As you journey through life, you may often wonder if the business you deal with has experienced some of the risks you face, or much less cares. Is the business just a business for the owner, or do they really have as one of their core values assisting their clients to be in the best possible position when presented with the possible risks of life? Has this understanding been just gained book theory, or accumulated knowledge from life’s experiences and ones background? A balance between the two could bring with it a balanced perspective of reality for the litigious, unforgiving, uncaring, self-centered, and neglectful culture we find ourselves in today.
Life's experiences can provide a wealth of knowledge. With that in mind we do our best to position our clients so that they are in the best possible position, when presented with risk. At times in my life I have not been in the best position when presented with risk, leaving me to deal with some painful aftermath. We trust our experience and assistance will help you to have a solid foundation upon which you can build as you journey through life. Thanks for stopping by today. We appreciate you and the confidence you have placed in our business.
My background and life experiences follow:
I was born into the home of a very loving family in southern Michigan near Jackson and enjoyed being a pastor’s son with one younger brother and three younger sisters. I found it interesting learning and watching my father deal with the church leaders and congregations in the different churches he ministered in while I was growing up. One was a small town church; another was very rural church and the other a suburbia church on the edge of a very large metropolitan community. This background was later to provide the foundation for my current work with religious organizations and my personal clients. I appreciate being a people person and interacting with people of all types. It is amazing how different people can be, as I interact with them and assist them with their business matters.
During my childhood and teen years, I usually spent half of the summer working with one set of grandparents, and the other half with the other. This wonderful choice by my parents was a unique learning opportunity, both were dairy farmers and willing give me time. This valuable knowledge foundation has assisted me throughout life. My grandfather Phelps liked to sit and talk a lot, refering to his expressed pearls of wisdom as horse sense. My grandfather Cobbin left me with a keen sense of the importance of reading and following the Bible as the authority for my life. Both sets of grandparents made learning fun with them in a very special environment. Later I graduated from Northwest High School on the North edge of Jackson. After graduation, I decided to pursue education toward a medical degree at Jackson Community College, as extension studies for later attending Michigan State University. The program was a two-year program that completed with an AA degree, an associate's degree in arts and sciences. During these two years I had the unique opportunity to work with and learn from my four patient uncles. Each uncle owned their own business; one was a jeweler, another an electrician, another a carpenter, and the other a florist. I am very grateful for the valuable knowledge gained from them. Their insights and shared knowledge provided a good foundation of understanding for me to building upon in life as well. The building trades provided knowledge of how buildings are put together. I use this knowledge everyday as I work with completing valuations for the buildings I insure for my clients. The opportunities with the jeweler provided the insight I use in understanding jewelry matters as I seek to properly insure my client's jewelry. The florist provided an understanding of landscaping and plants that I use from time to time as well. As I look back through life, it has amazed me how life can provide such educational opportunities and knowledge, which can assist you in your life's work, but this may not always be apparent to you at the time.
Just before graduation from the community college, I was involved in a terrible auto accident as a passenger. This required many months of recovery. Through this I gained first hand experience on how important insurance can be in assisting one with the possible risks of life. Over the summer while still recovering, I decided to change the course of my life and learn how to work with churches, related ministries, and to improve my people skills for that work. I enrolled in a private church-sponsored college in Minnesota. It proved to be a great learning experience and a fun year. With the summer came the need to earn money for the next year of college so I decided to get a taste of what it was like to work for a large corporation and did some work for General Motors Corporation in Flint, Michigan. The summer experience quickly helped me realize that I did not want to spend my life doing that line of work. I lived at home during that summer and learned the struggles my father went through in an attempt to start a new church on the edge of Flint, Michigan. I found that being the pastor of an on-going church is much different than starting one. You have to be able to do almost everything just as I have had to do, at times with my own business. It can be a challenge at times, as you deal with balancing time and money to gain the most effective results. Fall came and the college I had attended as a junior had some leadership problems; I therefore, decided to attend another private church-sponsored school in Watertown, Wisconsin, which proved to be a great choice. I graduated with my BA, and an educational background for working with people and religious organizations. During my junior and senior school years I worked with several churches in various aspects of ministry to gain some hands on experience. This was a required part of my education and helped me learn more about how churches operate. I also was challenged continually by the college president a great friend who encouraged excellence in life, Dr. B. Myron Cedarholm and his wife. He would continually say Dorr, "work in the church should be an expected higher plain of excellence and trust." I then returned to finish post-graduate work in church administration, to provide added educational background for working with religious organizations and individuals. After graduation I decided to gain some further practical experience and worked on the staff of two different churches over the next several years in several different areas. The first was a city church in St. Paul, Minnesota; the second church was in suburbia Columbus, Ohio both helped me learned some very practical knowledge about churches.
After some time at the second church, as well as a lot of thinking and some changes in my life, I felt I was ready to pursue the work I have done for the past thirty plus years; that of assisting religious organizations, small businesses, and individuals with the risks they face in life. During this time of thought and transition there were three men that were special friends and mentors who took the time to mentor me and prepare me for this important transition in my life. Their foresight, effort, time, patience, and forgiveness at times, provided a very successful transition, I shall forever be grateful. The first was my father, Rev. Burt Phelps, who gave me many practical principles for life and business until his death several years ago. The loss of my very close father was very difficult to deal with and accept. The second was Dr. Ray Hein, a business owner and church consultant, my father's mentor as well as my own. Dr. Hein was well known in religious circles of the Midwest, working with many churches and other religious organizations, consulting them in the areas of master planning, architecture, financing, and insurance as he sought to assist them in being an organization of excellence. Dr. Hein was a very valuable resource who introduced me to many people through the years, who are real assets in my work. He continued to assist me in my life and work up until just before his death, several years ago. The third was Mr. James Keim, currently Regional Vice President of GuideOne Insurance Company, who opened the door of opportunity for me to do my present work. Mr. Keim has very patiently provided mentoring in the insurance arena over the years to the present, which has provided the other aspects for the solid foundation that has been built over the years. I have continued to the present to broaden my educational knowledge, adding skills, tools, and abilities to cover many of the areas of risk my clients face each and every day. This has included hours of reading and continuing education, both formal and informal, to keep my proficiency current in all the different areas of discipline. It seems there is much change in the challenging world we find ourselves in today.
I am married to a very special woman and a very important partner in life, a critical relationship that must be a quality one for any business owner in today's demanding culture, the father of one son and two daughters, we make our home in Columbus, Ohio. I am involved in our local church and some industry organizations. I enjoy doing things with my wife and children, as well as our friends. Activities I enjoy include being with my wife, travel, photography, racquetball, going to children's sports or their other activities, walking in the early morning hours, reading and listening to relaxing music. We live in such a fast paced, and hectic world, it is nice to relax sometimes by listening to some soothing music, and smell the roses while living life or working; it can both sooth and relax ones heart and mind.
I have found that life has given me many different kinds of friends who are special gifts in life. Each friend has added valuable learning opportunities of challenge, color, variety and spice to my life as they interact with me bringing with them their varied backgrounds, training, and life experiences into my life. Some have left very big impacts on my life, some have helped me understand from their own experiences the cost of poor choices in life. Some aspects of risk I would never had known, if it were not for some friends that took the time to share their life with me. I believe we can learn by our own expeniences or those of others, the choice is ours. There are some things I have realized are better learned by observing the experiences of others. This choice for some things I am greatful was made correctly as I avoided much pain and sorrow in life I could have otherwise experienced in life.
I have traveled, taken pictures and talked with many people in many exotic places around the world. This had added an unexpected appreciation of what life has to offer in different settings. The challenges and risks others face can be mind broadening to say the least. I have visited countries in Africa, the Middle East, much of Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean Islands and most of North America. I have walked in the deserts of Africa, the Middle East, and Western United States. I have viewed and climbed mountains in Alaska, Canadian Rockies, Western United States, Switzerland and Austria. We have sailed on large ocean liners in the inland Alaskan water-way as well as the Caribbean and Mediterranean Sea. I have visited many of the exotic islands in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean. I have traveled the Nile river of Egypt, the Rhine River through Europe, walked the streets of old cities of the world such as Rome, Jerusalem, Jericho, Cairo, Athens, Madrid, Venia, Geneva, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Munich, just to name a few. The different peoples and countries of the world are an education in and of themselves. They bring a very special appreciation of thankfulness of what we are so blessed to enjoy in our country.
I have seen and experianced first hand in life how important risk management is personally, especially for our physical bodies, our relationships, our finances, our property, other assets, and our business. Sometimes when we had a risk develop, we were ready and well prepared and sometimes not. It is amazing what you can learn form the mistakes of life. Over-looked details and aspects of risk management can be costly. From the school of hard knocks in life, I have watched our family and myself, deal with the emotional and physical strain as well as the financial aftermath of: death of my father, cancer strike one of our daughters and see her survive miraculously, the death of my father-in-law, cancer strike other close family members, some survived and some did not. We had to deal with the death of other close family members, thereafter. The aging of relatives has presented its challenges at times as we have sought to deal with them lovingly and wisely. I have had three very serious auto accidents of my own, involving much pain and physical trauma, legal issues and attorneys. I also experienced the loss of physical health for a time to the point of being partially disabled. I have had changes in marital status, which has been interesting to deal with in life. In our business I have dealt with unwise financial transactions, dishonest employees, loss of employees, and thefts of several types. There have been some very challenging issues to deal with in life, in our family, the changing industry, economy, clients, society and the world.
Working with our many personal, small business, and religious institutional clients over the last thirty plus years, I have experienced with them almost all of the risks one could imagine. Some clients have been in a position to weather the situations; some were not as well prepared.
It is our company mission to assist our clients with the risks that they deal with and might deal with, and in doing so to put them in the best possible position to provide security and peace of mind in our ever changing and challenging world. We believe this will provide the foundation for healthy and growing relationships in our client’s personal life, church, community and business.
We care about our clients and desire to offer them excellence in business as we journey together in a relationship and face life's challenges and joys.
My ongoing and continued areas of formal studies have included
independent studies as well as classroom studies in the following disciplines of study:
AA, degree
Associates in Arts and Sciences,
Educational objectives, general studies with emphasis in the physical sciences.
Jackson Community College, Jackson, Michigan.
For more information, please view www.jccmi.edu/MainCampus
BA, degree
Bachelors of Arts and Sciences,
Educational objectives, Emphasis on people skills and church administration.
One year of study at Pillsbury Baptist Bible College, Owatonna, Minnesota, with graduation from Maranatha Baptist Bible College, Watertown, Wisconsin.
For more information, please view www.mbbc.edu
Post graduate work
Church Administration,
Educational objective was church administration.
Maranatha Baptist Bible College, Watertown, Wisconsin.
Contract law studies,
Educational objectives, contracts their development and operation in our culture, the foundation of insurance.
Capital University in Columbus, Ohio
For more information, please view www.capital.edu
Risk Management Studies
Cambridge Risk Management Studies
Eductional objectives, studies in risk management for religious institutions
University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England
For more information, please view www.cam.ac.uk
CFP® Practitioner,
Certified Financial Planner TM
Educational objectives, development of financial planning skills through a series of courses of study over a period of years: for personal, small business and religious institutional clients; for all areas of financial risk management, budgets, investments, taxes, estate planning, business continuation, and general financial planning. Educational studies focus on the skills needed for the organized, comprehensive financial planning process of analyzing and collecting a client’s total financial data to understand their present position to enable proper application of insurance and other planning tools. Additionally this porcess enables the consultant to work with the client to identify and establish specific financial goals for the future, and then to formulate, implement, and monitor a plan to achieve those goals.
College for Financial Planning, Denver, Colorado
For more information, please view www.cffp.edu
The regulator organization is the Certified Financial Planners Board of Standards, Inc. For more information, please view www.cfp.net
LUTCF, designation
Life Underwriting Training Counsel Fellowship
Educational objectives, sales and marketing skills for small business and personal clients coveringt needs analysis, risk management, business continuation plans and the application of insurance to these.
Life insurance applications for personal life and the small business
The American College, Bryan Manor, PA
For more information, please view www.amercoll.edu/Current_students/LUTC/default.asp
CPIA, Designation
Certified Professional Insurance Agent
Educational objectives, assisting personal client, small businesses, and religious institutional clients, with their risk management
How to properly match their risk factors with the necessary insurance benefits for vehicle, property, liability, crime, and other related areas.
AIMS Society, American Insurance Marketing and Sales
For information, please view www.cpia.com
RFP, Designation
Registered Financial Planner,
Educational objectives, personal and commercial financial planning and the application of planning objects with the client.
Registered Financial Planners Institute
For more information, please view www.rfpi.com
CSA, Designation
Certified Senior Advisor,
Educational objectives, training to assist seniors in dealing with the risks of life they face after age fifty and the risks their family members must deal with
as they journey through the senior years as a possible care-giver and/or a care receiver. People are living longer and need assistance with quality choices to enable them to live a fulling quality life and enjoy it more as a senior or care-giver. This involves an on going proactive education study of senior daily life issues and their changes in today's culture. It also includes estate planning, remainder of life issues, housing, transportation, social life, loss of family members, loss of health, and more. A proactive plan is critical today to meet these challenges before either the care-giver or senior is caught in an abyss of issues that can destroy people as well as relationships.
Society of Certified Seniors Advisors
For more information, view www.society-csa.com
RHU®, Designation
Registered Health Underwriter
Educational objectives, the proper application of health insurance for personal and group health risk factors and how all the aspects work together for the consumer, employer, health provider, and the insurance company. A proper employee benefits program is an important factor for employee satisfaction, longevity of employment, and quality attitudes that can yield higher employee productivity and profitability for the employer.
The American College, Bryan Manor, PA
For more information, http://www.theamericancollege.edu
REBC®, Designation
Registered Employee Benefits Consultant
* This should be a finished course of study in Summer 2007
Educational Studies covering selling and servicing skills for group employee products such as health insurance, disability, vision, dental, retirement planning, incentive compensation, and other employee benefits.
The American College, Bryan Manor, PA
For more information, http://www.theamericancollege.edu/subpage.php?pageId=257
CAP TM, Designation
Charter Adviser in Philanthropy
* This should be a finished course of study in fall 2007
Educational objectives, knowledge of planning tools to assist clients with their philanthropy goals for a quality Legacy which can enable them to more effectively meet their non-charitable estate planning and wealth management needs for a family Legacy. This can also assist the charity or religious organization with future funding resources.
The American College, Bryan Manor , PA
For more information, http://www.theamericancollege.edu
CASL, Designation
Chartered Advisor For Senior Living
* This should be a finished course of study in Fall of 2008
Educational objectives, focuses on seniors' specific needs as they begin to plan seriously for retirement. It provides particular knowledge and understanding about dealing with seniors.
The American College, Bryan Manor, PA
For more information about this, please view
For more information, http://www.theamericancollege.edu
ChFC, Designation
Chartered Financial Consultant
* This should be a finished course of study in 2008
Educational studies focus on the skills needed for the organized comprehensive financial planning process of analyzing and collecting a client’s total financial data to understand their present position, so as to identify and establish specific financial goals for the future, and then to formulate, implement, and monitor a plan to achieve those goals. This course of study can be applied for the personal client as well as the business and religious institutional cleints.
The American College, Bryan Manor, PA
For more information, please view
For more information, http://www.theamericancollege.edu
CLU, Designation
Chartered Life Underwriter
* This should be a finished course of study in 2009
Educational studies covering the importance of life insurance for the protection, accumulation, and preservation of the economic value of human life, for the family, the business. For more information, please view
For more information, http://www.theamericancollege.edu
ARM, Designation
Associates in Risk Management
* This should be a completed course of study in 2008 or maybe early 2009.
Educational studies focusing on understanding the risk management process, from analysis to implementation and monitoring, risk retention and transfer. Disaster recovery plans are an important factor of included study. Skills are learned regarding the unique nature of risk management, risk principles, and designing risk management programs. This is considered one of most respected and highest level of education in risk management.
American Institute for CPCU and Insurance Institute of America
Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc.
CRM, Designation
Certified Risk Manager
* This course of study should be completed in spring of 2008
Educational objectives, indentifing, analyzing, financing and administering operational risks, political risks, catastrophic loss exposure, third-party exposures, juridical, legal risks, and others. How to be proactive in managing risk factors for property, liability, income, and other risk factors.
The National Alliance for Insurance and Research
For more information, http://www.scic.com/CRM/CRMcourses/CRMcourses.htm
CIC, Designation
Certificed Insurance Counselor
* This course of study should be completed in spring of 2008
Educational objectives, proper application and management of insurance benefits and risk financing in today's culture for business and consumers. Effective agency management and business practices.
The National Alliance for Insurance and Research
For more information, http://www.scic.com/CIC/CICmain.htm
CPCU, Designation
Charter Property Casualty Underwriter Professional
* This should be a completed course of study in 2008
Educational studies focusing on a broad understanding of property-casualty insurance and risk management. This includes in depth studies of personal financial planning and financial service institutions, reflecting the convergence of the property-casualty and financial service industries in today’s society. The emphasis for this study was for the commercial business and religious institutional clients.
American Institute for CPCU and Insurance Institute of America
For more information, please view http://www.aicpcu.org/flyers/cpcu.htm
I regularly attend seminars covering various insurance areas of property-casualty, life, health, as well as risk management and financial planning areas, to help stay current since these are in a state of change offering new challenges continually.
I receive personal tutoring in computer technology, internet services, web page design and telecommunications as often as I feel necessary.
Viewed by many church leaders and religious organizastions as a trustworthy and understanding agency that cares about the needs of their ministry. This is built on the fact that we believe assisting the local church ministry is vital for today. We are invited regularly for seminiars and speaking by many church groups and colleges as they seek to team with us in this endevor over the last 30 plus years.
Business organizations and business have invited us regularly for siminiars and speaking to their staff and organization concerning improvement in meeting the challenges of today's culture in the business world.
Insurance companies and industry organization as well as agents requlary consult us for information and better ways to meet today's cultural demands for ways to better intergrate the elements of risk management, disaster recovery plans, and insurance. They appreciate our timely info, experience and personal care we offer, in an age when it is hard to find the quality we offer.
GP: company award (attained) One of the awards an agent can attain for policy retention. This award requires retention for a policy book that is 90% or higher. Most of the time in business we have been honored by a 95% or above retention by our many satisfied clients that enjoy the teamwork, trust and experience we offer them in a caring personal relationship designed to meet today's challenges.
Toppers: company award (attained) This is a top producers level which is rewarded by monitary gifts, other gifts, and trips. These trip have included such places as the Middle East, Europe three times covering most of it, Northern Africa twice, Latin America twice, the Caribbean Islands, Pacific Islands, and all over the North American Continent. This award has been attained almost every year we have been in business.
Superstar: company award (attained) This is the top producers level which is an award a notch above the topper company award with extra perks above and including all topper awards. This has been attained over 75% of the time in business.
Contingency: company award (attained) This is a very coveted award, based on property and casualty production and the company book loss ratio. This monitary award which has been attained every year in business except three. This award brings with it great respect from company underwriters and the company as a whole. This attainment allows the agency more flexibility with the rates it can offer to clients. This also provides some flexibility with underwriting rules, and the ability to write business other agencies would not be allowed to write at times. This therefore, is a great benefit for the agnecy's clients and can affect their individual insurance premiums charged by the company, as well as underwriting requirements.
National Quality Life: industry award (attained) One of the covenanted industry awards which is based on policy retention. Caring for a client need is one thing; having a satisfied client who continues with the coverage can present another challenge today. This requires retention for a life policy book of business that is 95% or higher.
We offer workshops for our clients and the industry on risk management, as well as the various insurance areas of property-casualty, liability, life, and health, plus financial planning and seniors' needs. To schedule a workshop, please email me at dphelps@phelpsfinancial.com or contact my office; one of our efficient staff associates will assist you with this. These are offered with other specialized professionals assisting when possible or needed, which include attorneys, architects, CPA, financial brokers, financign companies, other financial planners, other insurance agents, other risk managers, and some from the medical professions or some other business professions.
Our workshops have been given for colleges, pastor's conferences, denominational conferences, church staff meetings, school staff meetings, and industry groups, church group planning meetings, and private church school association conferences.
Current workshops offered:
Ministry Stewardship Tools
For church staff, Christian leaders to assist them in a better understanding of cultural aspects that are affecting their ministry today.
It offeres effective suggestions, information and deffinations of terms that are critical to understand. This workshop is designed to
assist a mininstry in developing proper risk management, disaster recovery plans, and insurance plans for their ministry.
Employee Benefits
Offers suggestions and training on how to effectively meet the cultural challenges for proper employee/employer matters
Includes forms, proceedures, and resource suggestions. What minefields are there in waiting for our minsitry.
Sexual Minconduct
Offers suggestions and training on how to effectively meet the cultural challenges for your children's ministries
Can be done in person or media DVD, Group or individual. Includes suggested proceedures and forms.
Effective Transportation Training and Policies
Offeres suggestions for prolicies, vehicle drivers training, and forms for use in a ministry.
Meeting The Needs of The Seniors in Your Ministry
These workshops work to raise the understanding of church leaders as they seek to meet senior needs, as well as assisting care
givers and care receivers in today's culture. Resources suggestions are also given that have been found to be effective.
Maranatha Alumni Association
For more information, please view www.mbbc.edu/alumni/
Westerville Chamber
For more information, please view www.westervillechamber.com
PIA, Professional Insurance Association
For more information, please view www.ohiopia.com
LUTCF, Life Underwriters Training Counsel Fellowship
For more information, please view
NAIFA, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors
For more information, please view www.naifa.org/about.html
FPA, The Financial Planning Association
For more information, please view www.fpanet.org
Society of Certified Senior Advisors
For more information, please view www.society-csa.com
Society of Financial Service Planners
For more information, please view http://www.financialpro.org
NAHU, National Association of Health Underwriters
For more information, please view: http://www.cahupro.com
Society, American Insurance Marketing and Sales
AIMS
For information, please view www.cpia.com
Grace Brethren Church of Columbus, Ohio
The local church that I and my family are involved with
For more information about this, please view www.gracebrethren.org
Son, Husband, Father, Business Owner, and Friend.
Hi, I am glad you stopped by today. I trust you find our site easy to use and helpful. If you have other needs not covered on our site, or wish to have a personal contact, please feel free to contact us by phone, email, fax or in person; we are here to assist you with your insurance, risk management, and financial planning needs for your security and peace of mind. You can contact us by simply clicking the contact or staff button at the top of this page and sending us an email if you prefer. We always appreciate hearing feed back from our clients if there are issues you feel we need to consider, or ways we can better assist you more effectively.
States licensed in for Insurance Business at this present time. AZ, CO, UT, MI, OH, IN, IL, WI, KY, TN, WV, NC, SC, ID, NV,WY. Others can be added as we feel the need. Products or services other then insurance which we offer are not state license limited.
A review of the periodicals and magazines that I read and review include those from related member and societies I belong to, as well as industry ones; there are others on people skills, communication, selling, marketing, techolonogy, current events, and economy trends. These include but are not limited to the following:
Imaging technology information magazine.
Our fast-paced and ever-changing culture demands that those who work with us are able to read and learn quickly. Effective comprehension, then, is necessary in order to proactively assimilate what is read and learned into the appropriate format to assist our clients. It is equally important for us to have easy access to an organized reference database that is kept secure and current, as well as accessible for those who work with us who have the specialized training necessary to cover the many required areas of discipline. We believe that current information accessibility and its proper application is the key for an effective practice for today’s clients. We believe it is critical today to avoid the "Titanic Risk Syndrome".