Our Team

Mr. Stern is CEO and Co-Founder of Stern Risk Partners. Michael has been in the insurance brokerage industry for over 25 years. Throughout his tenure in the industry, he has gained diverse experience in every capacity of buying, operating, growing and selling insurance brokerage and captive management operations. Through Michael's guidance, Stern Risk Partners has become the premiere provider of mandatory resident liability insurance programs, captives and property & casualty brokerage solutions in the multifamily space. He has also been integral in supporting and developing the best in class software solutions utilized by the clients of Stern Risk Partners.

Michael began his career as a Corporate Finance Analyst for a regional investment bank in Arkansas, gaining experience in the intricate working of financial statements, valuations, pro forma modeling, acquisitions and other types of corporate transactions. He then became Vice President of Finance for the insurance broker, Hobbs Group, and was responsible for the financial portion of the company's operations, company agency acquisitions, and ultimately was a critical part of the deal team when Hobbs sold to HRH. Michael next became the Head of Finance for Beecher Carlson, responsible for financial due diligence and acquisitions while financially supporting the team in raising $100 million of PE funds. To augment his insurance experience, he transitioned to the brokerage side of the company as a Producer. He quickly succeeded and was promoted to Managing Director, responsible for the National Real Estate Practice with a heavy focus on developing business in the multifamily industry.

Michael double majored in college and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Saint Louis University. He also earned his Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Emory University. Michael was twice named as Risk & Insurance Magazine's Power Broker 40 Under 40.

Mr. Ouimette is President and Co-Founder of Stern Risk Partners. As a 35-plus year veteran of the captive insurance industry, Mark has successfully designed and licensed over 300 captive insurance companies for both publicly traded and large regional companies throughout the United States. Under Mark's leadership, Stern Risk Partners has become the premier provider of captive insurance programs and integrated insurance solutions for the multifamily, student and senior housing industries. Prior to founding Stern Risk Partners, Mark held several senior leadership roles with national and international insurance brokerage firms, focusing on captive insurance design, management and consulting.

Mark maintains an extensive knowledge of the alternative risk insurance market, which includes the structure and operation of captive insurance companies, rent-a-captives, risk retention groups and series captives. As a seasoned insurance professional, Mark provides specific expertise in working with Stern Risk Partners' clients on captive insurance program design, project feasibility, pro-forma modeling, financial analysis, program licensure and the placement of fronting, insurance and reinsurance.

As a former shareholder and owner in several successful agency-owned captive programs, Mark provides a unique perspective on the risks and rewards associated with captive operations and ownership. His background provides valuable insight to corporations on the transition from the traditional insurance market to the captive insurance environment. Prior to his tenure in the insurance industry, Mark spent five years in commercial banking.

Mark received his Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Finance from Keene State College, NH and holds the designation of Associate in Risk Management (ARM). Mark also received Risk and Insurance Magazine's Power Broker award in 2007 for his creative insurance contributions to the Construction Industry.

Mr. Mooneyham is Executive Vice President at Stern Risk Partners and leads our team of CPAs that specialize in captive insurance accounting, consulting and regulatory compliance. Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, Kirk was Managing Director - Captive Management Services for Wilmington Trust where he was responsible for managing all administrative and business operations for the captive management services department. This included feasibility analyses and design, implementation and management of captive insurance companies in various domiciles across the United States.

Prior to joining Wilmington Trust, Kirk led the Denver captive management office for Beecher Carlson. Kirk has over 15 years of experience in the captive insurance industry and over six years in public accounting. He has managed captives domiciled in Arizona, Nevada, Vermont, Delaware, South Carolina, Washington, D.C., and the Cayman Islands working with various entities such as risk retention groups, segregated cell companies, and association and group captives. Kirk has extensive experience providing day-to-day accounting, monthly and year-end financial statement preparation, audit support, budgeting/forecasting services, and regulatory guidance for captive entities of various sizes and lines of business.

Kirk holds a Masters of Accountancy from Clemson University and earned a Bachelor's degree from Erskine College. He holds a Certified Public Accountant certificate in the state of Colorado. He is a member of the Alternative Risk Transfer Committee of the Self-Insurance Institute of America, Inc., and has served as a director and officer of numerous captive insurance companies.

Stephen Stern is Executive Vice President of Stern Risk Partners and leads the firm's Atlanta office. With approximately 20 years of experience in the insurance brokerage industry, Stephen specializes in designing, marketing and placing sophisticated insurance and risk management programs for large real estate owners, operators and investors.

Stephen has extensive experience navigating the global insurance marketplace, utilizing insurance markets throughout the United States, London, Bermuda, Europe and other international markets to create customized solutions for complex and difficult-to-place risks. His experience allows him to evaluate the full spectrum of available capacity and structure programs that leverage the most appropriate domestic and international insurers, wholesalers, specialty markets and alternative risk solutions. Rather than being limited to a particular market or placement strategy, Stephen approaches each account with the objective of accessing the entire worldwide insurance marketplace to achieve the best combination of coverage, capacity, structure and economics for his clients.

Throughout his career, Stephen has advised some of the largest real estate companies in the world, helping clients reduce their total cost of risk through innovative program structures, advanced analytics, strategic market placement and alternative risk financing. He has particular expertise in large and complex property and casualty programs, self-insurance strategies, captive insurance programs, and the development and integration of resident insurance programs.

Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, Stephen served as Senior Vice President at Beecher Carlson, where he produced and managed a significant portfolio of large property and casualty accounts in the real estate industry. He also led Beecher Carlson's resident program practice, including resident liability, contents and security deposit programs. Stephen is recognized for his expertise in designing and implementing resident liability programs utilizing both captive structures and traditional insurance markets.

Before entering the insurance brokerage industry, Stephen practiced as a tax attorney in both a law firm and a Big Four accounting firm. His work included advising clients on corporate structures and tax strategy, resolving tax assessments, and providing a broad range of tax consulting services. His legal and accounting background provides an additional perspective when evaluating complex risk financing structures and the financial implications of insurance programs.

Stephen earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Tennessee and a Juris Doctor from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis. He is admitted to the State Bar of Georgia. Stephen has been recognized by Risk & Insurance as a Power Broker and was also named to the publication's 40 Under 40 list of leading insurance brokers.

Mr. Schaller is Senior Vice President of Operations at Stern Risk Partners, a national insurance brokerage and captive management firm specializing in resident liability insurance for the multifamily housing industry. He leads the company's software development team and customer service department, driving the technology and operational processes that support the firm's growth.

Kevin brings over two decades of finance and operations leadership from prior roles in manufacturing, distribution, and franchise businesses, including CFO and Director of Finance positions where he led ERP implementations, risk management initiatives, and multi-entity financial operations.

He holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Missouri–St. Louis and a BS in Accounting and Management Information Systems from St. Louis University.

Mr. Bailey is Senior Vice President at Stern Risk Partners with a specific emphasis on Executive Liability insurance products. Glen has spent over 35 years in the insurance industry, bringing insight from an underwriting, brokerage/consulting, and entrepreneurial perspective. His background includes a specialized focus in the executive and professional liability area, encompassing financially-driven products and solutions including Directors' & Officers' Liability, Employment Practices Liability, Professional Liability, Fiduciary Liability, Crime Insurance, Network Risk/Cyber Liability, Transactional Risk and Kidnap/Ransom Insurance. Glen started his career as an Executive Protection Department underwriter with Chubb, one of the world's largest insurers of executive liability products. After nine years with Chubb, Glen moved from underwriting to brokerage services when he joined Johnson & Higgins in Atlanta. Since that time, he has provided executive leadership as a Managing Director in the Executive Liability practices of Marsh, HRH, AmWINS, AON, and Beecher Carlson. In his current role at Stern Risk Partners, Glen is responsible for coordinating efforts and directly delivering Executive Liability's services to clients and prospects in conjunction with Stern Risk Partners offices nationwide. Glen is a 1984 graduate of Clemson University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Financial Management.

Jim Cyr is a Senior Vice President at Stern Risk Partners, where he leads Property Claims Advocacy for the firm's clients. With more than 35 years of experience in the property claims industry, Jim brings a rare depth of technical expertise and insurer-side insight to every engagement.

Jim began his career as an independent loss adjuster, spending 17 years investigating complex claims on behalf of numerous multinational insurers at several leading loss adjusting firms. In that role, he handled sophisticated losses across a wide range of industries, including real estate, retail, builder's risk, gaming and hospitality, power generation (both fossil and renewable), manufacturing, chemical and pharmaceutical, and pulp and paper. His work included complex time element claims.

Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, Jim built and led the Property and Energy claims practice at Beecher Carlson from the ground up. He developed and implemented policies and procedures that brought structure, consistency and rigor to the claims process, engaging well before a loss ever occurred. His responsibilities spanned policy wording guidance, internal and external reporting protocols, adjuster selection, expert retention and best-in-class claims advocacy. He also oversaw a team of advocates, ensuring their work consistently met the high standards he established.

At Stern Risk Partners, Jim serves as a trusted advocate for clients throughout the claims process, functioning as a seamless extension of their risk management teams. He provides hands-on support across both pre- and post-loss advocacy, drawing on his deep understanding of claims strategy and presentation. His long-standing relationships with many of the industry's largest insurers have proven instrumental in resolving some of the most complex and high-value losses in the market.

Jim earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Roger Williams College. He is a member of the AIG Claims Advisory Board.

Mr. Davies is Senior Vice President at Stern Risk Partners, with a specific emphasis on property insurance programs. Rob has worked in the property insurance brokerage industry for over 20 years, focusing exclusively on challenging risks. His recommended tools for managing risk include, but are not limited to, loss control, data and analytics, catastrophe modeling, alternative risk solutions, and traditional risk transfer (insurance).

Rob began his career in the Global Energy Practice at Marsh in New York, where he spent ten years focusing on hydrocarbon, power, and utility risks. Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, he was a Senior Vice President within the Global Property Practice at Aon Risk Solutions. While at Aon, he spent five years working on a diverse, global book of business across multiple sectors, including real estate, chemical, power and utility, retail, rail, telecommunications, and food and beverage.

Rob earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida and currently holds property and casualty producer's licenses in multiple states.

Ms. DesCombes is Vice President - Resident Liability Insurance at Stern Risk Partners and has been in the insurance industry in various capacities for more than 12 years. As one of the company's original colleagues, Aubrie has been instrumental in the growth and success of Stern Risk Partners. Aubrie manages an operational and account service team that focuses on all aspects of resident liability insurance for the multifamily, student and senior housing industries. She has extensive experience with multifamily property management software providers, and the technical aspects associated with resident insurance program enrollment and integration of application programming interfaces. Aubrie also leads client and property manager training and education related to resident insurance lease compliance.

In addition to her role managing resident liability insurance programs, Aubrie has also become an expert in the area of using captive insurance structures to solve unique insurance exposures in the apartment industry. She has successfully licensed numerous captive insurance companies in multiple domiciles throughout the United States.

Prior to her tenure at Stern Risk Partners, Aubrie worked for Beecher Carlson and AON Risk Services. She graduated from Metropolitan State University in Denver with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. Aubrie is a licensed property and casualty insurance broker in the State of Colorado.

Lesley Garrett is a Senior Vice President - Client Executive at Stern Risk Partners, where she helps lead the Client Service Team. With more than thirty years in the insurance industry, Lesley brings expertise spanning every stage of the client relationship, from strategic placement to the ongoing management of complex, multi-line commercial insurance portfolios for clients across a broad range of industries including construction, real estate, hospitality, retail, transportation and manufacturing.

Lesley's career began in claims, where she worked as an adjuster for a personal auto carrier before moving into a Claims Service Coordinator role. She later spent several years in the Risk Management Department at Georgia-Pacific, before transitioning to the brokerage side of the business.

Lesley broadened her industry experience while at Sterling Risk Advisors (now Sterling Seacrest), as an Account Executive, brokering and servicing a book of business focused primarily on construction accounts, and later as Manager of Client Strategy, where she managed a diverse portfolio spanning multiple industries.

Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, Lesley was a Vice President, Senior Client Manager at Beecher Carlson within its Casualty Practice, where she brokered and serviced a large book of business primarily in the multifamily, office and real estate sectors.

Lesley holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Auburn University. She is a licensed property and casualty insurance broker and holds the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designations.

Mr. Healy is Senior Vice President at Stern Risk Partners with an expertise in providing program administration and captive management services to our clients. Brendan's experience includes formation and licensure of new captive insurance companies, creating pro-forma financial statements, drafting domicile regulatory correspondence, issuing certificates of insurance, and submitting reinsurance/excess submissions to the U.S. and London markets. In addition to captive licensure and feasibility, Brendan is also responsible for ongoing consulting and management of captive insurance companies, including amending existing business plan changes and drafting captive policy language and endorsements. Brendan has successfully licensed over 60 captive insurance companies, both on-shore and off-shore, for a variety of industries including Multifamily Real Estate and Construction. He also leads a team that has successfully implemented and manages more than 50 mandatory resident liability insurance programs.

Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, Brendan was an Assistant Vice President at Beecher Carlson managing new and existing captive insurance relationships, as well as client consulting in the utilization of various types of alternative risk financing mechanisms. Brendan graduated from Fort Lewis College with a Bachelor's degree in Finance. He is a licensed property and casualty insurance broker in the state of Colorado and holds the professional designations of Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) and Associate in Risk Management (ARM).

Erin Mayo is a Senior Vice President - Client Executive at Stern Risk Partners, where she leads the Client Services team. With more than twenty-five years of experience in the insurance brokerage industry, Erin has deep expertise across every stage of the insurance process, from placement to service, and has worked with clients across a wide range of industries, including real estate, hospitality, power generation, manufacturing, marine terminals, logistics, trucking, waste management and retail.

Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, Erin served as Senior Vice President - Client Executive at Beecher Carlson within the firm's Casualty Practice. In that role, she led the broking and servicing of a large global book of business, with a focus on accounts in the multifamily, office and retail real estate sectors, as well as real estate development. She also played a key role in market intelligence within the middle market space.

Erin began her career at Sedgwick Global, where she supported the servicing of large risk management accounts, handled property and liability lines of coverage, and responded to requests for proposals. She went on to broaden her industry experience at Marsh, working within the Risk Management Casualty Practice in New York, before joining Arthur J. Gallagher as an Area Assistant Vice President.

Erin holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Georgia, with dual majors in Risk Management and Finance. She is a licensed property and casualty insurance broker in Georgia.

Mr. Nowell is Senior Vice President at Stern Risk Partners with an expertise in Resident Program Administration and providing captive management services to our clients. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, Matthew brings deep technical expertise in risk management and captive insurance strategy to every client engagement.

Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, Matthew worked for Beecher Carlson. He graduated with both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Accounting from Mississippi State University. Matthew is a licensed property and casualty insurance broker in the State of Colorado.

Mr. Quinlan is Senior Vice President at Stern Risk Partners with a specific emphasis on liability insurance programs. Andrew has been in the insurance brokerage industry for nearly 15 years with a focus on placing coverage and developing insurance programs for clients within the Multifamily, Commercial Real Estate, and Construction Industries. His experience in the ever-changing habitational and real estate insurance marketplace allows him to focus on the intricacies of individual placements and programs. Andrew's knowledge of coverage and attention to detail give our clients the confidence that their liability exposures are appropriately and adequately covered.

Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, Andrew served as a Client Manager and Account Executive for an Atlanta-based retail insurance broker. He was instrumental in building the multifamily and real estate division from the ground up by broadening carrier relationships and becoming a vital resource for many clients. Andrew was fully involved in every part of the insurance process including client data collection, risk analysis, market selection, coverage structure, lender compliance, claims handling and directing account management.

Andrew holds a property and casualty license with the State of Georgia and is a member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Risk Management and Insurance with a Certification in Legal Studies from the University of Georgia.

Ms. Stickels is National Casualty Claims Specialist at Stern Risk Partners. Jeanne has been in the insurance industry for over 40 years and has extensive experience collaborating with customers to develop solutions for improving their claim programs and reducing their total claim cost. Jeanne is an advocate for our clients providing claim management oversight, conducting claims best quality audits, assisting with carrier coverage positions and negotiating third party administrator agreements. Jeanne began her career as a field investigator for a third-party administrator investigating, evaluating and negotiating liability, workers' compensation and property claims. She grew into a management role in which she was responsible for supervising and training adjusters, as well as maintaining the quality of work product for the claim office. Jeanne transitioned into account management becoming a liaison between the clients and the claim offices. She next worked for a large insurance carrier overseeing a worker's compensation unit, and as a claim consultant for the construction underwriting department. Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, Jeanne spent for fourteen years with Beecher Carlson as a claim and risk services advocate for clients in the pharmaceutical, manufacturing, health services, construction and real estate industries. Jeanne has a business management degree from Louisiana State University. She has obtained the designations of Associate in Claims (AIC), Associate in Management (AIM) and Associate in Risk Management (ARM).

Mr. Dadmun is an Account Manager at Stern Risk Partners, where he has served clients since 2021. Based in the firm's Denver office, R.J. supports the day-to-day management of client insurance programs, with a particular focus on captive insurance.

Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, R.J. spent three years as a Senior Customer Care Representative at Progressive Insurance in Colorado Springs, where he helped policyholders with their coverage and service needs and built the client-first approach he brings to every account.

R.J. earned a Bachelor of Arts in Radio & Broadcast Journalism from Columbia College Chicago. While in school, he hosted a drive-time music show on the college's radio station and interned at Chicago sports radio station WSCR 670 The Score, where he worked in production for The Boers and Bernstein Show.

Cameron Gillett brings more than a decade of insurance industry experience to Stern Risk Partners, LLC, where he has served clients since 2020. His career began on the claims side of the business at another Atlanta-based retail insurance broker, an experience that gave him a firsthand understanding of what happens when a policy is truly put to the test. Seeing how coverage performs in real-world situations shaped his belief that the right insurance program is built long before a loss ever occurs.

After transitioning into the brokerage side of the industry with a focus on liability programs, Cameron has spent the last half-decade developing deep relationships with carriers and honing his ability to secure competitive, well-structured coverage for clients. Since joining Stern Risk Partners, he has combined that marketing expertise with a claims-informed perspective to help clients navigate the insurance marketplace with confidence, ensuring their coverage is not only cost-effective but built to respond when it matters most.

Cameron holds a property and casualty license with the State of Georgia as well as a Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist (CLCS) certification. Cameron is a graduate of Georgia State University, where he earned two bachelor’s degrees: one in Finance and one in Risk Management & Insurance. This educational foundation, paired with his hands-on industry experience, allows Cameron to bring both analytical rigor and practical insight to every client relationship.

Baylor Herman is a property insurance broker with experience spanning the U.S. and London insurance markets. After graduating from Georgia College & State University (GCSU), Baylor began his career with Amwins in the United States in 2021 before moving to Amwins' London office, where he worked from December 2021 through November 2023. He has been with Stern Risk Partners since 2023 and holds a Florida Property & Casualty insurance license.

Throughout his career, Baylor has focused exclusively on property insurance brokerage, developing experience across a wide range of commercial property risks. He currently specializes in habitational property, flood, and builder's risk, while his previous experience includes placing coverage for farms, warehouses, oil refineries, foundries, and other complex property risks. His international market experience and broad exposure to different classes of property allow him to work with a diverse range of clients and insurance needs.

Chris Kondracki is Vice President - Captive Services at Stern Risk Partners, where he leads the firm's Captive Insurance Team and specializes in captive insurance accounting, financial reporting, consulting, and regulatory compliance. He brings a combination of technical accounting expertise and hands-on leadership to the management of captive insurance programs.

Chris oversees the day-to-day operations of the Captive Insurance Team, including client service, staff management, financial reporting, and regulatory requirements. He works closely with captive owners, boards, and service providers to help clients effectively manage their captive insurance programs and meet their financial and regulatory obligations.

Since joining Stern Risk Partners in 2021 as an Account Manager, Chris has managed a portfolio of captive insurance companies and progressively assumed broader responsibilities within the firm. He was promoted to Vice President in 2024 and now leads the firm's captive insurance accounting and management operations.

Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, Chris spent more than three years at Marsh as a Staff Accountant, where he supported the financial management of some of the largest captive insurance companies in the world. His responsibilities included financial reporting, audit coordination, accounting, and regulatory filings, providing him with extensive experience across the financial and operational aspects of captive insurance.

Chris holds a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from Champlain College.

Ms. Ouimette is an Assistant Vice President at Stern Risk Partners, where she specializes in account management of customized insurance solutions for owners and operators in the multifamily and student housing industries. Lilly’s expertise includes assisting clients with operating traditional risk transfer insurance arrangements as well as captive insurance programs. Since joining Stern Risk Partners in 2020, she has focused on developing and administering resident liability insurance programs, helping clients implement effective coverage and manage their day-to-day claim issues, including loss prevention and control.

Known for her relationship-driven approach and commitment to exceptional client service, Lilly partners closely with clients to support and achieve their operational and risk management goals. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Colorado Boulder and is a licensed Property & Casualty insurance professional.

Victoria Polite joined Stern Risk in April 2021 and currently serves as Assistant Vice President – Captive Services. She provides accounting and captive management services to clients primarily in the multifamily real estate and construction industries, with a focus on financial reporting, regulatory matters, and building strong, responsive relationships with her clients.

Victoria works closely with captive owners, boards of directors, insurance regulators, auditors, actuaries, and investment professionals to support the ongoing management and compliance of her clients’ captive insurance programs. She prepares and reviews financial statements and board materials, manages regulatory correspondence and filings, and prepares requests to Departments of Insurance on behalf of clients. She also serves as a resource to the Captive Services team, providing guidance and reviewing work to help ensure accurate and timely client deliverables.

Victoria holds the Associate in Captive Insurance (ACI) designation. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Kansas and a Master of Science in Health and Human Performance from Northwestern State University of Louisiana. While at the University of Kansas, she was a student-athlete on the women’s tennis team.

Outside of work, Victoria enjoys spending time with her husband and their two sons, watching sports, and taking advantage of Colorado’s outdoors through hiking and other outdoor activities.

Mrs. Washburn is Assistant Vice President at Stern Risk Partners and has been in the insurance industry since 2019, with experience spanning both insurance and multifamily property management. In her role at Stern Risk Partners, Colleen works with clients across the multifamily housing industry, with a focus on resident liability insurance programs.

Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, Colleen worked in commercial insurance underwriting at Hull & Company and began her career in multifamily property management. Her experience across both sides of the industry provides her with a strong understanding of the insurance needs and challenges faced by property management organizations.

Colleen graduated from The University of Texas at San Antonio with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics. She holds an Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation and the Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designation. She is also a licensed property and casualty insurance professional.

Stephen Roach is Vice President of Production at Stern Risk Partners. With a decade of experience in the insurance brokerage industry, he specializes in designing, marketing and placing sophisticated insurance and risk management programs for large real estate owners, operators and investors.

Stephen brings broad experience navigating the global insurance marketplace, tapping markets across the United States, London, Bermuda, Europe and other international hubs to build tailored solutions for complex, hard-to-place risks. This global reach lets him assess the full range of available capacity and assemble programs using the insurers, wholesalers, specialty markets and alternative risk solutions best suited to each situation. Stephen is not tied to any single market or placement approach. He treats every account as an opportunity to tap the entire worldwide insurance marketplace, delivering the strongest possible mix of coverage, capacity, structure and pricing for his clients.

Stephen joined Stern Risk Partners as a Business Development Associate, where he gained experience managing a substantial property and casualty portfolio spanning some of the largest real estate ownership groups in the country. He continues to work closely with clients to uncover coverage gaps and market opportunities that reduce their total cost of risk over time.

Before entering the insurance industry, Stephen spent nine years in sales and operations with Walgreens Boots Alliance, where he developed a strong foundation in client service and relationship management.

Stephen holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Management from Georgia State University and is a licensed Property & Casualty insurance producer in the State of Georgia.

Mr. Jessen is Vice President of Production at Stern Risk Partners specializing in new business production. Sam has been at Stern Risk Partners for over six years and is a multimillion-dollar producer. He has excelled during his years at Stern Risk selling insurance to some of the largest real estate owners and operators in the United States, with experience across all types of real estate including multifamily, data centers, retail and hospitality. He is a member of NMHC, NAA and ICSC, among other associations, and develops personal relationships with insurance carriers, underwriters and wholesalers both domestic and abroad.

Prior to working at Stern Risk, Sam led his sales team in revenue for the Atlanta Hawks.

Sam earned his Bachelor of Science from Florida State University and is a licensed property and casualty insurance broker.

Blake Secret is Vice President of Production at Stern Risk Partners and has been in the insurance brokerage business for over 10 years. Blake has extensive experience placing insurance for real estate companies of all sizes, servicing accounts and leading teams to ensure residents' insurance compliance across hundreds of thousands of units.

Prior to joining Stern Risk Partners, Blake was a Marketing Manager and Account Executive for an Atlanta-based retail insurance broker. He led the multifamily marketing team, procuring insurance options for new and existing clients, and was fully involved in every part of the insurance process including client data collection, risk analysis, market selection, coverage structure, lender compliance, claims handling and directing account management.

At Stern Risk Partners, Blake leverages his experience to help clients reduce their overall cost of risk through analytics, risk management and market strategy.

Blake earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Risk Management and Insurance with a Certification of Legal Studies from the University of Georgia.

As Business Development Manager at Stern Risk Partners, Bardo brings extensive experience in the insurance and captive industries, with a focus on developing innovative risk-management solutions tailored to the unique needs of businesses across a range of industries.

Stern Risk Partners specializes in integrated insurance and captive programs designed to help organizations reduce overall insurance costs, create additional profit opportunities and gain greater control over their risk-management strategies. In his role, Bardo works closely with clients and industry partners to identify opportunities, develop customized solutions and cultivate long-term business relationships.

Bardo's industry experience spans key verticals including construction, residential and commercial real estate, technology, manufacturing and retail. He is committed to helping organizations move beyond conventional insurance models to leverage alternative strategies that align with their financial and operational objectives.

Based in the Southeast, Bardo is an integral member of the Stern Risk Partners team, which combines decades of collective experience across the insurance and captive industries to deliver creative, sustainable and client-focused risk solutions.

Ben Ostaszewski is a Business Development Associate at Stern Risk Partners, where he focuses on building relationships with multifamily owners, operators and industry partners. He works across the firm's property and casualty, resident liability and captive insurance practices, identifying opportunities where Stern Risk can support clients and their insurance strategies.

Ben holds a Georgia Property & Casualty insurance license and graduated cum laude from Florida State University with a degree in Finance. While at Florida State, he was also a member of the Seminoles football program as an offensive lineman.

Based in Atlanta, Ben enjoys golf, fly fishing, traveling and staying active outside of the office.

Kayla Stern is a Business Development Associate based in South Florida and holds a Florida Property & Casualty insurance license. She builds relationships with real estate professionals and helps them manage risk across their portfolios. Kayla advises clients on property and casualty insurance, resident liability insurance programs and captive insurance solutions. Her focus is helping property owners and managers protect their assets while controlling costs.

Before joining Stern Risk Partners, Kayla spent two years as a Merchandising Coordinator at Christian Dior Couture's corporate office in New York City. She handled sales reporting and analysis, managed inventory and special orders between the U.S. and Paris and was the main contact for boutique teams across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. She also took part in the buying process with Paris, from pre-market through post-market, and helped open House of Dior New York, home to the world's first Dior Maison store.

Kayla graduated magna cum laude from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Fashion Business Management. While there, she studied for a semester at Polimoda in Florence, Italy. She was also selected for an International Buying and Marketing program that took her to Florence, Paris and London.