Allan Gersten, CLU, CFP, ChFC, Chairman and CEO, is a highly sought after speaker for study groups, and seminars for top-level producers. He has written several articles which have been featured in publications such as Life Insurance Selling, Broker World, Life and Health Advisor, Insurance & Financial Advisor, PIA (NY, NJ, CT, WI), NAILBA Now, Insurance Marketing, Agent’s Sales Journal, Insurance Newsnet, Insurance Advocate, and California Broker.
Allan has expertise in estate planning, business insurance, tax strategies and retirement planning. He specializes in getting difficult cases approved for brokers. He is the chairman of the underwriting department at First American Insurance Underwriters.
Allan received a BS in Business Administration with a major in Finance from Duquesne University.
Kenneth Shapiro, President, began his training in the life insurance industry in 1993 representing Northwestern Mutual Life and then The Guardian Life Insurance Company.
An active member of the Boston chapter of NAIFA, he is licensed in life, accident & health and currently holds a FINRA license in Series 6 and 63. Ken supports various charitable organizations, and served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, MA.
Ken’s extensive knowledge and experience has made him a leader in the insurance industry. His articles have been published in Life Insurance Selling, Broker World, Life and Health Advisor, and in many other industry publications throughout the country.
Ken is a graduate of Northeastern University where he received a BS degree in Business Administration/Entrepreneurship.
David Colburn, LUTCF, Brokerage Manager, has been in the insurance industry for more than 30 years. He has worked as a Producer, Trainer and Sales Manager.
Since joining First American Insurance Underwriters, he has taken part in coaching growth-oriented producers with underwriting, estate planning and advanced case designs. He is also an expert with the use of annuities, long term care and disability insurance in the planning process.
David has written several articles which have been featured in Life Insurance Selling, Agent’s Sales Journal and Life & Health Advisor.
David s a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Boston where he earned a BA in Political Science.
Denise Desautels, Vice President of Brokerage Sales, has more than 25 years of brokerage experience. She is a former member of the Boston Life Underwriters Board of Directors and has served as the co-chair of its Annual Sales Congress and Public Service Committee. She is a past winner of the organization’s National Public Service Award. She presently serves on the Executive Board of Directors of the New England Women’s Sports Fund.
Denise has written several articles which have been featured various publications including National Underwriter, Life & Heath Advisor, Insurance Advocate, Agent’s Sales Journal, Insurance Newsnet, California Broker, Insurance Marketing, Women’s Business Journal and PIA-OH and PIA-WI.
Denise was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic field hockey team and was a member of the U.S. National Field Hockey Team from 1975 through 1981, where she traveled extensively throughout the world. She continued to play an active role in the sport following her field hockey career, serving as a board member of the U.S. Olympic Committee in 1982-1983 and as Vice President/Teams and member of the Board of Directors for the U.S. Field Hockey Association.
She is a graduate of Springfield College, where she was enshrined into the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. She was a Trustee of the college from 1992-2000. She has a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Connecticut. Denise has taken that competitive spirit from the sports arena to help her clients with their most difficult cases.
Burt Faberman, Brokerage Manager, has been in the insurance industry for more than 30 years. He is responsible for working with life insurance agents to help them increase their business by offering sales ideas and introducing them to new products.
Burt’s industry experience allows him to coach agents so they are better prepared to serve their clients. Burt works with life agents throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island, having served the area as a regional director for a life insurance company.
Burt graduated from Boston’s Suffolk University and Suffolk Law School.
Karen Kappler, Brokerage Manager, has more than 20 years of experience in the life brokerage business.
Prior to joining First American Insurance Underwriters, Karen was employed by Commonwealth Financial Network in Waltham, MA, where she served as Executive Vice President. She helped develop and build Commonwealth into a significant operation where she was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's insurance department, including marketing, sales, operations and business management.
Karen has extensive knowledge in underwriting, sales solutions and case design. She coaches her partners with difficult cases to ensure that their clients receive the best solutions.
Frank Marmorek, CLU, Brokerage Manager, has more than 35 years experience in life insurance brokerage. Before joining First American Insurance Underwriters, he was with Underwriters Service Agency and BISYS, its successor, for many years. Before that, he managed the Boston office of SFO, another brokerage agency.
Frank is a Chartered Life Underwriter and past board member of the Society of Financial Services Professionals.
Frank's product knowledge, underwriting background and carrier relationships makes him a valuable resource for advisors.
Frank earned a BSBA degree from Babson College in Babson Park, MA.
Josh O'Gara, CLU, ChFC, Brokerage Manager, joined First American Insurance Underwriters after being with Northwestern Mutual, where he managed financial services for individuals as well as businesses.
After spending two years in a sales support position, Josh was promoted to Brokerage Manager at First American on January 1, 2010. His experience in sales support gives him an extensive knowledge base in both products and case design. As a Brokerage Manager, he supports First American's producers in the areas of life insurance, annuities, disability insurance and long-term care.
Josh’s article called “An Effective Way To Overcome Objections To LTC Insurance: LTC Riders” appeared in Broker World Online and in other industry publications.
Josh holds a BA in Economics from St. Lawrence University. Josh earned his CLU designation in June 2010, and his ChFC designation in June 2011.
David Olsen, CLU, ChFC, Director Annuity Brokerage, has been in the insurance industry for more than 20 years.
In his previous job, David was Vice President of Annuity Sales. David’s experience with annuities and retirement planning is a valuable asset to help producers improve their business.
David’s article “Watch out for the Tax Trap on a Non-Qualified 1035 Exchange” was featured in Broker World and Life & Health Advisor.
Greg Schwabe, FLMI, National Marketing Director, joined First American Insurance Underwriters after being with The Marketing Alliance, where he was responsible for recruiting new brokerage agencies and promoting the company's insurance carriers and their products with its members.
Greg entered the life insurance business in 1984 as a field agent for MetLife. After one year, he moved to Underwriters Service Agency, Farmington, CT, where he was Vice President of Marketing and worked with many career and independent agents for 14 years. He has more than 25 years of experience in the life brokerage business providing sales ideas and solutions to advisors and agencies.
Greg has written numerous articles which have been featured in Agent’s Sales Journal, Broker World, Insurance Marketing, California Broker, PIA (NY, NJ, CT, OH, NH and WI), Smart Choice, Insurance & Financial Advisor and Life & Health Advisor.
Greg graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a BS in Education with a major in Mathematics.
Margaret Ellison Simonds, Director of New Business and Underwriting, joined First American as a Brokerage Director where she was responsible for assisting producers and First American’s sales team to provide marketing, product, case design and business development support. In August 2011, Margaret was promoted to Director of New Business and Underwriting, where she is responsible in overseeing daily activities of new business/policy delivery including problem resolution and case design alternatives. Margaret is also responsible in offering underwriting solutions to help producers increase their revenue.
Margaret is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, where she earned a BA in Sociology.
Jeff Watkins, Brokerage Manager, is responsible in assisting producers by providing sales opportunities and underwriting solutions to help their business grow.
Prior to joining First American, Jeff was employed by E-Z Data in Pasadena, CA, where he was instrumental in promoting and selling a CRM (customer relationship management) software for financial advisors. He was also a registered rep with New York Life in Waltham, MA.
Jeff attended American International College in Springfield, MA and Northeastern University in Boston.
First American Insurance Underwriters, Inc., is a proud member of Insurance Designers of America.