Multi-unit Owners, Chris Cole and Billy Wagner, earn top awards from Brightway Insurance (1)

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Brightway Insurance, a national property/casualty insurance distribution company based in Jacksonville, Fla., named Multi-unit Owners, Chris Cole and Billy Wagner, as its 2018 Agency Owners of the Year. Brightway’s leadership team presented the awards during the company’s annual awards celebration held Thursday, Jan. 10, at the Hilton Bonnet Creek in Orlando, Fla.

Cole won the award for earning the highest revenue in the Brightway system, while Wagner won the award for selling the most policies. The two own the top-producing stores in the Brightway system. Today, there are 178 Brightway stores across 21 states.

“We’re exceptionally proud of Chris Cole, Billy Wagner and all of our award winners and look forward to this time each year when we recognize our top Agents,” said Brightway Co-Founder and CEO, Michael Miller. “Brightway is a proven franchise system that provides an unparalleled, comprehensive system of support empowering Store Owners to outsell the competition three-to-one, grow their business and build an asset for their family.”

Brightway, The Cole Agency with stores in Palm Springs, Fla. and Boynton Beach, Fla., added another 3,401 policies to their book in 2018, driving the stores’ annualized written premium to more than $27 million by year-end 2018.

Wagner’s stores, Brightway, Ponte Vedra Beach and Brightway, Deland, added 3,632 policies, driving annualized written premium to nearly $20 million by year-end 2018.

Not only did Cole and Wagner earn the top awards of the night, but also they each received other awards. A complete list of outstanding performers in 2018 who received awards at Brightway’s annual awards ceremony is provided below.

Agency Owner of the Year, Revenue Chris Cole, Owner of Brightway, The Cole Agency (Palm Springs and Boynton Beach, Fla.)

Agency Owner of the Year, Units Billy Wagner, Owner of Brightway, Ponte Vedra Beach and Brightway, Deland (Ponte Vedra Beach and Deland, Fla.)

$2 Million Producer Chris Huebener, Brightway, Ponte Vedra Beach (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)

$1 Million Producers Timothy Yarbrough, Brightway, The Fernandina Beach Agency (Fernandina Beach, Fla.)
Justin Thompson, Brightway, The Carlucci Agency (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Alexander Cull, Brightway, Boca North (Boca Raton, Fla.)
Ben Barnes, Brightway, The Cole Agency (Palm Springs, Fla.)
Mark Bouchard, Brightway, The Sterner Agency (St. Cloud, Fla.)
Erika Broom, Brightway, The Canty Agency (Jacksonville, Fla.)

New Agency Owner of the Year Man Phung, Owner of Brightway, The Phung Agency (Fishers, Ind., and Round Rock, Texas)

Rookie of the Year Dave Lego, Owner of Brightway, Julington Creek (St. Johns, Fla.)

Mover and Shaker Man Phung, Owner of Brightway, The Phung Agency (Fishers, Ind., and Round Rock, Texas)

Multi-Line Award Dimitri Apostle, Owner of Brightway, The Dimitri J. Apostle Agency (Waxhaw, N.C.)

90-day Retention Award Chris Schmidt, Owner of Brightway, The Schmidt Family Agency (Harahan, La.)

Homes Sales Award Chris Cole, Owner of Brightway, The Cole Agency (Palm Springs and Boynton Beach, Fla.)

Auto Sales Award Billy Wagner, Owner of Brightway, Ponte Vedra Beach and Brightway, Deland (Ponte Vedra Beach and Deland, Fla.)

Flood Sales Award Billy Wagner, Owner of Brightway, Ponte Vedra Beach and Brightway, Deland (Ponte Vedra Beach and Deland, Fla.)

Commercial Sales Award Jodi and George Rankin, Agency Owners of Brightway, Regency (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Life Sales Award Danny Sands and Blake Rhodes, Agency Owners of Brightway, The Rhodes-Sands Agency (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Quality Award Kevin and Mary Feuser, Co-Owners of Brightway, Englewood (Englewood, Fla.)

Referral Rock Star Kandie Landers, Owner of Brightway, The Landers Agency (Glendale, Colo., and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Regional Sales Leaders Northeast Region – Mike Milano, Owner of Brightway, The Milano Agency (Tarrytown, N.Y.)
Midwest Region - Man Phung, Owner of Brightway, The Phung Agency (Fishers, Ind., and Round Rock, Texas)
West Region - Kandie Landers, Owner of Brightway, The Landers Agency (Glendale, Colo., and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Southwest Region – Ben Rodriguez, Owner of Brightway, The Rodriguez Agency (New Orleans, La.)
Southeast Region - Billy Wagner, Owner of Brightway, Ponte Vedra Beach and Brightway, Deland (Ponte Vedra Beach and Deland, Fla.)

Employees of the Year Pharaoh Hurt, Data, Brightway Corporate Office (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Kristi Tate, Service Center Processing Specialist, Brightway Corporate Office (Jacksonville, Fla.)

“Congratulations to all of our award winners on their 2018 achievements,” said Brightway President, Talman Howard. “Brightway franchisees focus on selling new business, which helps them achieve high production. We’re thrilled to see our Store Owners, Producers and employees reach their potential with Brightway.”

Brightway Store Owners enjoy comprehensive business support including customer service, carrier relationships, marketing, accounting and technology. As a result, Brightway agencies consistently outsell other insurance agencies three-to-one.*

About Brightway Insurance Brightway Insurance is a national property/casualty insurance distribution company with more than $562 million in annualized written premium, making it one of the largest Personal Lines agencies in the U.S.

Brightway’s focus is on producing win-win-win outcomes for consumers by offering customized insurance solutions and for people wishing to sell insurance by providing business opportunities that span from single Agent to multi-unit enterprises. Regardless of the path taken, Brightway provides the support necessary to consistently outsell other insurance agents.

Brightway got its start in 2008 and has since grown to more than 800 people in 178 offices across 21 states serving customers in all 50 states.

For more information about Brightway, visit our franchise page.