Meet Our Team
Thomas C. Adderhold, CIC
CEO
Tom is the current CEO / Owner of Preferred Insurance Agency located in Duluth, Georgia and the President of Preferred Insurance Underwriters. He began his insurance career in 1976 by purchasing interest in an existing agency, and in 1979 purchased his present retail agency, Preferred Insurance. Tom has grown this operation to its current level by targeting and cross-selling commercial, aviation, personal lines and life and health accounts.
Prior to purchasing Preferred Insurance Agency, Tom was a Sales Manager for IBM and enjoyed a successful career earning four 100% Sales Club Awards. His unique sales ability and sound business experience provides Preferred Aviation Underwriters with the marketing focus needed to ensure continued success.
Tom is past-president of the PIA of Georgia and currently serves on both the national and local Board of Directors. Additionally, Tom is active on the Legislative Committee and is often called upon to lobby at our State Capital during the Legislative Session. He earned his CIC designation in 1979 and is currently working towards his CAIP designation.
Tom is a licensed pilot, and served as Chairman of the Peachtree - DeKalb Airport Authority for ten years. He graduated form the University of Alabama with a B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing. Tom is a member of the Atlanta Athletic Club and was the Chairman for the 2011 PGA Championship. He lives in Duluth with his wife, Bobbie, and enjoys golf, traveling, and bird hunting.
Kimberley J. Stufflet, CPCU, CIC, CAIP
President
Kim is the President of Preferred Aviation Underwriters, a national accounts program targeting the property and casualty side of the aviation industry.
Prior to working on the retail side of the industry, Kim was the Eastern Region Specialty Lines Manager for Safeco Insurance Companies. Her duties encompassed managing employees in various functions including Umbrella Underwriting, Farm, Boiler & Machinery, Inland Marine, Surety Bonds, and Premium Audit and Loss Control. Kimberley’s career began at Southern Guaranty Insurance Company in Montgomery, AL. where she learned the basics of the industry and began her underwriting career. In 1983 Kimberley joined American States Insurance Company and eventually became the Commercial Lines Underwriting Manager for the Southeast Region.
Kimberley is Past President of the Georgia PIA and serves on its Legislative committee. Kimberley earned her CPCU designation in 1995, her CIC designation in 2003, and her CAIP designation in April, 2005.
Kim serves her community as the Legislative Liason for the North Fulton County PTA and is a Board Member of the Georgia Lupus Foundation. Kimberley has four daughters, two grandchildren, and enjoys golf and traveling with her husband Craig.
Christian P. Carter, CIC
Vice President of Operations
Chris started his insurance career right out of college with New York Life in July of 2000. In September of 2002 he started with Preferred Insurance Agency and began learning the P&C side of the insurance industry. He has been with Preferred Aviation since it started, learning about the aviation industry and underwriting. Chris is the Office Manager and has accounting responsibilities for all three companies at Preferred: Preferred Aviation, Preferred Intermediaries, and Preferred Insurance Agency.
Chris attended Georgia Southern University and graduated with a BA in Business Finance. He has continued his education by completing his CIC in 2010, is a current Board Member for the Young Professional Committee and received the PIA of Georgia Agent of the Year award in 2016.
Chris was a four-year starter on the GSU soccer team earning All-Conference honors twice and has continued his soccer career in Atlanta by coaching numerous club teams and playing in different men’s leagues. Chris is originally from Greenville S.C. but currently lives in Suwanee with his wife Emily, twin daughters and dog, Abby. He enjoys playing soccer, golf, running, biking, swimming, scuba diving and wakeboarding. His wife is a teacher in Lawrenceville and they love to travel taking them all over the globe.
Robert J. O’Neil, MBA
Vice President of Underwriting
Rob is the Vice President of Preferred Aviation Underwriters, a national accounts program targeting the property and casualty side of the aviation industry.
Prior to working at Preferred Aviation Underwriters, Rob was a Product Line Manager for AIG Programs Division managing a staff of 4 direct reports. He was responsible for a $300,000,000 book of business comprised of a diverse group of programs writing Automobile, General Liability, Crime, Inland Marine, Property, Professional and Umbrella coverage. Rob’s Insurance career began at Crum & Forster Insurance Company, Boston, MA in 1987 as a Package underwriter advancing to the position of Package Manager. In 2001 Rob joined Kemper Insurance in Braintree, MA as Package Manager moving to St Paul Insurance in Boston, MA in 2003 to manage their Package business. When St Paul and Travelers merged in 2004 Rob continued on managing the Package business for Travelers until he left to join Trident Public Entity in 2009 as Chief Underwriting Officer. After a couple of good years on the agency side Rob returned to the carrier side joining AIG in 2011 as Product Line Manager.
Rob attended Bentley College and graduated in 1987 with a BS in Finance / AS in Management and continued his education earning his MBA in Finance from Babson College in 1992.
Rob has made the transition to the South moving from Massachusetts to Georgia. He is a big Boston professional sports fan and enjoys going to the games with friends and family. Rob has three children, enjoys golf, baseball, sky diving and traveling with his wife Trisch.
Wm. Darin Russell, CIC
Senior Underwriter
Darin joined Preferred Aviation Underwriters in July 2017 and has 27 years in the insurance industry with most of his career on the carrier side in an underwriting capacity. Past experiences entail holding positions throughout the insurance chain with retail, wholesale, managing general agency, binding authority, and insurance carrier entities. Darin’s diverse background includes nearly all P&C lines of coverage and a specialized background in Environmental coverages from spending 11 years with Zurich Environmental. Some of his other work experiences prior to his insurance career and graduating college include delivering pizza, fry cook, grocery store stockperson, advertising agency office assistant, and “slinging” packages at UPS for 7 years in various roles.
Darin is a graduate of Clayton State University with a degree in Marketing. He acquired his Property and Casualty license in 2006 and earned his CIC designation in 2008.
Darin is a Georgia native growing up primarily in College Park and is currently living in Duluth with his wife Theresa and daughter Deanna. He enjoys weightlifting, watching football, quiet weekends at home, and is a car guy possessing 2 classics over 25 years old.
Erica Cady
Underwriter
Erica joined the Preferred team in September 2014. Although new to the insurance world, is known to be very adaptable and welcomes new challenges.
Erica is originally from Iowa and has now settled in Georgia with many stops in between. She enjoys cooking, working out, hiking and fostering German Shepherds with a local rescue group.
David Garner
Senior Underwriter
David joined Preferred in July 2017 as an Underwriter. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia’s, Terry College of Business, Risk Management and Insurance program in 2007 and was the Vice President of Communications for Gamma Iota Sigma, the Honors Insurance Society. He began his career in claims with Sedgwick handling the Home Depot account and later joined ACE Group as an Executive Risks Underwriter working with both wholesale and retail agents. In 2013 he joined Wells Fargo as an Executive Risks Broker handling large private and non-profit clients. Later, David transitioned to Property and Casualty with Willis Towers Watson as an Account Manager before joining Preferred.
In his spare time, David enjoys watching Braves baseball and Georgia football. He also enjoys working out, playing golf and hanging out with family and friends.
Henry Granderson
Senior Underwriter
Henry joined Preferred Aviation in December 2017. For the last 11 years, he was a Commercial Multi-Line Underwriter with Columbia Insurance Group. His underwriting experience includes many coverage lines such as auto, umbrella, property, general liability, workers comp and others. Prior to Columbia, Henry obtain his bachelor degree in Business while working as an underwriter at Zurich Insurance.
Henry has spent the last 20 years living in Duluth with my wife and friends.
Jason Shaffer
Underwriter
Jason is a seasoned aviation professional with over 20 years of experience in the aviation industry.
Prior to joining the Preferred Aviation Underwriters team, Jason spent 10 years as an Aviation Insurance Producer where he gained valuable experience writing both private and commercial aircraft, aviation worker's compensation, and commercial general liability policies. Jason holds a Commercial Rotorcraft Certificate with Instrument rating, and previously flew the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior for the U.S. Army until the airframe was retired. Throughout his career as an Army Officer Jason gained experience in airport operations, aviation refueling services, aircraft maintenance, and risk mitigation. Jason is a combat veteran and received numerous awards and recognition for his service. Jason is also a licensed Fixed Wing pilot with logged time in various general aviation aircraft.
Jason is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University where he earned a BS in Aerospace Administration, and also a Master's Degree in Aerospace Education.
Jason and his wife Audra have two grown daughters, and spend their free time managing their small hobby farm in Nashville, TN.
Andrew Hill
Underwriter
Andrew joined Preferred Aviation in July 2023 bringing over 11 years of insurance experience. Andrew worked numerous positions from sales rep to sales manager. Andrew is a seasoned employee with different insurance companies and gained a lot of industry knowledge throughout the years from auto, umbrella, and fire lines insurance products. Andrew is also licensed in Property and Casualty, as well as Accident, Sickness, and Health.
Andrew is originally from Jacksonville, Florida and have been living in the North Atlanta area for over 10 years now. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, watching movies, and traveling.
Donna Ekstrom
Renewal Underwriter
Before joining Preferred Aviation Underwriters in 2011 as an underwriter, Donna worked as a real estate agent for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. From 1996 to 2002 she managed her own business transcribing for court reporters.
Donna was born and raised in New York and went to college in upstate New York. After college, Donna and her husband, Geoff, moved to California where they lived for 11 years. Donna and her family moved to Alpharetta, GA in 1995. Donna and her husband enjoy running, reading, cooking, and spending time with their two children and dog.
Geri Gotwalt
Renewal Underwriter
Geri joined the Preferred Aviation team in May 2015 as an Assistant Underwriter/Rating Specialist. Prior to that, she worked in the automotive industry for many years. Geri holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Mercer University, Atlanta. After being a stay-at-home mom for a few years, in 2013 Geri made a career change to the insurance industry. She now looks forward to learning more about the aviation insurance industry.
Geri moved to Atlanta from Michigan in 1992. She now resides in Alpharetta with her husband Doug, daughter Sara, and dog Molly. Geri stays very busy with her teenage daughter’s cross country and track schedule. She enjoys reading, taking long walks, an occasional round of golf, and going on vacation with her family.
Spencer Johnson
Renewal Underwriter
Spencer joined the team as an Assistant Underwriter in November 2022. Prior to joining Preferred Aviation, she worked as an Accounting Assistant for a kayak manufacturer in Washington state.
Although originally from Duluth, she has recently relocated to Georgia from the beautiful PNW with her husband Dustin, daughter Hunter, two dogs, two cats and two birds.
Spencer enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and all things plants.
Teresa Hricik
Assistant Underwriter
Teresa Hricik joined our team in March, 2023 as an Assistant Underwriter.
Teresa has been in the mortgage and title industry for 24 years. She is experienced as an escrow officer of a privately owned company as well as led a curative review team for a fortune 500 company. Teresa decided it was time for a career change which led her to Preferred Aviation Underwriters.
Teresa is a motivated, performance driven professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment. She has experience in handling confidential and sensitive information while adapting to change and adhering to tight deadlines so this made it a natural choice for a new path.
Teresa is fluent in Polish, born and raised in Ohio and moved to Georgia in 2010 with her husband. She loves being a mom to their two sons and is an animal lover with currently two dogs and a pond filled with fancy goldfish.
Being a comedy movie buff, she enjoys a good laugh each day as well as getting an adrenaline rush from watching scary movies based on true events.
While always sipping on a bold cup of coffee, this artistic left hander with an eye for interior and landscaping design is well organized, observant and pays attention to detail leaving her always looking to redesign, reorganize or remodel something in their home.
Samantha Figueroa
Renewal Underwriter
Samantha joined Preferred in 2019 as Compliance Coordinator. Prior to joining Preferred Aviation, Samantha worked as a manager in the retail industry.
Samantha lives in Daytona Beach, Florida. She has two children, is an avid runner & fitness fanatic!
Peggy Reece
Compliance Coordinator
Peggy joined the team in September 2016 as Compliance Coordinator. Prior to joining Preferred Aviation, Peggy worked at State Farm and Chandler Insurance.
Peggy lives in Dawsonville, Georgia with her husband, Frank. She has three children and five grandchildren. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, fishing, motorcycle rides and cruising with her family and friends.
Heather Trembley
Assistant Underwriter
Heather joined the team in 2023 as a Compliance Coordinator. Prior to joining Preferred Aviation, Heather worked as an Account Executive for a Direct Mail Marketing Company for 10 years.
She is originally from New Jersey and now lives in Florida with her 2 dogs and boyfriend.
In her free time, she enjoys working out, interior design, thrifting, horror movies and true crime podcasts.