The Coastal Team
The Coastal Team
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Sim Bridges CPCU, CPL, ANFI
(904) 395-5912
President & Chief Underwriting Officer
Sim Bridges is a valuable member of the Coastal Insurance team of commercial underwriters, having diversified knowledge of many classes of risks. Sim started his career at Zurich Insurance Services in 2005, and was promoted to Builders Risk underwriter and Commercial Package line underwriter. In 2008 he was hired by American Keystone Insurance Company to underwrite a $30 million book of residential condominium associations. Sim’s contribution to the Coastal team has also strengthened our agency relationships, as our agents have enjoyed working with Sim on the accounts from term to term.
Education / Designations
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Risk Management, Georgia Southern University
- Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU)
- Certified Programs Leader (CPL)
- Associate in National Flood Insurance (ANFI)
- General Lines Agent License
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Kimberly Bushong Petrillo MSIM, CPCU, ARe, CPL, ANFI, ASLI, AU-M, AIDA
(904) 834-4754
President & Chief Operating Officer
Kim is a graduate of Florida State University and completed dual degrees in Finance and Risk Management & Insurance. She joined Coastal in 2012. Kim focuses on business development, sales and marketing, relationship building with carriers and retail agents, program implementation, and identifying business system enhancement opportunities. In 2017, Kim was named one of Insurance Business America's "Top 125 Elite Women of the Insurance Industry". Prior to working at Coastal, she worked as a commercial underwriter at Burns & Wilcox in Tampa, FL. She has a diversified knowledge of many commercial classes of risks.
Education / Designations
- Master of Science in Insurance Managment (MSIM), Boston University
- Bachelor of Science in & Risk Management and Insurance, Florida State University
- Bachelor of Science in Finance, Florida State University
- Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU)
- Associate in Commercial Underwriting (AU)
- General Lines Agent License
- Associate in Reinsurance (ARe)
- Surplus Lines Agent License
- Certified Programs Leader (CPL)
- Associate in National Flood Insurance (ANFI)
- Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance (ASLI)
- Associate in Commercial Underwriting- Management (AU-M)
- Associate in Insurance Data Analytics (AIDA)
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Erez Wolf
Chief Technology Officer
Erez specializes in providing custom built, database driven solutions to help optimize workflow and customer experiences.
Erez previously worked for companies including Kidder Peabody, Medical Economics, and Bank of America with a focus in those organizations in network support, DBA functions, and systems integration.
Education / Designations
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo
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Michele T. Ortiz CIC, AINS, AU, AIS, ANFI, CPCU, API
(904) 834-4747
Director of Underwriting/Personal
Michele Ortiz joined Coastal in 2013. Michele has over 25 years experience in this industry, with a background in both Personal Lines as well as Commercial Lines. Her most recent experience comes from having worked with Citizens Property Insurance Corp. for over 7 years. Her key talents include a training prowess which proves very helpful to our agency force, as she can very easily and clearly communicate our products and use of our website tools. She has proven very valuable to our team. Michele is currently pursuing her Certified Risk Manager designation as well as her degree in Instructional Design & Technology.
Education / Designations
- Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC)
- General Lines Agent License
- Life and Health Agent’s License
- Associate in General Insurance (AINS)
- Associate in Commercial Underwriting (AU)
- Associate in Insurance Services (AIS)
- Associate in National Flood Insurance (ANFI)
- Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU)
- Associate in Personal Insurance
- The National Alliance- faculty member
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Alison C. Strother ARM, AU, AINS, ANFI, ASLI, CPCU
(904) 834-4753
Commercial Underwriter
Alison Strother has over 22 years experience in the insurance industry, encompassing a variety of products and responsibilities. She has worked with a range of small to large premium accounts. Some of Alison’s strengths include risk analysis, agency relationship skills, multi-tasking, and quickly assimilating new products and coverages. We are very pleased to have Alison join our team, and add to our underwriting prowess. Alison is currently working on completing her Accredited Advisor in Insurance (AAI). In addition, she has begun pursuing her CPCU.
Education / Designations
- Bachelor of Arts, Political Science- University of North Florida
- Bachelor of Arts, History- University of North Florida
- General Lines Agent License
- Associate in Commercial Underwriting (AU)
- Associate in General Insurance (AINS)
- Associate in Risk Management (ARM)
- Associate in National Flood Insurance (ANFI)
- Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance (ASLI)
- Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU)
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Nicholas A. Sanzotta AINS, AIS, ANFI
(904) 395-5910
Commercial Underwriter
Nick has over 6 years experience working with commercial insurance as an underwriter. His background includes a variety of coverages from property, liability, inland marine, auto, umbrella, crime and professional. Nick also has experience collaborating with agents on renewals to help maintain retention for both the agent and the company.
Nick’s underwriting experience has proven to be a great asset to Coastal and we are pleased to have him on our team, helping to provide high quality resources for your agency needs.
Education / Designations
- Bachelor of Science In Business Administration, Kent State University
- Associate in General Insurance (AINS)
- General Lines Agent License
- Associate in Insurance Services (AIS)
- Associate in National Flood Insurance (ANFI)
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John Cotton CIC, CRM, ANFI
(904) 442-2955
Underwriting Vice President
John received a Bachelor of Science, Risk Management degree from Florida State in 2002 and since has worked both in an agency and MGU environment, focusing on managing commercial insurance operations. His strengths include the ability to assimilate complex issues quickly, as well as the ability to solve problems logically. The experience of working in an insurance agency is valuable to the Coastal Insurance underwriting team, since he understands the view of the retail agent regarding the value of Coastal’s products and services.
Education / Designations
- Bachelor of Science in Risk Management & Insurance, Florida State University
- Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC)
- Certified Risk Manager (CRM)
- General Lines Agent License
- Associate in National Flood Insurance (ANFI)
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Scott R. Ancil API, AIS, AINS, ANFI
(904) 395-5913
Commercial Underwriter
Scott has over 13 years experience working in the insurance industry. Since most of Scott’s experience is at the carrier level, his understanding and perspective for growth and loss trends gives him a healthy understanding of risk and what it takes to write profitable business for both Coastal and the agent. Some of Scott’s keen skills include analysis, compliance management, agency relationship building, vendor systems, and state regulations and forms knowledge.
Education / Designations
- Associates in Personal Insurance (API)
- Associates in Insurance Services (AIS)
- General Lines Agent License
- Associate In General Insurance (AINS)
- Associate in National Flood Insurance ( ANFI)
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Anita (Toni) Robbins CPIW, AIS, AINS, AU
(904) 395-5914
Underwriting Assistant
Toni has been working with Coastal since 2009. Toni has a diverse background on both the carrier side and the agency side of the house, over the course of her 40+ years of experience. She has years of experience with claims, marketing, account management, and renewal underwriting. Our agents prize Toni for her generous and attentive helpfulness.
Education / Designations
- General Lines Agent License
- Certified Professional Insurance Woman (CPIW)
- Associate in Insurance Services (AIS)
- Associate in General Insurance (AINS)
- Associate in Commercial Underwriting (AU)
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Heidi Gruber
(904) 567-3972
Underwriting Assistant
Heidi has been working with Coastal since 2010. Heidi is extremely efficient in her processing skills and document delivery. Heidi has a tremendous eye for detail and workflow. Heidi is very dedicated to providing our agents with quality and timeliness.
Education / Designations
- Bachelor of Applied Science-Consumer Studies, University of Guelph
- General Lines Agent License
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Alexandra Underwood AINS, CPCU, ANFI, ARM
(904) 395-5911
Commercial Underwriter
Alex started her career with Coastal by interning in the summer while still completing her degree. Using the skills gained through studying quantitative economics, Alex has proved a great asset in contributing to our predictive analytics tools. A high level of attention to detail and ability to track trending, sets Alex on her path to assisting in the underwriting of our niche business. Alex is also skilled at using a statistical cube to analyze our internal loss triangles and historical loss experience to gain useful insight.
Education / Designations
- Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Economics, Miami University Oxford, OH
- General Lines Agent License
- Associate in General Insurance (AINS)
- Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU)
- Associate in National Flood Insurance (ANFI)
- Associate in Risk Management (ARM)
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Marianne Chance CPCU, ARe, CIC, AINS, AIS, API, CPRIA
(904) 395-5815
Commercial Underwriter
Marianne started her insurance career in 2003. Although Marianne’s specialty has mainly been in the Personal Lines insurance arena, she has honed a wealth of skills relating to supervising, underwriting, training, auditing, rating, agency management and program development. You will find that working with Marianne lends itself to easy conversation, intentional feedback, well researched findings, and studied analysis. Marianne also values furthering her education and staying on top of industry trends, as you can see from her designation and accreditations listing below. Marianne brings another Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation to our well qualified team here at Coastal.
Education / Designations
- Bachelor of Arts, Economics and International Relations, Boston University
- Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC)
- Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU)
- Associate in Reinsurance (ARe)
- Associate in General Insurance (AINS)
- Associate in Insurance Services (AIS)
- Associate in Personal Insurance (API)
- Chartered Private Risk and Insurance Advisor (CPRIA)
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Shannon Cini CPCU, API
904-861-2890
Personal Lines Program Manager
With 20+ years experience, Shannon brings a wealth of knowledge related to personal lines risk analysis, policy forms, and agency plan distribution strategy. With countrywide experience with personal lines products to include automobile, homeowners, tenant/condominium policies, scheduled property, umbrella and dwelling fire. Shannon is a unique asset to the Coastal team. She has found success by building long term agency relationships with key agency partners to promote sustained profitability, aid retention and maintain underwriting integrity. She is an expert in portfolio underwriting to identify and rehabilitate underperforming segments of business. Her strengths include decisive underwriting action, thorough understanding of policy coverage and prompt customer service.
Education / Designations
- Bachelor of Business Administration-Marketing, Mississippi State University
- Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU)
- Associate in Personal Insurance (API)