Meet our Insurance agents & staff
 Patrick Watkins, President
In 1994, Patrick joined Watkins Insurance Group full-time. Since taking over the reins, the firm has grown from a four-member staff to nearly 100 insurance professionals in nine locations across Central and East Texas. He’s led Watkins Insurance Group to provide a wide range of business, personal and employee benefit insurance lines.
Patrick is an active member of the insurance industry community. In 2005, he was named Young Agent of the Year by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) and was recently elected to the association’s board of directors. He is past-president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Austin and has held numerous board and committee roles over the years. In addition, he serves on several agent advisory councils including Travelers, Hartford, America First and United fire.
When Patrick isn’t spending time with his wife and four children, he enjoys hunting and fishing.
 Rodney Watkins, President-East Texas
Rodney Watkins, a Watkins Insurance Group member since 1994, works with customers to explain insurance so they can make informed decisions about their insurance needs.
Rodney is an engaged member of the community. He has served as president of the Wood County Chamber of Commerce, the Leadership Lake County, the Independent Insurance Agents of Tyler and the Mineola Chamber of Commerce.
Rodney has obtained the Certified Insurance Counselor Certification and attended Tyler Junior College. An avid sports fan, he spends his spare time watching games.
 Mike Mosley, Vice President
Mike Mosley joined Watkins Insurance Group in 1999. He works with clients to assess their needs and present solutions with individual interests in mind.
Active in the community, Mike is a member of the Lake Travis Pop Warner Association. For the past five years, he has been a football and baseball coach for youth teams.
In his spare time, Mike likes to hunt with his three sons.
 Matt Womack, Partner
Matt Womack joined Watkins Insurance Group in August 2003 as an insurance agent. In early 2008, Womack was named partner. He provides insurance advisory services to clients and helps with strategic firm-wide initiatives.
Active in the community, Matt is a member of the Austin Technology Council, the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Northwest Chamber of Commerce and the Real Estate Council of Austin. He is a board member of the Lake Travis Education Foundation and the Independent Insurance Agents of Austin. Womack is also serving as the 2008 president of Choose Austin First, an organization devoted to promoting Austin-based businesses.
 Sheila Pennington Noxon, Partner
Sheila Pennington Noxon joined Watkins Insurance Group in September 2005 as the firm’s operations manager. In mid 2009, Noxon was named partner. In the industry for over 35 years, Sheila is charged with managing the day-to-day needs of the firm and its professionals.
Throughout Sheila’s career, she has maintained positions of leadership in the regional insurance community. She served on the board of the Independent Insurance Agents of Austin and the Austin Association of Insurance Professionals. She is a member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, the Federation of Insurance Women of Texas and the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors. Sheila is a Certified Insurance Counselor and a Certified Insurance Service Representative.
As a native of coastal Texas, Sheila enjoys spending free time on the Gulf of Mexico.
 Steve Crownover, Vice President, Commercial Lines
Steve Crownover, CIC, joins the agency after 16 years of service at AIC-Sun Belt Group where he also held the position of vice president of commercial lines. At Watkins Insurance Group, he works with companies to show them how insurance can benefit key facets of their business.
Steve is the vice president of the Central Texas Agents Alliance. He has been an active member of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Professional Insurance Agents Association of Austin, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Austin, and We Care, a service organization devoted to the care of the elderly.
Steve is an avid golfer in his spare time.
 Bill Lunsford, Vice President
Bill Lunsford, CIC, has over three decades of experience in the insurance industry. Prior to joining Watkins Insurance Group in 2007, Lunsford was the president of AIC-Sun Belt Group. He has worked extensively in all fields of insurance and specializes in commercial property and casualty. He focuses is on finding top carriers and providing personalized service for customers.
Bill is the president of Central Texas Agents Alliance. He is also past-president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Temple and an active member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Austin and Texas, Strategic Independent Agents Alliance and the Austin Chamber of Commerce.
Bill has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at El Paso. He enjoys combining his favorite hobbies—travel and golf.
 Glenda Pittsford, Vice President
As the first woman to receive a bachelor’s degree in insurance business administration from the University of Texas, Glenda Pittsford has been a pioneer in the industry. With a career spanning over thirty years, she serves as a vice president at Watkins Insurance Group. Prior to joining the firm, she was the vice president of accounting, administration, and personal lines at AIC-Sun Belt.
Glenda is an active member and former board member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Austin and the Greater Pflugerville Chamber of Commerce.
Glenda is an Austin native with deep orange blood coursing through her veins. She is active at St. Paul Lutheran Church and has been a member of the school board.
 Eddie Tisdale, Vice President, Marble Falls Branch
Eddie Tisdale has been in the insurance industry for more than 35 years. He is a generalist in all lines of commercial insurance and believes in long-term service to clients. Eddie, in his capacity as vice president, is charged with a wide and diverse service area covering parts of rural Central Texas.
Eddie earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Texas State University. He enjoys saltwater fishing in his spare time.
 Jim Sammons, Agent
Jim Sammons has 35 years of experience working in the insurance industry. Prior to joining Watkins Insurance Group, he was an owner and manager of other independent insurance agencies in Central Texas. He is always striving to maximize client’s coverage, while minimizing costs.
Jim is a Certified Insurance Counselor, a licensed risk manager and served as past-president of the Independent Agents of Austin. A U.S. Navy veteran, he also served two Vietnam tours in the Swift Boat Division.
Jim has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and enjoys the challenge of golf in his spare time.
 Brad Hunt, Agent
Brad Hunt joined Watkins Insurance Group in January 2005 as an agent. In the industry for more than 35 years, Brad’s specialty is in commercial insurance. Whether he is dealing with an individual or a business customer, he takes a hands-on approach in walking them through the insurance process.
A past president of IIAA (Independent Insurance Agents of Austin), Brad remains active in the organization. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting and fishing.
 John Day, Agent
John Day, CLU, has been with Watkins Insurance Group in their Marble Falls office since January 2006. As a Benefits Agent and Producer, John has more than 36 years in the insurance industry. He specializes in group medical plans, employee benefits and life insurance. He believes in always approaching a customer from their perspective and representing their best interests. As an active member in the community John works with the Boy Scouts of America as a Scoutmaster and is an area Scout Commissioner. He is also a current board member and past president of Western Oaks Neighborhood Association. In his spare time he enjoys fresh water fishing and photography.
 Troy Wright, Agent
Troy Wright, CIC, CRM joins Watkins Insurance Group as an insurance agent. Prior to moving to Watkins Insurance Group, Wright was an agent for the Austin office of Guaranty Insurance Services, Inc. where he specialized in construction and commercial real estate insurance. Wright brings over 14 years of industry expertise. He is always striving to maximize client’s coverage, while minimizing costs. Troy is a Certified Insurance Counselor and a licensed risk manager. He is an active member of The Church at Canyon Creek, and an avid Longhorn football and basketball fan.
 Dylan Harvill, Agent
Dylan Harvill joined Watkins Insurance Group in November of 2009 as an agent serving Business and Commercial insurance needs. Holding a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas in Corporate Communications, Dylan provides personalized service with a commitment to clients’ total satisfaction.
Dylan is a member of The Young Men’s Business League of Austin, The Austin Young Chamber of Commerce and Young Insurance Professionals of Austin.
When he’s not working, Dylan can be found at the golf course, gym or at the movies. He is also an avid Longhorn football and basketball fan.
 Herschel Cone, Systems Administrator
Herschel Cone joined Watkins Insurance Group in August of 2006 as the Systems Administrator. Now with over 15 years in the industry, Herschel supervises and maintains essential agency Information technology systems that allow our insurance professionals to best serve our clients.
Herschel attended the University of Texas at Austin, and when not working he enjoys hunting and spending time with his family.
 Lee Rabbitt, Benefits Manager, Austin Branch
Lee Rabbitt, with 20 years in the industry, joined Watkins Insurance Group in November 2005. She works with companies to identify and individualize employee benefits plans and organizations to de-mystify the process and make sound decisions related to benefits.
Lee is an active member of the National Association of Health Underwriters, the Texas Association of Health Underwriters, Society for Human Resource Management and Life Underwriters Training Council.
Lee received her associate degrees in marketing and management. On weekends she enjoys gardening.
 Hanna Ogle, Personal Lines Manager, Austin Branch
Hanna Ogle joined Watkins Insurance Group in 2005 and has worked in the industry for over a decade. She works with customers to create coverage options that fit their lifestyle and objectives.
Hanna is currently pursuing her Certified Insurance Counselor designation and finishing her bachelor’s degree in organizational communications at St. Edwards University. She enjoys scrap booking and tracking her family’s history.
 Jennifer Hall, Commercial Lines Manager, Austin Branch
Jennifer Hall has been in the insurance industry for more than 7 years. She started at Watkins Insurance Group in December 2003 as an Account Manager, and following her promotion in early 2009 to commercial lines department manager, she now manages the commercial lines department and its 18 employees.
As manager, Jennifer is responsible for the day-to-day operations within her department and also training and implementing of new procedures for her team. She frequently meets with marketing representatives from various companies and brokers, and makes sure the team is up-to-speed on their appetites and on-line rating systems.
In her spare time, Jennifer can be found beating the men in Fantasy Football, even fielding a championship team last season.
 Cherie Wilson, Community Association-Sales and Business Development Advisor
Cherie Wilson joined Watkins Insurance Group in February 2009 as the firm’s community association-sales and business development advisor. Cherie will be in charge of building relationships with property managers and board members in community associations and keeping up-to-date with the laws and industry guidelines affecting community associations. Leveraging her 12 years of experience in the insurance industry, Wilson will collaborate with the Watkins Insurance Group team and the firm’s other key stakeholders to further grow this portion of the business.
Throughout Cherie’s career, she has maintained positions of leadership in the regional homeowner and condominium community. She is a member of Independent Insurance Agents of Texas and the Community Association Institute.
In her spare time Cherie can be found running around Town Lake or cooking and entertaining friends.
 Angela Nielsen, ACSR, Commercial Account Executive
Angela Nielsen joined Watkins Insurance Group in March 2009 as a member of the firm’s commercial lines department. With over 15 years of insurance experience in service, sales and leadership roles, Angela has taken on the role of working with Patrick Watkins in providing cost effective insurance placement and presenting risk management solutions for their clients. She will be in charge of marketing and sales support on new business accounts. Angela’s expertise and skills also allow her to continue building lasting relationships with clients and colleagues.
Angela holds an Accredited Customer Service Representative Designation and is a member of Independent Insurance Agents of Texas. She is also continuing specialized education in Construction Risk Insurance. Angela enjoys relaxing on Lake Travis, gardening, and the local Austin music scene.
 Ramona Coleman, Accounting Supervisor
Ramona Coleman is a veteran in the insurance industry with more than 22 years of experience. She started with Watkins Insurance Group in February 2008. Ramona is in charge of overseeing Watkins’ accounting department and its day to day operations.
Ramona handles company payables, processing daily deposit and setting up and establishing procedures for the department.
Ramona’s years of experience have taught her to provide professional, prompt and courteous service.
When Ramona isn’t working she loves to see Broadway shows and plays.
 Emily Walsh Eakin, Customer Development
Emily Walsh Eakin joined Watkins Insurance Group in August of 2007 as a New Business Advisor and has since expanded her role into that of Customer Development Coordinator. Emily entered the insurance industry in 2004 while earning her Master’s degree in Communication at Stephen F. Austin State University. She also holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Political Science and Communication from SFASU.
Emily specializes in public speaking after a decade of competitive academic debate, where she was ranked among the top 3 IPDA Collegiate Debaters in the nation. She now speaks on behalf of Watkins Insurance Group educating her audience on protecting themselves and their clients amidst the changing insurance industry.
Emily is an Associate Member of the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin, a lifetime member of the National Forensic League, and is an Accredited Customer Service Representative of the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas.
When not working, Emily enjoys playing endless rounds of ‘fetch’ with her dog, Lily.
 Ricky Watkins, Agency Manager, Tyler, Texas
Ricky Watkins has been in the insurance industry for 11 years. A Watkins Insurance Group member since 1998, he works with clients to help them understand the benefits of various products and lines of insurance.
Ricky received a Bachelor of Science in business management from LeTourneau University. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and children.
 Carla Dobbs, Operations Manager, East Texas
Carla Dobbs joined Watkins Insurance Group in November 2003 as an operations manager. In the industry for over four years, Carla is charged with managing the daily needs of the various offices in East Texas.
Prior to joining Watkins Insurance Group, Carla managed new accounts and served as a lending officer during her 19 years in the banking industry. An active community member, she currently serves as the secretary of the Independent Insurance Agents of Tyler. She is also a member of the Mineola Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors and a graduate of the Leadership of Mineola Association.
In her spare time, Carla enjoys watching her children play sports and helping them with school work. She is also an active member of her church.
 Kathi McCabe, Agency Manager, Hawkins, Texas
Kathi McCabe joined Watkins Insurance Group in 2005. She is an expert in personal insurance lines and works with customers to provide the highest quality service while ensuring their insurance needs are met.
Kathi is an Accredited Customer Service Representative and IIAT Member. She has been in the insurance industry since 1987.
In her spare time, Kathi loves to fish.
 Nichol Cook, Health & Life Coordinator, East Texas
Nichol Cook joined Watkins Insurance Group in July 2007 with six years of insurance industry experience. She specializes in health insurance and works with clients to provide the best solution to their individual needs.
Nichol is a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters. She received her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Stephen F Austin State University.
In her spare time, she attends her children’s soccer games. She enjoys cooking and gardening.
|
