Thomas C. Adderhold, CIC

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 & 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 towards his CAIP designation.

Tom is a licensed pilot, and served as Chairman of the Peachtreee - 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 is currently serving as the Chairman for the upcoming 2011 PGA Championship. He lives in Duluth with his wife, Bobbie, and enjoys golf, traveling, and bird hunting. 

Kimberley J. Stufflet, CPCU, CIC, CAIP

Kimberley is the President / Owner of Preferred Aviation Underwriters, a national accounts program targeting the property and casualty side of the aviation industry.  

Prior to moving to Preferred Kimberley was the Executive Vice President of a small scale wholesale operation located in Lilburn, GA.  Before working on the agency side, Kimberley was the Eastern Region Specialty Lines Manager for Safeco Insurance Companies. Her duties encompassed managing 63 employees in various functions including Umbrella Underwriting, Farm, Boiler & Machinery, Inland Marine, Surety Bonds, 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. With over 29 years of experience in the insurance industry and the numerous management positions she has held, Kimberley provides Preferred Insurance Underwriters with an outstanding resource of underwriting knowledge and experience to assist our brokers with their property and casualty coverage needs. 

Kimberley is Past President of the Georgia PIA and serves on its Legislative committee. She earned her CPCU designation in 1995, her CIC designation in 2003 and her CAIP designation in April, 2005. She holds her residential state agent’s license, a surplus lines license, and a counselors license, and is currently working towards her private pilots license. 

Kim attended Auburn University and Indiana/Purdue University in Indianapolis, Indiana. She has four daughters and she and her husband enjoy traveling and golf.

Paul J. Rippy

Paul joined Preferred Aviation Underwriters in September 2006. His previous experience in the insurance industry was as an Auto Claims adjuster with Gay and Taylor, AIG and Southern General. Paul’s duties included handling both insured and claimant property claims, bodily injury claims, theft claims, initial litigation as well as total losses.

In addition to his insurance experience, Paul has worked as a professional stage manager in and around the city of Atlanta. He has had the opportunity to work with such notable theatres as the Horizon, Actor’s Express and Theatre in the Square. In addition, from May of 2002 through August of 2006, Paul was the full time Production Manager for the Ansley Park Playhouse and the Peachtree Playhouse. Productions he oversaw included

The Limousine Ride, Veranda, and Peachtree Battle, the longest running show in Atlanta theatre history [over 1000 performances].

Paul holds a B.A. in History, Theatre and Secondary Education from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas; a Masters Degree in Theatre from Stephen F. Austin State University; and is a certified paralegal with the National Institute of Paralegals in Atlanta. He holds a residential state agent’s license, as well as Texas teaching certificate for secondary grades.

Paul currently resides in Marietta. He is huge music fanatic [especially Motown], who believes that the I-POD is one of the greatest inventions. Paul is also responsible for keeping everyone at Preferred up to date on the latest news in pop culture.

John Dershimer

John joined the Preferred team in Jan 2011. 

Prior to that, he spent 20+ years in the golf industry perfecting his skills in turf maintenance and customer service by providing excellent playing conditions on a daily basis. He managed a staff of 25 with an annual maintenance budget of $1.6 million dollars. After changing careers, he has applied many of those skills into the aviation industry and has found that there are many similarities between the two.  Customer service and satisfaction are still his top priorities.

John spends his personal time camping, mountain biking, hiking, skiing, and boating.

Christian P Carter

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 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.  Currently he is still mainly with Preferred Insurance Agency but is in charge of Accounting for the Aviation and office manager for both companies. Chris is currently working on his CIC. 

Chris attended Georgia Southern University and graduated with a BA in Business Finance. He was also a four year started on the GSU soccer team earning All-Conference honors twice. Chris 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 Duluth with his wife Emily and dog Abby. He enjoys playing soccer, golf, running, biking, scuba diving and wakeboarding. His wife is a teacher in Duluth and loves to travel taking them all over the globe.

Robert Hammond

Robert is a graduate of Georgia State University with a degree in Risk Management. He and his wife, Jennifer, live in Loganville, GA with their dog Jake and cat, Scotty. Robert and Jennifer enjoy camping, kayaking and the great outdoors. Robert’s background in aviation property insurance started in 2005 and he has over 10 years experience in the insurance industry. Robert’s outgoing personality and positive attitude are unmistakable and he has built steady relationships with many brokers that work with Preferred Aviation Underwriters on a regular basis. He is a welcome asset to the Preferred team.

Donna Ekstrom

Donna was born and raised in New York and went to college in upstate New York at SUNY Cobleskill and received her degree in Business Administration. After college Donna and her husband, Geoff, moved to California where they lived for 11 years. Donna and her husband and two children moved to Alpharetta, GA in 1995. Donna worked from 1996 through 2002 running her own business transcribing for court reporters. In 2002 she got her residential real estate license and has worked for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage since August of 2002. Recently Donna joined Preferred Aviation Underwriters as a rater. Donna and her husband enjoy running, reading and spending time with their two children and two dogs.