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n 1896, a group of farmers had a desire to insure their property against loss, forming Farmers Fire Insurance Company of Sullivan County*. Over the past 125 years, the needs of our policyholders have changed. We have and will continue to adjust and grow with those changing needs. In 2003, the name of the Company changed to East Tennessee Mutual Insurance Company. With the name change came expanded coverages.
Today, we still offer the fire insurance for farms and dwellings, and now also offer a full Homeowner Policy. The Company still follows the values of its original founders by being honest and providing our policyholder's with a personal touch and ``peace of mind``. In order to grow with the demanding needs of today's policyholders, the Company formed East Tennessee Mutual 1896 Agency so we are now able to offer Auto Insurance. Our desire is to remain a strong viable company well into the future.
Meet Our Board of Directors
Art Meadows
Art Meadows holds a BS Degree in Business Administration and is currently the President/CEO of Panhandle Farmers Mutual Insurance Company in Moundsville, WV a position he has held since March 2004 and is Executive Manager of Mutual Protective Association of WV. Prior to that, he served as Vice President and Board Member and has been employed with them since 1999. He has directed the company into a very technological operation that includes a paperless system, agency online quoting, web site functions and electronic mortgagee notification and recently launched a robust web base insurance operating system called BriteCore. Under his direction he lowered the company’s operating expense by 35% and increased policyholder surplus by 650% in the span of 5 years.
Art served as Chairman of the WV Insurance Federation eight consecutive years prior to stepping down in 2011. He is also serving his 15th year on their Board of Directors and was instrumental in the domestic industry in West Virginia becoming members of the Federation. During his term as Chairman, the Federation successfully passed some of the most sweeping tort reform pieces of legislation that any state has ever seen accomplished in one year. He was hand-picked by the WV Insurance Commissioner, as 1 of 12 industry representatives, to serve on the Governor’s task force to reform insurance legislation in WV and remains very active in legislative issues.
Art served on the NAMIC Board of Directors from 2010 through 2012 and also served on the Convention Planning and the Strategy Planning committees during his tenor. Also serving on the Farm Mutual Conference Board of Directors for NAMIC from 2005 to 2012 and was Chairman with that Board for 15 months in the 2010 to 2011 term and has been the recipient of the 2007 Professional Farm Mutual Manager of the Year Award, the 2006 NAMIC Service Award and the PFMM designation from NAMIC. He was the FMC Board liaison for the Loss Control Committee and has served on the Legislative Steering Committee and the Claims Committee for NAMIC as well as being a member of the NAMIC Merit Society. For the past 12 years he has been active with the Congressional Contact Program with NAMIC and is a supporter of the NAMIC PAC. He was recently appointed to the PAMIC Board of Directors (PA Association of Mutual Insurance Companies) and is a Board of Director for Intuitive Web Solutions (IWS), the creator of BriteCore. Prior to becoming a Board member of IWS he served as Chairman the Product Advisory Board for IWS which oversees the development and direction of BriteCore/BriteQuote insurance system.
He served as President of the WV Association of Insurance Company for 8 consecutive years which is the domestic industry in WV. During his term as President he was able attract many high profile speakers that included setting Governors, US Congressmen, State Supreme Court Justices, State Senators, Members of the House of Delegates, NAMIC Chairman’s and many other distinguish speakers. Attendance at the Annual Meetings more than doubled during his terms as President.
Barbie Lambert
Barbara (Barbie) Lambert is the current General Manager of East Tennessee Mutual Insurance Company, a position she has held since 2011. The journey with East Tennessee Mutual started in 2008 and since that time she has directed the company on a new technological path that has made them a leader within the state of TN. This effort has increased the company’s functionality and efficiency as well as provided the opportunity for growth. The changes made through her leadership has attracted the attention of other mutuals in the state which has led to successful merger with a neighboring Mutual. In March 2021, in addition to the management of the company she was elected as Secretary/Treasurer and placed on the Board of Directors with East Tennessee Mutual Insurance Company.
Additionally, Barbie has served as the Tennessee Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (TnAMIC) Secretary/Treasurer since March of 2011. While serving as Secretary/Treasurer, her leadership has allowed the Association to host very successful conventions with the membership and provided the opportunity to work with NAMIC in offering FMDC Courses at their annual conventions. Through this offering over 40 directors in the State have earned their FMDC Certifications.
Barbie earned her PFMM designation with NAMIC in 2013 and will be receiving her FMDC Certification at this year’s Annual Convention. Since 2009 she has been active with the NAMIC Congressional Contact Program and a supporter of the NAMIC PAC.
Prior to working in the insurance industry, she graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts and worked in retail and banking.
Bill has been on East Tennessee Mutual’s Board since 1983 and served 30 years as the Board President. Bill is currently President- Emeritus. He is a retired teacher and a Veteran. Bill still enjoys farming and is active in his church.
Heather Parker
Heather Parker has served on the board since 2019. She moved to North East Tennessee twenty years ago to obtain her undergraduate degree in Business Administrations and Economics. She met and married her husband; a native Tennessean and they now have two elementary aged children. Before moving to Tennessee, she called both Kansas City, Missouri and Sao Paulo, Brazil home. Professionally, she was a successful real estate agent for many years before placing her license in retirement to enjoy her family. She is currently a full-time mom as well as a student at Mississippi State University where she is pursuing a Masters of Business Administration. She loves serving on the board and is passionate about playing a part in the growth and longevity of East Tennessee Mutual Insurance.
Jamie Ketron
Jamie currently works for Mitch Cox Companies serving as the Vice President of Operations and Accounting. She has previously worked as an auditor in the public accounting industry and has held various accounting and operational positions in the energy sector. She is a certified public accountant and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language & Literature both from Transylvania University. Jamie is a native of Kingsport. She resides in Bluff City with her husband and spends her free time raising cattle and playing on the farm with her horses and dogs, serving on the Sullivan County Cattlemen’s Association Board, the Sullivan County Soil Conservation District Board and volunteering with the American Red Cross.
Keith Brickley
Keith Brickley holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Radford University and has over 15 years of IT experience and leadership. Keith is currently the Director of Program Management at BriteCore where he has worked for over 3 years. In this role, Keith is responsible for liaising with the executive team to assist with decisions for operational activities,
accomplishing strategic goals, ensure that teams are well-coordinated by managing and improving procedures and coaching their members. Through the discovery and suggestion of efficiencies, constructive feedback, and standards, Keith drives a high-performing culture and supports a spirit of continuous improvement across the organization.
Prior to joining BriteCore Keith spent 12 years at CGI, a multinational information technology consulting and systems integration company, where he served in key roles across multiple projects. Keith co-created and lead an automated testing team, managed the PPQA (Process and Product Quality Assurance) and CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) processes,
and was the project manager for several EPA clients.
Keith is also currently on a Product Advisory Committee for a small start-up where he validates product ideas and provides feedback and updates on product changes.
Lisa Cunningham
Lisa was CFO and Vice President for Samet Corporation, a General Contractor located in Greensboro, NC, for 4 years before becoming an Advisor and Consultant. At Samet, she played a strategic role in setting policy, casting vision for the organization, developing the financial, accounting and risk management departments to support the company for future growth and long-term success. She also worked with Operations Management to identify and develop solutions to pain points while maintaining adequate controls. Prior to Samet Lisa served as CFO and Vice President for Bahnson Holdings, Inc, a Specialty Subcontractor located in Winston Salem, NC for 9 years. At Bahnson, she played a key role in a management buyout from an international owner,
evaluated acquisition opportunities, reorganized the accounting department to support a changing and growing organization and later played a key role in preparing and selling the business to a Fortune 500 company. During her roles as CFO, she gained experience in many areas including treasury management, working capital management, project management and forecasting, financial reporting and compliance, employee compensation, incentive compensation and employee benefits.
Since 2018, after resigning as Samet CFO, Lisa is working in an advisor and consulting role, primarily with Samet, which provides more flexibility for travel and volunteering.
Lisa graduated from the University of Tennessee with a BS Degree in Business Administration. She holds a CPA license in Tennessee and North Carolina. In 2018 she and her husband moved back to their hometown and resides in Johnson County, TN.
Patricia Terry-Castle
Patricia Terry-Castle has worked in the insurance industry in Johnson City and Bristol for more than 25 years, serving clients in all areas of the Tri-Cities. Her primary focus continues to be sales and service to commercial and personal insurance clients. Patricia is licensed to sell Property and Casualty insurance as well as life, credit and legal products. Patricia is a graduate of Daniel Boone High School and furthered her education at Walters State Community College and Virginia Highlands Community College. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and a member of SIFE(Students In Free Enterprise.