broker and is licensed in Health, Life and Disability insurance. In his role, he helps employers develop strategic approaches with their employee benefits, as well as educating them how to become better health care consumers to offset rising costs.

Camren enjoys cycling, mountain biking, watching local sports teams and free samples from Costco. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Professional Sales from Weber State University. He’s still believes that Michael Jordan pushed off.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Jerry Anderegg

Jerry is a seasoned property and liability insurance agent with over four decades of experience. He has been with Buckner since 2000. His areas of expertise are contracting and contract bonding, large property, retail and wholesale—with special emphasis on lumber and building materials, manufacturing—with emphasis on sheet metal and steel, construction equipment dealers, and fuel dealers. He holds a B.A. and Ph. D from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree from the University of California-Davis.

Jerry was an accomplished junior ski racer, and skiing, along with golf and mountaineering, has been a lifelong passion. As a member of the Alpenbock Club, he climbed technical routes in the Wasatch, Uintahs, and Tetons, having summited many notable peaks. As a child, Jerry performed as a soprano soloist and he continues to showcase his voice, though now as a baritone. He is married to the former Cathy Pearce, and together they have 7 children and 35 grandchildren.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

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.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Spencer Berg

Spencer joined Buckner and the insurance industry in 2018 after graduating with his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics with a minor in Business from Utah State University. Along with helping companies with their Risk Management programs, he has created both collegiate summer internship and sales training programs at Buckner that have created opportunities to introduce new talent into the industry. Spencer has his Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR), Workers’ Compensation Insurance Professional (WCIP), and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designations. Some of his specialties include Real Estate, Retail and Construction.

Spencer enjoys being active outside, cooking and trying new recipes, and playing basketball. His main passion is providing a better life for his two kids! He is also a skilled singer and was even offered a scholarship to study vocal Jazz Music before deciding to go into business instead.

Property & Casualty | Pleasant Grove

Chris Boone

Chris joined Buckner in 2018 after completing is Bachelor Degree in Finance and MBA from Utah Valley University. 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 is Buckner’s Executive VP of the Utah County Office in Pleasant Grove. Some of his specialties include construction, manufacturing, and agriculture.

In his free time, Chris loves being with his beautiful wife and two young girls. He enjoys hunting, playing sports, and riding horses. In fact, he’d rather be horseback riding than on a golf course – any day! Chris values working hard, service, and sharing our talents to educate and enable others to be a little better every day.

Employee Benefits | Salt Lake

TJ Cerva

TJ joins The Buckner Company with over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry. He specializes in employee benefits, human resource services, employee wellness, voluntary products, life insurance, disability insurance, and supplemental benefits. He is also licensed in Property and Casualty, which gives him well-rounded perspectives into business insurance needs.

TJ enjoys water and snow skiing, wakeboarding, and riding motorcycles. He loves adventure motorcycling and camping, all around Utah. He also considers himself a foodie. He loves to eat out at different restaurants and try new foods. His favorite place to vacation is Flaming Gorge, UT and he loves spending time with his family and friends.

Director, Private Client Group

Hugh Cowley

Hugh Cowley joins The Buckner Company’s Private Client Group with 10 years of insurance experience. In his previous role, he was recognized as a top producer company-wide for the last 9 consecutive years; he has also received multiple awards for world-class service that he provides to his clients. Hugh specializes in personal lines asset protection for high-net-worth families and individuals. He takes great care to understand the risk and exposures of his clients so that he can provide the best coverage to suit their needs.

When Hugh is not in the office you will find him spending time with his wife Annie and their two kids. Hugh enjoys traveling, cooking and football…. GO UTES!!!. Hugh’s greatest accomplishment in life will be to have married the love of his life and raising their 2 incredible kids.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Alex Croyle

Alex joined Buckner and the insurance industry in 2020, after graduating with his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science. Through constant learning and growth, Alex is committed to becoming a trusted partner and always doing what is right for his clients. He will focus on commercial property and casualty insurance, specializing in the healthcare industry.

Alex grew up skiing, golfing, and playing football. He continued to play football through college at Southern Utah University, and was a wide receiver coach for Weber State University after graduating college. Alex is soon to be a dad, and strives to better himself everyday.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Rebecca ‘ Becky Jo’ Cumming

Rebecca ‘Becky Jo’ joined the insurance industry in 2020 as a Buckner Summer Intern. At the end of her program she was awarded the Internship Excellence Award, and joined Buckner full-time immediately after. Becky Jo is currently finishing her Bachelors in Communications and is specializing in Agriculture and Farming insurance.

Becky Jo grew up in San Diego with a canyon behind her house; her childhood was full of capturing tadpoles and watching them grow into frogs, swinging from trees into the creek, having mud between her toes, and enduring poison ivy scars. Her greatest accomplishment is raising her six daughters to work hard, cultivate empathy, and never compromise personal values. Becky Jo is an adrenaline junkie and loves to try anything at least once. Her main goal is to smile and laugh as much as possible throughout life!

Employee Benefits | Salt Lake

Chris Dahl

Chris joined Buckner in July 2010 and specializes in providing consultative analysis to larger employers. His goal is to assist clients with his broad understanding of the employee benefits space, with the ultimate objective of introducing solutions that align with the clients’ needs, culture, and business purposes. Chris received his B.A. in Communications from the University of Utah. He is fluent in Spanish.

Prior to joining Buckner, Chris spent many years in sales and underwriting for various insurance carriers, third-party administrators, and pharmacy benefit managers. He has more than 23 years of insurance experience. Those who have worked with Chris describe him as, “intelligent, dedicated, resourceful, driven, ethical, and a strong leader.”

He and his wife, Suzanne, are parents to three children. In his spare time, Chris is an avid pilot with more than 2,800 hours of flight time. He also is a Certified Flight Instructor with Instrument and Multi-Engine privileges. Chris enjoys mountain biking and fly fishing.

Employee Benefits | Salt Lake

Carol Dana

Carol has more than 30 years of experience in employee benefits. Carol begun her insurance career in 1987 as a captive agent with BlueCross BlueShield of Utah. She than owned and operated her own insurance agency, Dana Benefits until she started with The Buckner Company in 2011.  Carol has a strong back ground in Employee Benefits, sharing her knowledge and experience with fully insured and alternate funded health plans. She’s a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters and currently serves on the board. She’s also a 2018 SelectHealth Diamond Partner Award Recipient.

Carol enjoys camping, 4 wheeling, water skiing and traveling, her favorite vacation spot, South Africa. She considers raising her two beautiful daughters her greatest accomplishment.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Christian Deputy

Christian has been working in the insurance industry since 2001. He specializes in helping clients in the retail, manufacturing, technology, and professional services industries.

He is a walking quadriplegic due to a mountain biking injury and enjoys flying and fly fishing.

Trucking | Salt Lake

Chad Driggs

Chad joined Buckner in 2014, having started in the insurance industry in 2009. His industry specialties include trucking and transportation.

Chad has completed 3 marathons, 2 half-marathons, and one triathlon—running the Boston Marathon is his greatest life achievement. He enjoys eating at Ruth’s Chris, his favorite movie is the Shawshank Redemption, and Hawaii is his top getaway location

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

James Eldredge

James has over 10 years of experience in the industry, getting his start with insurance in 2004. He joined Buckner in 2015, with specialties in construction, real estate, and manufacturing. James received a Bachelor’s degree, procured his Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation, as well as a Construction Risk Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designation.

In his spare time, James enjoys snowboarding, golfing, playing hockey, and loves to travel—that is when he is not chasing his two active children in their extracurricular activities of dance, tumbling, lacrosse, hockey, soccer, and baseball. He aspires to take his family to every continent one day. His favorite movie is Miracle (the USA hockey team in 1980) and his favorite Utah restaurant is the American-bistro, Tiburon.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Tanner Eldredge

Tanner graduated from Utah Valley University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Marketing. In 2015, he joined Buckner and currently specializes in the construction sector.

Tanner enjoys his time out on the golf course and his favorite vacation spot is Desert Mountain. Ruth’s Chris is among his favorite dining options here in the Salt Lake valley and Moneyball is his top movie pick. Anyone that knows Tanner would agree that he is a Utah Jazz fanatic and will chat with anyone about the latest trades, scores, and game highlights.

Property & Casualty | Ogden

Michael Gale

Mike currently serves as Senior Vice President of The Buckner Company. Mike has over 30 years of insurance experience specializing in the construction industry. Mike obtained the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation and has been a member of the National Association of Certified Insurance Counselors for over 25 years. In 2017, Mike was recognized as one of the Top 100 Insurance Agents in the country by Insurance Business Magazine.

A graduate of Weber State University, Mike continues his involvement as a track and field official for track meets.  He has served as the President of the Weber State Wildcat Club and also as a board member of WSU Richards Institute for Ethics Advisory Board. Mike has served as convention chairman of the Associated General Contractors of Utah, chairman of Downtown Ogden, Inc. and board member of the, the Ogden Junction Association. Mike is also a member of the Utah Surety Association, the National Association of Surety Bond Producers and the Associated Builders and Contractors, Utah Chapter.

Mike and his wife Jeri and are the parents of 4 children and 4 grandchildren.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Dennis Gross

Dennis has been in the insurance industry since 2005, starting with Buckner the same year. His industry specialty is focused on construction. Dennis graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology, and later graduated with his MBA.

Dennis’s biggest accomplishment is rearing and raising two daughters. He enjoys skiing, vacationing in Cancun, Mexico and the movie Pirates of the Caribbean. He lived in Germany for more than 4 years while serving in the United States Military.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Nick Hansen

Nick is coming to Buckner with eight years of Healthcare experience, including working with the Affordable Care Act and leading the Pediatric General Surgery group at Primary Children’s Hospital. He has both his Bachelor’s and MBA from the University of Utah, and earned several leadership awards. Nick leverages his educational and industry background to help companies mitigate risk, save money and meet the highest quality of care for their business needs.

Nick grew up playing competitive golf, soccer and wrestling. He still plays on a men’s soccer league. Nick has a made a hole-in-one during a golf tournament and is hoping for another. Nick married the girl of his dreams and has two beautiful sons. He learned a second language and loves Korean food, culture and history.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Craig Hilton

Craig has been in the insurance industry since 1989 and has been with Buckner since 2003. He has industry specialties of construction, financial institutions, hospitals, restaurants, manufacturing and professional services.

Craig’s favorite place to be, outside of work, is on the river fly fishing and his favorite vacation spot is Lake Powell. His favorite movie is The Hobbit and he loves eating at Sushi House. As a child, Craig enjoyed baseball, football, basketball and making huts. He considers winning over his wife his greatest feat.

Employee Benefits | Salt Lake

Andrew Ipsen

Andrew began working in the insurance industry in 2015 and specializes in Employee Benefits. He is licensed in Life and Heath & Accident Insurance, and has additional experience working with HRIS and Benefit Enrollment platforms. He also has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Andrew is known for his dedication and service to his clients, and he can assist with group insurance plans of all sizes.

Andrew is passionate about the outdoors and especially loves fly fishing, hiking, rock climbing, and dirt biking. When not at work Andrew can usually be found with family, in the mountains, or standing in the middle of a river trying to hook “the big one”.

Property & Casualty | Ogden

Josh Kealamakia

Josh joined Buckner in 2021, with over 5 years of insurance experience. His focus is providing tailored risk management solutions for his clients – specializing in Manufacturing, Construction, and Dealerships. Josh has his Property and Casualty License and Bachelors from Weber State.

Josh grew up playing soccer, which lead him to be the kicker/punter for Weber State. He is most proud of his son and loves spending time with him! In his free time, Josh loves cars and recently started playing golf.

Employee Benefits | Salt Lake

Dave Knoop

Dave has 30 years experience in providing solutions to large employers in mitigating risk, population health, and designing Value Based Benefits Designs. The outcome of these skill sets has been flat lining health care costs on a multi year basis while improving benefits. His experience includes actuarial prospective and retrospective underwriting, data analytic skills, well and chronic disease strategy solutions. Before joining Buckner, Dave has worked for some of the nation’s largest Health Insurance Companies and the worlds largest Consulting Firms.

Outside of the his work experience, Dave has considerable passion for robust outdoor activities. He was a member of the Cross Country Sport Committee for the U.S. Ski Team for 10 years, founded a 501c Non Profit that brought developing skiers to the elite level. The result being multiple World Cup medals, Medals at the World Championships and at the Olympics. Dave was awarded the Al Merrill Award by the United States Ski Team, the highest award given annually to volunteers that have contributed the greatest value to the sport of Cross Country skiing. He was also a volunteer youth soccer coach for ten years. Today Dave emphasizes his healthy outdoor way of life into practical work place culture solutions such as moderate exercise and healthy diets.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Béat Koszinowski

Béat Koszinowski is an insurance professional at Buckner with a specialty focus on commercial and residential construction insurance, bonds, and real–estate insurance such as homeowners associations, commercial property, and apartments.  His clients include builders, developers, contractors, property owners and property managers.

Béat is a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) & Community Insurance & Risk Management Specialist (CIRMS). He is an active board member of the Salt Lake Home Builders Association and a committee member of the Utah Chapter of the Community Associations Institute. He has served as a coverage expert and expert witness in his specialty fields and was also named one of the top 100 insurance producers in the nation in 2017.

Chief Sales Officer, Employee Benefits

Brad Kupfer

Brad joined Buckner as Chief Sales Officer of Employee Benefits, bringing over 30 years of Employee Benefits experience. Having started his insurance career with carriers such as BCBS and other regional insurance agencies, Brad’s background allows him to effectively lead and consult professional employee benefit teams in the decision making process for their Employee Benefit Programs. Brad has significant experience with both self-funded and fully insured medical and dental plans, stop-loss contracts, and high deductible health plans with health savings accounts. In 2004, Brad was among the first brokers in Utah to write a high deductible health plan with a health savings account. Since then, he has continued to be instrumental in the development of a health care captive, which allows employers alternative options to commercial stop-loss companies. Brad strives to lead clients into finding alternative methods to mitigate costs with self-funded plans, using reference-based pricing models.

Brad is a self-proclaimed ‘amateur’ in his favorite hobbies, which include photography, biking, snowmobiling, skiing, golfing, and traveling. His love for the outdoors leaves him with a perpetual tan.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Inez Lund

Inez graciously joined the Buckner Company in 2018. Prior to joining our team, Inez ran a HVAC company for multiple years. Inez received her bachelors’ degree in marketing and a minor in business management. Over the years, Inez has gained a passion for helping women become a stronger segment of the sales force. Inez has received her S.T.A.R. from Great West and TRS designations.

While raising her 3 girls, Inez has enjoyed volunteering at their school’s PTA, taking her girls camping and rock climbing during the summer and skiing in the winter. In her free time, Inez is often found long distance running with her 120 pound Italian mastiff running buddy.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Grant Marriott

Grant joined the insurance industry in 2020, as a part of Buckner’s Client Advisor Internship program. After graduating from BYU-Idaho with his Bachelor’s in Business Management Marketing, he moved to Salt Lake to join Buckner full-time. Grant has his Utah Property and Casualty License and specializes in the construction and medical malpractice industries.

Grant grew up playing a wide range of sports and loves spending time with family. In his free time he enjoys rock climbing, snowboarding, and competing in Spikeball tournaments across Utah. He is focused on building his community and service.

Select Account Specialist

Heather Massey

Heather joined Buckner in 2020 with over 25 years of insurance experience. She has both her Certified Risk Manager (CRM) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designations. Heather specializes in personal lines and small commercial business.

Heather is passionate about her family, and her greatest accomplishment is her children. She grew up roller skating and used to be an electrician!

Employee Benefits | Salt Lake

Larry Meyer

Larry has been in the industry for over 40 years, having gotten his start in insurance in 1977. He joined Buckner in 2010, specializing in the employee benefits sector. He has a Bachelor’s Degree, as well as his Fellow Life Management Institute (FLMI) designation.

Larry served two tours of military service in Vietnam, and was awarded the Bronze Star and Presidential Unit Citation. His favorite movie is O Brother, Where Art Thou?,  and he enjoys both Rodizio Grill and Olive Garden when it comes to favorite dining spots. He is grandfather to 18 of the cutest and smartest grandchildren.

Property & Casualty | Pleasant Grove

Lewis Miller

Lewis Miller joins Buckner with more than 4 years of experience in the Insurance Industry. He graduated from Utah Valley University and specializes in insuring contractors, manufacturers and auto dealers.

He is a passionate sports fan and as a child loved football, basketball, baseball, and golf. Today you can find Lewis cheering on the Utah Jazz. Lewis considers his greatest accomplishment to be his family.

Employee Benefits | Salt Lake

Christine Mosby

Christine Mosby entered the insurance industry in 2020.  As a non-traditional student she earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah. Two skills that Christine excels at are efficiency and organization. She has over 10 years of experience with Human Resources in the Banking, Utilities, Tech, Local Government, and Non-Profit sectors. Christine considers finding her dream career to be the steppingstone to achieving her greatest accomplishments. She is passionate about new technology and introducing new information that will help change the way something is done or perceived for the better.

Being raised in California, growing up in Georgia, and as a transplant to Utah she looks forward to the summer and all the endless outdoor activities available. Her ideal day involves relaxing in the sun and enjoying time with family and friends.

Employee Benefits | Salt Lake

Jon Murray

Jon has had his hand in the insurance industry since 2004, later joining Buckner in 2015. He specializes in the employee benefits sector, focusing on mid to large businesses (with 50+ employees). He holds a Master’s of Business Administration degree.

He enjoys the movie Fletch and his favorite restaurant in Utah is Mandarin. He loves both water and snow skiing, as well as traveling to Maui as a getaway location. He once played a pickup hockey game with Olympic figure skater Scott Hamilton and had an interesting conversation with actor Sean Astin regarding his annual salary. He cherishes his marriage as his greatest accomplishment.

Property & Casualty | Ogden

Blake Nilsson

Blake started in the insurance industry in 2008, joining Buckner the same year. His industry specialties include manufacturing, construction, and wholesale/distribution. Blake graduated from Weber State University in 2009 with his B.A. in Spanish, with a minor in Business Administration. He has procured his Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation.

Blake enjoys visiting new places and cultures.  He has lived in El Salvador and Puerto Rico and among his favorite places to visit have been Peru, Dubai, and India where he had the opportunity to meet the Dalai Lama.  Among his other interests are sports, CrossFit, reading, and spending time with his family.  He and his wife Holly have 3 children.

Property & Casualty | Ogden

Brett Nilsson

Brett began his career in the insurance industry in 1979, joining Buckner in 2006. Brett’s specialties include manufacturing, construction, habitational, rail transportation and international business. He has received his Bachelors of Science degree in Business Finance and has also received his Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation.

Throughout his notable career, Brett has been named Utah Young Agent of the Year in 1986, Utah Agent of the Year in 1996, as well as President of the Independent Insurance Agents of Utah in 1993-1994. Brett has been the chairman of the Board for the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America and on the Board for the World Federation of Insurance Intermediaries. In 2017, Brett was listed in Insurance Business Americas Top 100 agents in the country. Today, Brett and his wife are proud parents of four children and fourteen grandchildren.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Mike Osborne

Mike began his career in the insurance industry in 1988, joining Buckner in 2000 with an emphasis in the manufacturing and construction industries.  Prior to joining the insurance industry, Mike earned his Bachelor’s degree in English from Utah State University.

Mike loved Little League Baseball as a youth and played on Utah State University’s Club Volleyball team while earning his degree. Mike also won the Scholar’s Day Competition at Utah State for his work in Short Fiction. Today Mike enjoys skiing and playing his guitars in his spare time.  He once closed an account while dressed as Charlie Brown and he considers his greatest accomplishment in life to be raising his two sons and daughter

Trucking | Ogden

Merrilee Robbins

Merrilee has over 25 years of insurance industry experience that she brought with her when she joined Buckner in 2013. Her specialty is trucking/transportation and she has obtained her Transportation Risk Specialist (TRS) designation. She serves as a member of Sentry Agent’s Advisory Council.

In her spare time, Merrilee loves to travel, frequent outdoor concerts in the summer and enjoys reading historical fiction. Her grandmother taught her to crochet as a child—a pastime she still loves as an adult. Her ideal vacationing spots include houseboating on Lake Powell, Disneyland with her grandkids or frequenting any beach.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Brandon Robertson

Brandon joined Buckner in 2016 and has over 15 years of experience in healthcare business operations. As a previous business owner, he has personally experienced the risk management and insurance difficulties that businesses face. Brandon is passionate about helping businesses take care of their employees, patients, residents, and clients. This passion, coupled with his healthcare and insurance knowledge, allows him to tailor risk management and safety programs that result in reducing risk, increasing compliance, avoiding claims, and – ultimately – saving money.

Brandon graduated from the University of Utah with a B.A. in Finance and received his MBA from Westminster College. He enjoys traveling and spending time with his family.

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Justin Robinson

Justin Robinson epitomizes passion, hard work, grit, and perseverance.  Justin grew up in American Fork, Utah.  It was there he developed his love for business and helping others with their needs.  Justin funded his two-year service mission to Brazil by selling sodas out of a coke machine in his front yard. Justin left Utah to get his B.S. Degree in Finance at Arizona State University.

Since graduating, Justin returned to Utah where he began his career at Buckner and has been managing & developing property and casualty insurance programs since 2006. Justin has his Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) Designation and was named Young Agent of the Year by Independent Insurance Agents of Utah in 2013.

When not at work Justin can be found fly fishing, coaching baseball & basketball, attending a dance recital, or serving in his local community. You might, on occasion, find him watching a hair growing infomercial.  Justin is a family man with a devotion to God, his beautiful wife, and five children.

Employee Benefits | Salt Lake

Hannah Sterling

Hannah joined The Buckner Company and the insurance industry in 2020, after graduating with her Bachelor’s in Business Marketing from the University of Utah. Hannah has experience with building strong client relationships and ensuring quality customer service. Hannah brings drive and determination to The Buckner Company, as she did in her career as a professional ballerina with Ballet West. Hannah grew up with a desire to excel in every aspect of her life. Some may not know the rigors and expectations required to compete professionally; suffering injuries and setbacks were part of succeeding. Hannah brings this same determination and drive to represent employers in managing their employee benefits programs.

Hannah believes that giving to the community she lives in is essential, paying it forward by teaching, performing, and bringing the arts with Ballet West for elementary and secondary education systems throughout the State of Utah.  She has an extensive background with non-profits organizations involved in community service and enjoys volunteering for organizations in need of help when she can. Some notable community endeavors include planning and executing Utah’s 150th Anniversary of the Golden Spike, worked on behalf of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to raise funds, and a continual volunteer member with several local non-profits. As Hannah transitioned as a Client Advisor to Employee Benefits, she comes with the understanding that there is no “one-solution” fits all and works with clients to analyze a strategic, up-to-date Employee Benefits solution that fits their needs.

Hannah loves to hike, bike, boat, and travel to new places in her free time – especially places with a beach!

Property & Casualty | Salt Lake

Ryan Stringham

Ryan began his insurance career with The Buckner Company in 2003.  He is a Client Advisor consulting his clients in the areas of Risk Management, all lines of Property & Casualty Insurance, Workers Compensation, and Surety Bonding.  His industry focus in the commercial sectors include construction, commercial real estate, professional services, and healthcare-related accounts.  Ryan has consistently grown his book of business through building long lasting relationships with his clients and has become one of the largest Producers at The Buckner Company.

He is associated with many different insurance organizations, including Utah Association of Independent Insurance Agents (UAIIA) and is a former President of the Salt Lake Chapter of the UAIIA.  In 2008 he was the recipient of the prestigious award, Young Agent of the Year.  He currently serves as the Chairman of WCF Insurance Agent Advisory Council and is an active member of the global network of leading insurance Agent/Brokers, RiskProNet International.

Ryan earned his bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Utah and his MBA from the University of Phoenix.  Early in his career in 2005 he received the highly regarded designation Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) from the National Alliance and he continues to maintain this designation.  In his free time he enjoys all kinds of sports and especially golf during the warm months of the year.  He also enjoys spending time with his wife Hanna and their three children.  They reside in Draper, Utah.

Private Client Group | Salt Lake

Carrie Shenefelt

Carrie began her insurance career in 2010 as a Personal Lines Underwriter. In 2013, Carrie joined Buckner’s Private Client Group where she specializes in solutions for high-net-worth individuals/families, analyzing risk exposures, and customizing risk management programs to protect personal assets. Carrie earned her Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation and has spent several years working in the commercial construction industry for general contractors and business owners on project management teams in UT, WY, CA and NV.

Carrie is an avid reader and loves to spend time with her family. She takes a lot of pride in her nephew, Jack, with whom she has helped raise. In her free time, you will often find her outdoors or traveling to Palm Springs where she loves to vacation.

Senior Director Health and Wellness

Emily Stone

Emily studied Broadcasting and Communications at Utah State University. She now specializes in the worksite health and wellness industry. She is the driving force behind Buckner’s health and wellness initiatives. Emily is passionate about teaching people the power of food on the mind and body. She also loves public speaking to inspire hope and encourage humor in the face of difficulty and uncertainty.

Emily grew up enjoying outdoor sports especially water skiing and playing golf. Today she enjoys yoga and is a Registered Yoga Teacher. When she’s not busy teaching about wellness, you can find her hiking or working out, out lake surfing, or in the yoga studio. Though she is an accomplished athlete, Emily says her greatest accomplishment is teaching her three children to use their sense of humor as their greatest tool to get through difficult circumstances in their lives.

Property & Casualty | Pleasant Grove

Trent White

Trent joins Buckner with five years of insurance experience. After graduating with his degree in Personal Finance Planning from Utah Valley University, he started working in personal lines and commercial insurance where he won multiple MVP sales awards with his previous agency. Trent specializes in the Construction and Professional Services industries.

Trent grew up playing football, baseball, basketball and golf – he also loves spending time outdoors with family and friends. Trent is the first person in his family to graduate with a university degree, and is passionate about improving both his professional and personal life. When he is not working, he loves to spend his free time with his wife, daughter, and soon-to-be son!