The Sams & Associates Team
Averages Over 27 Years
Insurance Adjusting Experience

Sams & Associates helpful staff.

Our people have been carefully selected to possess not only the strong technical skills and background to handle the types of cases going to independents today, but also the people skills necessary to make it all work.

As you will see, we maintain a staff with considerable experience and we can assure you they are committed to serving your specific claims needs with an absolute dedication to customer service.

Management Support Staff and Adjusters 

For Arizona Adjusters Click Here
For Colorado Adjusters Click Here
For Nevada Adjusters Click Here
For Oregon Adjusters Click Here
For Utah Adjusters Click Here
For Washington State Adjusters Click Here

California

Roger Anderson joined Sams & Associates in 2006. He graduated from San Jose State University and went to work at Allstate Insurance Company as a Commercial Claim Supervisor and multi-line adjuster for six years. He has also worked as a field adjuster for Ohio Casualty Insurance and as a Branch Claim Manager for Maryland Casualty Insurance Company. Roger is experienced in many facets of claims adjusting and has been working in the independent adjusting field for the last 17 years. Roger is based out of our Fresno office, also providing coverage to the Bakersfield area. 

Steve Anderson joined Sams & Associates in 2008. After successfully operating his own adjusting company for nineteen years, Anderson Claims Service, Inc. was purchased by and merged with Sams & Associates. Steve has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from North Park College in Chicago, Illinois. His insurance career started with Allstate Insurance Company where he worked for seven years in adjusting, management and administrative roles. He also worked for LJR Adjusting Company as a Regional Manager. Steve has experience in all phases of adjusting, TPA administration, fraud investigation, Workers Compensation, and claims training and certification. He is the Past President of the California Association of Independent Insurance Adjusters, Affiliated Adjusters, and Western States RVP for the National Association of Independent Insurance Adjusters. Steve enjoys golf, bike riding, sports, and spending time with his wife and two children. Steve can be reached at our San Ramon office.

Joan Barrett  joined Sams & Associates in 2006 and is an integral part of our marketing team. She began her career as an estimator for a well-respected restoration company in Sacramento and maintained a Painting and Decorating License for many years. She owns her own marketing company, Market Share. Joan is a past-president of Sacramento Claims Association, as well as Claims Conference of Northern California (CCNC). In addition to the boards of these organizations, she has also served on the former Property Claims Forum and the Sacramento Pond of the Blue Goose in the late 90’s and was an associate member of the National Association of Insurance Women. She and her husband rescue Golden Retrievers for Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, and she makes blankets for children in need through the Project Linus organization. She works out of the Sams Sacramento headquarters in Granite Bay. 

John Belton returned to Sams & Associates in 2010 with 14 years of adjusting experience. He was previously with Sams & Associates from 2003 to 2006 as a multi-line adjuster. John attended California State University at Sacramento (CSUS) as a business major. He began his claims career with Progressive Insurance in 1997 as an auto adjuster and moved to first-party property claims with Travelers Insurance in 1999. For the last 4 years he was with Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company honing his impressive skills as a very large loss adjuster in the 12 western states, routinely handling claims up to $5,000,000 in exposure. John is a multi-line adjuster residing in Pasadena, CA.

Jean Britz  joined Sams & Associates in 2003 and has extensive business experience owning her own construction company abroad. Jean’s role in taking the filed reports and converting them into a standardized format has brought Sams & Associates’ service to the highest level. Her knowledge and expertise has built a team absolutely dedicated to quality control to meet and exceed our clients’ needs.  Jean is our office manager and is based out of our headquarters in Granite Bay.  

Ted Brown joined Sams & Associates in 2008 as a multi-line adjuster. He graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Ted began his insurance career at California Casualty, mostly handling auto claims. Since leaving California Casualty over 20 years ago, Ted has been an independent adjuster handling property and liability claims in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. Ted is an avid reader and has a strong passion for working in politics.

Jeremy Cargile joined Sams & Associates in 2010.  He began his career in 2002 as a real estate home inspector providing whole-house inspections for home buyers before transitioning into property claims adjusting.  He has serviced claims for multiple carriers throughout California as an independent adjuster, as well as storm assignments out of state. Jeremy received his home inspection certification from the California Contractor’s State Licensing School in 2002 and is currently working on his AIC certification.  He enjoys restoring vintage jukeboxes and volunteering for the local elementary school where his wife teaches.  Jeremy is based in the Sacramento area at our headquarters in Granite Bay.

Nick Chavez joined Sams & Associated in 2012 with 22 years of commercial and property experience. He graduated from CSU Stanislaus. He has extensive experience, having worked for Farmers, Allied, Travelers and Nationwide Insurance companies. Nick has farm, commercial and property expertise. His background includes being a general adjuster and a large loss re-inspector for those companies. He has worked on CAT teams for the Southern California Wildfires and on the Florida and Texas hurricanes. Nick and his wife have two children and reside in Visalia, California.

Jeff Cole joined the Sams team in 2010. He has an Associates Degree in Drafting & Design with an emphasis on Architecture from Texas State Technical Institute and a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. He has strong property adjusting skills, including advanced training using Xactimate 25® and Sketch, and has spent years as a project manager. He has strong communication skills, oral and written, and a passion for architecture and building design. Jeff enjoys golf and skiing, and is active in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay area. He began volunteering in 2001 and has been matched with the same little brother for the last eight years. Jeff is based out of our San Jose office.

Samantha Cummings joined Sams & Associates in 2012 as an administrative assistant. She graduated from CSUS in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Nutrition and Food and a minor in Gerontology. While attending CSUS, Samantha interned with Eskaton, UC Cooperative Extension of Sacramento, and The Heart Senior Center to further her knowledge of working with the elderly population on their nutritional needs. Samantha has a strong background in customer service cultivated from her time with Bank of America as a teller, and working at Saturn of Roseville, and State Farm insurance. She has been dancing for the last 13 years including cheerleading for a semi pro football team. Samantha is based out of our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay.

Chet Davis joined the Sams team in 2010. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Florida and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of West Florida. Chet brings with him 20 years of claims handling experience. After starting his career with State Farm handling auto and then property claims, he moved to Progressive where he worked his way up to Regional Manager. That also involved assisting with hurricane CATs in Florida, including Hugo, Andrew, Erin and Opal. He then became a Regional Manager over four western states at AIG before moving to Travelers Insurance Companies as Vice President of Claims. His responsibilities included personal and commercial claims for Auto, Property and General Liability lines of business for the California claims region. As President, Chet is focused on Sams’ expansion and growth. He is based in the Sacramento area at our headquarters in Granite Bay. 

Jim DeVard joined Sams & Associates in 2005. His career began in 1960 when he spent five years as a Title Officer. He then began working for CSE Insurance Group handling property and liability claims. Jim remained at CSE for 37 years. For 14 years he served as Regional Vice President responsible for claims in six western states. Jim also spent six years as an Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association. Jim's expertise is in liability and litigation management. He is an avid golfer and an avid grandfather. Jim is based out of our corporate office in Granite Bay. 

Danielle Dynes joined Sams and Associates in 2011 as a property adjuster. She is a graduate of California State University, Fresno with a BA in Liberal Studies. Shortly after graduation she moved to the Bay Area and began working for Farmers Insurance as a property adjuster. During her four plus years at Farmers she worked as a Mold Claims Representative, Acting Branch Claims Supervisor, Commercial Claims Representative and finally as a Large Loss General Adjuster. She handled claims for Farmers in New Orleans during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as well as supervised independent adjusters assigned to the total loss flood unit. Danielle also brings two years experience from a national mitigation company where she performed all of the insurance program billing for the water department. She is certified with the California Earthquake Authority and is currently studying for her California Adjusters License. Danielle and her husband, Tim, are the proud parents of five children. She enjoys cooking, family dinners & gardening. She is located in Patterson, CA and is easily accessible to the Central Valley, Foothills and the East bay.

Eric Ehlers joined the Sams team in 2006. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Eric is a Registered Professional Adjuster and a member of the California Association of Independent Insurance Adjusters. He has worked in commercial and industrial property claims, personal lines, earthquake, construction design defect, investigation and much more. Eric has 30 years of experience in the field of adjusting and is based out of our San Ramon office.

Darci Federoff joined Sams & Associates in 2003 as a clerical support person for our administrative team processing insurance claims reports, typing and accounts receivable. Darci has two daughters and is a proud grandmother to her 1-year-old granddaughter, Jayden. She is also an active volunteer for Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue. She is based in our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay. 

Gil Finney joined Sams & Associates in 2007. He worked for Langhammer & Associates in San Diego for 31 years and prior to that he worked for Royal Insurance Company. He is a General Adjuster specializing in large residential and complex Commercial property losses. He has worked on several large catastrophes, including the 2003 and 2007 San Diego wild fires, which came within blocks of his home. Gil is based in San Diego.

Dennis Freeman started working for Sams & Associates in 2013. His background is in the residential and commercial construction industry. In 1991, he started working with several contractors in the insurance restoration business, which led to an opportunity to scope and create estimates for contractors in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. In 2005, when hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf Coast area, he took his skills to a new level working CAT claims for Allstate Insurance through Pilot Catastrophe. After working these storms, he was off to a California windstorm in 2006. He later worked on Hurricane Ike in 2008. In 2011 and 2012, Dennis worked hurricanes Irene and Sandy with State Farm and Pilot Catastrophe, further honing his CAT skills. His fast-track on-the-job training and construction experience have launched him into property claim handling. Dennis is located in the Fresno area.

Michael Gallant joined Sams & Associates in 2012. He graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Recreation Administration and a Minor in Criminal Justice. After working for the National Park Service for three years as a Protection Park Ranger, he moved on to a career in insurance, handling liability and bodily injury claims for Wawanesa, American Claims Management and Progressive. He then worked as a Claims Specialist/Senior Claims Adjuster for Foremost/Farmers Insurance for over five years, handling property and catastrophe claims. Michael’s catastrophe work includes Hurricanes Ike and Irene and he brings over 10 years of adjusting experience to Sams & Associates. He enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and 3 children. Michael is based in San Diego, California.

Lisa Gray joined Sams & Associates in 2013. Lisa attended Mt. San Antonio College as a Criminal Justice major and began her insurance career as a property damage adjuster with Commercial Union. She then worked as an estimator for a contents restoration company and insurance restoration contractor before returning to adjusting multi-line claims with Peter Corrick & Associates. Lisa is a past president of the San Fernando Valley Adjuster’s Association and enjoys golf, gardening and camping. Lisa is a multi-line adjuster based out of Southern California.

Back to Top

Jan Jarman joined Sams & Associates in 2012 as the bookkeeper in the accounting department. She graduated from MPC with a degree in accounting and has worked in banking, sales, real estate, and has been an independent business owner. Since moving to the Sacramento region, she has specialized in doing accounting for several small businesses. Before coming to work with Sams & Associates, she was a Certified Consultant for an accounting software program used by travel agencies. This association with the travel industry has afforded her the opportunity to travel the world extensively. She still holds that certification, plus a California Real Estate broker license. She is very fortunate to have all three of her grown daughters living in this area with their families and enjoys spending time with her five grandchildren. She loves traveling, reading, laughing and enjoying life. Jan is based in our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay.

Terry Jelenic joined Sams & Associates in 2008. He attended Kent State and missed being in the line of fire of the infamous shooting at the campus by 30 seconds. After that harrowing experience he moved to California after graduation and worked for Safeco, then Transamerica and Commercial Union before running a construction company that did insurance repair work. After 5 years in the construction business, he started Northern Claims Service and owned the independent adjusting firm for twenty one years. He tried retirement and found it not suited to his energy level so he came to Sams & Associates. When not adjusting claims he rides his motorcycle to relax as he finds it requires all his focus. He also skis and flies airplanes when he can. Terry is based out of our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay, CA.

Geoff Jolliff joined Sams & Associates in 2011. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Ball State University, Muncie, IN. Geoff has a diverse background that includes property claims handling, vendor management, training, marketing and IT, especially webpage management. He was even a combat medic in the National Guard. He began his insurance career in 2002 with Farmers Insurance where he quickly rose to the position of vendor manager and headed up the newly created Farmers Flooring Program for Northern California. When Geoff left Farmers he was a Mid Loss Team adjuster. In 2005 he moved to AAA as a field property adjuster. During his time at AAA he volunteered for CAT duty in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. For several years he held positions on the board of Sacramento Claims Association. He also worked 2 years with a large abatement company, and is IICRC certified in Fire & Smoke Restoration. Geoff loves visiting the wine producing regions of California and is an avid film buff. He is based out of our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay.

Cathy Kelley joined Sams & Associates in 2012. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Cal Poly, Pomona. Cathy started working with Farmers insurance Group part time in an agency while still in high school. She stayed with Farmers in the agency and marketing arena, until she became a Property Claims Rep in 1998. In 2000 she joined the Large Loss team where she handled large and complex claims, as well as being involved in Xactimate training and contents estimating programs. She also oversaw independent adjusters during high claim volume times. In 2005 she transitioned into supervision and in 2007, moved to Nationwide Insurance where she obtained extensive experience in commercial claims in preparation for her move to The Hartford’s Large Loss Team. Cathy relaxes and loves travelling with her husband and their 2 dogs and cat. She also loves scrapbooking. Cathy is a remote adjuster based in La Verne, CA.

Jim Krueger joined Sams & Associates in 2010. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences from the University of Nevada, Reno. Jim has extensive large loss and complex claim handling experience. He began his insurance career in 1996 with State Farm, working as a multi-line adjuster; soon after he started he became a catastrophe adjuster working all over the United States. His State Farm career ended as a property adjuster in the Reno-Tahoe area. In 2005, Jim took a position as a Branch Claims Supervisor in the Sacramento area with Farmers Insurance. He moved back out to the field in 2007 as a Large Loss Senior General Adjuster with Farmers Insurance.  Jim is the proud father of his six-year-old daughter, loves the great outdoors, and is an avid runner, golfer, and bicyclist. He is well connected in the Northern California insurance community.  Jim resides in the greater Sacramento area.

Nicole Kurdziel joined Sams & Associate in 2012 as a claim service representative. She graduated Heald College with an Associate in Arts degree in Information Technology with an emphasis on Network Security. Straight out of school, she began working with Servpro in an administrative position for the next two years. She took a brief hiatus from the insurance industry and began working as an executive assistant at Maximum Security Alarm, Inc. After her time there Nicole decided to come back to the insurance field and began working for Sams & Associates. Nicole enjoys working, dog sitting and fostering, volunteering for a Chihuahua rescue, and spending time with her favorite companion, her Chihuahua, Brinks. Nicole is based out of our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay.

Bob Lund joined Sams & Associates in 1995 and is the company’s Chief Operating Officer and CFO. He began his claims career in 1989. His experience includes auto and general liability, and property claims. He was previously with Progressive Companies, including National Continental Insurance and United Financial Adjusting, with an emphasis in trucking and rental car losses, and litigated large loss claims. Bob spent thirteen years in the restaurant industry before changing careers. In addition to his duties in IT and finance, Bob manages the TPA account for the California Dept of Veterans Affairs’ Home Loan and Protection Unit. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Humboldt State University. Bob is also the manager for our fraud prevention and private investigation company, Sams Investigations Unlimited, Inc. (SIU), California PI # 22240. He is a past president of The Property Forum of Northern California. He enjoys drumming in the worship bands at his church. Bob is based out of our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay.

Kristin Maddox joined Sams & Associates in 2008 as part of our clerical staff. She has extensive administrative experience and worked for Saturn for five years. She is working on an AA degree in Deaf Studies and enjoys working with the deaf community. She participated in the Adopt-A-Family Program (a program that adopted 15-20 local families and provided them with food, clothes and gifts) for the Sullivan Automotive Group and actively participated in monthly fund raisers. During the holidays she and her siblings adopt a family and provide them with food and presents. Kristin works in our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay. 

Paul McGrath joined Sams and Associates as a liability adjuster in 2011. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English Composition from DePauw University in Indiana. Following this, he moved west and joined CSAA where he worked and progressed for twenty-five years. He started in San Francisco and then moved to Sacramento, working as a property damage adjuster, BI adjuster, BI Examiner, Litigation Specialist and BI Supervisor. He also worked for five years at Travelers Insurance in Rancho Cordova handling litigation and high-exposure commercial and automobile liability claims. Paul works from his home in the Sacramento area. 

Lisa Morris joined Sams & Associates in 2012 as an administrative assistant. She graduated from CSU Sacramento in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, a minor in Spanish and a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. While substitute teaching and tutoring in Sacramento, her love for the outdoors led her to a job at REI. Lisa honed her customer service skills by working at places such as Starbucks, Mimi’s Cafe and Longs Drugs. She ran her first half marathon last year, is an avid reader with a sweet tooth and loves many different genres of music. Lisa is based out of our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay.

Matt Ohlson joined the Sams team in 2012. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from UC Santa Barbara. After college, Matt worked several years for Farmers Insurance as a Field Adjuster. During his tenure at Farmers, he handled commercial, property, workers compensation, auto and bodily injury claims from investigation through settlement. He has been trained on the Xactimate estimating program and is very technically savvy. Matt honed his customer service skills through working at a country club and instructing youth sports programs before he transferred over to claims handling. Matt enjoys playing golf and building computers. Matt is based out of Southern California.

Bobby Phillips joined Sams & Associates in 2012 as Business Development Manager. He has an Associate’s Degree in Business from Western Nebraska Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Communications and Electronic Media from Western Carolina University. Bobby graduated in 1998 where he played collegiate basketball for the Catamounts. He continued his career playing professionally in Belgium and Austria. After playing overseas, Bobby joined Maloof Sports and Entertainment where he established strong relationships and was actively involved in the community, with such organizations as the Children’s Miracle Network, Susan G. Komen Sacramento Chapter and the March of Dimes. Having served as the Director of Group Sales for the Sacramento Kings, Bobby worked for over 10 years in areas such as Services, Premium Sales and Group Sales. After his time with the Maloof’s he relocated to Atlanta for the opportunity to lead the sales and customer service efforts for the professional Women’s National Basketball Association franchise, the Atlanta Dream serving as the Director of Ticket Sales and Services. Having worked with Maloof Sports and Entertainment and leading the sales efforts for the Atlanta Dream, Bobby worked for Bank of America overseeing high valued customers in addition to the marketing and business development for Creagh and Associates. With such a diverse and extensive background, Bobby brings a wealth of client centered, business development experience to Sams & Associates. Bobby is based out of our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay.

Don Queen joined Sams & Associates in 2009 and is an experienced liability adjuster. He graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelors degree in Business Management. Before Don joined Sams he was president of County Line Claims Service based in Los Angeles for 30 years. Don is past president of the California Association of Independent Insurance Adjusters and past vice president of the National Association of Independent Insurance Adjusters. He is an avid tennis player and has raced vintage race cars for 30 years on all of the west coast tracks. Don is based out of our Sacramento headquarters in Granite Bay.

Don Sams founded Sams & Associates in 1990 in Emeryville, CA. Don began his career as an independent claims adjuster in 1976 with Crawford & Company in Chicago,  before coming to California. In 1978 he joined Brown Brothers Adjusters in Sacramento. He was Senior Vice President when he left Brown Brothers Adjusters following the sale to Frank B. Hall. Don holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Illinois University with a major in Business Administration. Don has two children and resides in Granite Bay, working out of our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay. 

Carol Schalla joined Sams in October 2008 with our acquisition of Anderson Claims Services. She has an extensive background in business, holds a BA from the University of California at Berkeley, and is the administrative professional in our San Ramon office. 

DeNoal Sloan joined Sams & Associates in 2009. He has been known throughout his career in insurance and fraud investigations as "Dee ". He started working in law enforcement originally and has spent the years since 1991 working in the areas of fraud investigation, subrogation investigation, adjusting auto claims and property claims for large insurance carriers and as an independent adjuster. Dee has conducted training on fraud detection and monitored attorney activities in depositions and examinations under oath with extensive property and auto experience in tow as a resident adjuster in Bakersfield. 

Back to Top

Mandi Smith joined Sams & Associates in 2008 as an administrative and marketing assistant. She is working on obtaining her bachelor’s degree in Marketing with a minor in Business Administration. Mandi is very experienced in administration and worked for the Sullivan Automotive Group for over three years before joining Sams. While at Sullivan, she managed the Adopt-A-Families Program (a program that adopted 15-20 local families and provided them with food, clothes and gifts) and monthly fundraisers. Mandi is based out of our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay. 

Glenn Smyth joined Sams and Associates in 2004. Glenn has worked for several insurance carriers including Mercury insurance. He specializes in casualty losses, auto liability, and all types of injury claims. Glenn is also experienced in mediations and arbitrations, settlement conference and has been involved in the claims administration of public and private entities. Glenn enjoys living by the beach in sunny Oceanside, serving not only the San Diego region but all of Southern California.

Kelly Sullivan returned to Sams & Associates in 2011 with 17 years of adjusting experience and 20 years overall in the insurance industry. Kelly was previously with Sams & Associates from 1999-2004, handling G.L. claims and managing the Bay Area region. Kelly began her career working for Progressive Companies as an Auto Claims Adjuster and later moved into General Liability with AIG. She remained on the carrier side of the industry with Cal Farm/Allied/Nationwide before making the switch to independent adjusting in 1999. Kelly is a past president of the East Bay Claims Association, served as Adjuster Liaison for the Association of Defense Counsel, and served as the Speaker Chair for the CCNC in 2009. Kelly received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavioral Science from Cal Polytechnic University, Pomona. She enjoys spending time outdoors, and is an avid camper. She is also an animal rescue advocate and spends most of her free time caring for her own rescues, which includes four dogs, a cat and two goats. Kelly is a remote adjuster based out of her home in Santa Rosa, CA.

Buddy Taylor joined Sams & Associates in 2012. He has a total of 26 years of insurance industry experience as a multi-line claims representative with specialties in the areas of commercial auto, general liability, product liability, and property third party liability. His background includes multi-state experience with 20 states of workers compensation claims litigation and 15 states of general liability claims litigation experience. Buddy was awarded the insurance designation of Senior Claim Law Associates, SCLA, while employed with CNA Insurance Company. He is a national member of the SCLA society. Buddy is a resident adjuster based out of San Diego, CA.

Kaity Taylor joined Sams & Associates in 2004 part-time as an administrative assistant while still attending college full time. She graduated from CSUS with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. Kaity is now full-time with Sams as a Lead Administrator. Kaity fosters kittens for the Placer SPCA and volunteers at their shelter. Recently, she became a volunteer for a disaster relief organization that rescues animals. Kaity works out of our Sacramento headquarters in Granite Bay.

Kristy Taylor joined Sams & Associates in 2010 as an administrative assistant. She graduated from CSU Sacramento Summa Cum Laude (maintained straight A’s throughout her college career) with a Bachelors of Arts degree in History. At the young age of three Kristy began her gymnastics training career at Tricks Gymnastics. In 2003 she began working there as a coach, team director, mentor, trainer and manager. Her strong background in customer service and her love of people is a welcomed addition to the SAMS team. Kristy loves to travel and also has a strong passion for history and education. Kristy is based out of our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay.

Steve Torrao joined Sams & Associates in 2010 as an inside adjuster handling the California Department of Veterans Affairs account. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Steve began his career with Encompass Insurance handling residential claims. In 2006 he became a stay-at-home father to care for his infant and oldest daughter starting kindergarten. He came back to the work force in 2007 with York Claims Services, handling commercial property and mobile home claims. Steve also assisted with management for CAT duty during the Sylmar Fires in Valencia, CA. He brings 10 years of experience handling commercial and residential property claims. Steve volunteers as head coach for both of his daughters’ soccer teams and as chaperon for all school field trips. Steve is based out of our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay.

Iain Wallace joined Sams & Associates in 2009 as a property adjuster. He graduated from Western Washington University located in Bellingham, WA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Pre-Architecture. Iain began his career working for architects and switched over to the insurance industry in the early 80’s. He spent five years with Aetna Insurance as an outside property adjuster and moved to USAA where he spent the last 20 years as an examiner, manager and outside property adjuster. Iain has worked in numerous catastrophes, including flood, hurricane, earthquake and hail all over the continental United States. He has done work with Habitat for Humanity and loves working on classic cars and hot rods. Iain’s current projects include a '46 Ford pick-up and a '56 Ford pick-up. Iain is based out of our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay.

Joe Watanabe joined Sams & Associates in 2004. He has been adjusting property and casualty claims for 36 years. He worked as a Senior Adjuster for Transamerica Insurance group and has experience in Third Party Claims Administration. Joe's experience includes first party property claims handling, large loss exposure claims, liability/casualty claim investigations and litigation management. Joe is adept in Xactimate and is a General Adjuster. He is a resident adjuster based out of his home near San Bernardino. 

John Weber joined Sams & Associates team in 2002. He began handling both commercial and residential property insurance claims as an estimator for Pacific Restoration in 2000. John has over seven years' experience as a contractor, primarily as a project manager for environmental testing sites. John has a B.S. degree from University of San Francisco in Organizational Behavior. John enjoys music, theater, film and exercise, and is generally considered one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He is married and lives in Concord. John is based in our San Roman office, covering the entire Bay Area region. 

Jerry Wells joined Sams & Associates in 1993. He has had a diversified insurance experience since 1962 with a unique blend of multi-line claims and agency skills. He handles all forms of commercial and homeowners property and liability claims, including large losses. Previously, Jerry was Regional Claims Manager with Royal Insurance and owner of a successful insurance brokerage firm in the Truckee. He is a co-founder of Truckee River Bank, an avid golfer, and resides with his wife on a golf course in Cameron Park. Jerry is a Registered Professional Adjuster and serves as Regional Manager in our corporate headquarters in Granite Bay.

Corey Zogby joined Sams & Associates in 2012. He attended the University of Hawaii and California State University, Long Beach on baseball scholarships and graduated with a major in Business/Marketing. Prior to Sams & Associates, he most recently served as Vice President of Claims for Reliant General Claims Services, Inc. He trained as a multi-line adjuster with GAB learning property and casualty claims handling. Corey also served as branch manager and casualty manager through his illustrious career in the insurance field. He resides in Southern California and is very involved with the baseball aspirations of his three sons who are following their dad’s interest in the game. While he now manages and coaches little league and high school baseball teams; he was a pitcher with the Baltimore Oriole team until sidelined by injury. Corey loves to play golf in addition to his love of baseball. Corey is a remote adjuster in Los Angeles, CA.

Back to Top

Arizona Adjusters

Aaron Byrum joined Sams & Associates as a multiline adjuster in 2012. Aaron attended Glendale Community College as a business major. He began his insurance career with Hartford Insurance back in 1999 as a claim processor, moved on to become a claims rep and from there became a large loss adjuster. Aaron has handled claims and is licensed in several states, including but not limited to Oregon, Washington, California, Colorado, Arizona and Utah. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids; snowboarding when time permits. Aaron is based in Phoenix, AZ.

Marcia Gelon joined Sams & Associates in 2012 with 23 years of property adjusting experience. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of New Mexico and additional training and a certification from Vale Technical Institute. For the past four years, Marcia has traveled extensively for Kemper Insurance as a large loss General Adjuster. Although Marcia was located in Southern California for the past 24 years she has recently relocated to the Phoenix area and loves it. Marcia holds licenses in various states and has handled numerous catastrophes across the country. Her catastrophe work includes the Northridge earthquake, San Bruno gas explosion, Hurricanes Opal, Fran, and Gustav. Marcia works and resides in Phoenix and enjoys spending time with her family and being involved in outdoor activities.

Rob Jankowski joined Sams & Associates as a property and liability adjuster in 2011. He graduated from State University of New York at Buffalo with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. Rob has 30 years of adjusting experience including 11 years working for Travelers Insurance Company and Farmers Insurance Group. He has Arizona and Nevada resident adjuster licenses and is a Kingman/Cerbat Justice Court Certified Mediator. He loves photography and is a professional photographer. Rob is based in Kingman, AZ, and services NW Arizona and Las Vegas, NV.

Robert Yanovich joined Sams & Associates in 2012. Robert started in the construction industry right out of high school, learning the fundamentals before transitioning into reconstruction as the crew chief at ServiceMaster Clean. In 2004, he started with a brokerage and learned each role during his 8 years there. He worked his way up through the company, eventually handling claims and underwriting. Robert has diligently worked on obtaining his adjuster’s license while completing field training with his brother, who is an accomplished large loss adjuster. In his free time, Robert enjoys snowboarding, watching sports and spending time with his family. Robert is based out of the Phoenix, AZ area.

Back to Top

Colorado Adjusters

Garrett Luttman joined Sams in 2012. Garrett has over 16 years of construction experience and earned the highest construction license, Class A General Contractor. His vast knowledge and team management in construction practices, engineering flaws and estimating have aided his adjusting career path. He was sponsored by a provider to begin his adjusting career in 2009. Since then, he has handled residential and commercial property claims. He is licensed in several states and worked on the catastrophe Hurricane Isaac. He enjoys spending time with his 2 young children as well being an Assistant Pastor at his local church. Garrett is based out of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

David Poon joined Sams in 2011. David has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Northern State University majoring in English Literature and minoring in Business Administration.  He began his claims career in 2003 by joining the Farmers Insurance Group’s National Catastrophe Center. After a few years on the road he became a local area field adjuster for American Family Insurance. David has extensive experience handling first party property, commercial property, liability, subrogation and auto claims. He recently left his position with USAA and began his career here at Sams.   He is a member of the RMPCA and PLRB. David enjoys golfing, water sports, motorcycle riding and skiing. David is based out of Denver, Colorado.

Back to Top

Nevada Adjusters

Laura Brower joined Sams & Associates in 2009. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business from San Jose State University and began working in the insurance industry out of college. She comes from a family of adjusters and is a true multi-line adjuster. During her time at AAA, she gained extensive experience in claims as an adjuster and supervisor, handling all aspects of personal lines including SIU investigation, litigation and commercial and residential losses. Laura handled catastrophe losses for during the Hurricane Ike storms where she was awarded outstanding performances as one of the top 10 catastrophe adjusters. She is a Certified Xactimate user and earned her Associate in Claims designation. She is an active member in the Northern Nevada Claims Association where she served 2 years as the VP on their board. When she is not working, she enjoys skiing, hiking, art, gardening, interior design and camping with her husband and 2 sons. Laura is licensed in Nevada and California and is based in the Reno, NV area, also serving Northern California.  

Bobbie Ketelhut joined SAMS in 2012. Bobbie was raised working in her family’s independent hardware store in Las Vegas, NV. Her father was a general contractor and during high school she started assisting him in property inspections for all types of losses. After graduating from high school, she continued on to CCSN for business and accounting courses. Bobbie easily transitioned into adjusting and has worked claims in 9 states from coast to coast for multiple carriers on CAT teams and daily work. When she is not playing with her little girls, she is out riding horses, skiing, or golfing with her husband. Bobbie is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.  

Rodney Ketelhut joined Sams & Associates in 2012 as a property adjuster. He gained his construction experience and customer relations skills managing a family owned hardware store and related general contracting company since 1999. During this time he prepared estimates, did bid processing and supervised subcontractors. In 2007 he became an independent adjuster traveling far and wide for hurricane, hail, wind and fire claims. He now enjoys working at a more local level and spending time with his 2 little girls and wife. In his spare time Rodney is a competition farrier/blacksmith which includes the shoeing horses in a competition setting. Rodney is based out of the Las Vegas, Nevada area.  

Back to Top

Oregon Adjusters

Colleen Crotty joined Sams & Associates in 2009 as a property adjuster. She has been a claims adjuster for 29 years and spent 25 of those years at a large insurance company. In the previous four years Colleen has worked as an independent adjuster handling property claims. Colleen is a resident adjuster based in Eureka, and covers nothern California and southern Oregon.

Carrie Headington joined Sams and Associates in 2010 as a liability adjuster. She started her career as a personal lines claim representative in Woodland Hills, CA in 1983 with AETNA Insurance. In 1990 she transferred to Eugene, OR to handle a wide variety of commercial lines claims throughout the state. When Travelers merged with Aetna she continued as a commercial claim representative until Travelers closed the Eugene office. Carrie has a claim history of investigation and litigations of all kinds: personal lines, auto, homeowners, commercial lines, trucking, medical malpractice, garage keepers, business owners, product and more. Carrie and her husband live in the country outside Eugene. She owns and shows AQHA/NFQHA horses and rides for trail, roping, sorting and cattle work. Carrie is based in Eugene, Oregon.

Bryce Woodall Bryce Woodall joined SAMS and Associates in 2012. He has an Associates of Science Degree in Insurance Adjusting from Lane Community College, graduating in 1975. Bryce entered his adjusting career as an Independent Adjuster for Underwriters Adjusting Company in 1975 and transitioned to Farmers Home Group, as a Staff Property/Casualty Adjuster in 1977. His tenure with FHG continued until 1998, spending the last 4 years there as Oregon Claims Manager/Branch Manager/Senior Adjuster. After that Bryce worked at Country Companies as a Property Claims Specialist and as an active Independent Adjuster, specializing in Personal Lines and Commercial Property claims. Bryce is licensed as an Independent Adjuster in the States of Oregon and Washington and has established himself as a skilled problem solver with strong analysis and negotiation skills. Bryce is married, with one married daughter and a granddaughter expected in early September of 2012. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking in the outdoors, boating, and yard work. Bryce is based out of the Portland, Oregon area.

Back to Top

Utah Adjusters

Jim Williams joined Sams & Associates in 2012. He has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from The University of Phoenix, and a Master’s degree in Management and Human Resources from Utah State University. He has 5 years experience as a property adjuster; 1 year with Farmers Insurance, and 4 as an independent adjuster. Jim holds adjuster licenses in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. He also has over 5 years experience in the property restoration industry, where he became the General Manager for one of ServiceMaster Clean’s largest franchises. He holds numerous certifications in water, fire and mold restoration. In his spare time, Jim enjoys any form of outdoor cooking, including smoking, grilling, and open fire, and he competes in Dutch oven cooking with the International Dutch Oven Society. Jim is based out of Lehi, Utah.

Back to Top

Washington State Adjusters

Lizzy Adkins joined Sams & Associates in 2012 bringing with her over 20 years of multiline claims handling experience. Her expertise lies in liability and litigated claims management having served as a Claims Specialist for carriers such as American States Insurance, Safeco, Grange Insurance and Country Financial. In addition, she also brings management and supervisory experience in property damage/auto total loss claims. She is an active member and past president of the Puget Sound Adjusters Association and has served on the advisory board for the last 12 years. She is also an Arbitrator for Arbitration Forum, Inc. In her spare time, Lizzy is a student and practices the mixed martial art style of Thai boxing, Wing Chun, Jujitsu, Kickboxing, Kali and Jeet Kune Do concepts. Lizzy is a remote adjuster based in Seattle, WA.  

Tanya K. Padur first worked for Sams & Associates in 1996 and is thrilled to be returning in 2012 to assist in the launch and growth of the Pacific Northwest. She has a Bachelors of Arts Degree from the University of Puget Sound with a concentration in Management and minors in Marketing & Accounting. She began her claims career 22 years ago with Unigard Insurance as a multi line adjuster. Of these 22 years, 15 years have been spent as an independent adjuster handing property and casualty losses for multiple carriers as well as managing CAT teams and the Seattle Office of J. Walling & Associates for over 9 years. She also spent the last years with Fireman’s Fund as well. Tanya is currently the VP of the Puget Sound Adjusters Association and will be president for the fall 2012 year. In addition to being involved with several charities she and her husband enjoy boating, entertaining, cooking and travel. Tanya is based out of our Seattle office.  

"Our well-qualified claims staff
averages over 27 years
insurance adjusting experience."

Back to Top