UmialikXpress
Agency Bulletin
September 26, 2023
Umialik Insurance Company and Western National Insurance Group Announce Hiring of Tamara Bates
Umialik Insurance Company and Western National Insurance Group today announced the hiring of Tamara Bates as Senior Vice President, Marketing & Agency Sales.
In her role at Western National, Tamara will be responsible for developing strategy and driving results for agency sales across Western National’s Group of companies, while working with her team and agency partners to promote and grow customer service initiatives.
Tamara comes to Western National with over 30 years of property-and-casualty experience. Prior to joining Western National, Tamara was the Regional Vice President – Sales for Secura Insurance. Before that, she held various roles in underwriting, underwriting management, and sales within Secura. Tamara comes to Western National with knowledge of and relationships with many of our key agency partners. She has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and earned her Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designations.
“It’s an exciting time to be joining Western National Insurance,” said Tamara Bates, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Agency Sales at Western National. “The company has a strong reputation for building lasting relationships with their agency partners, focusing on the customer experience, and has demonstrated financial strength and growth. With a strong team and business plan in place, I’m thrilled to be taking on this new chapter in my career.”
“We are very pleased to have someone as respected and accomplished as Tamara joining our team,” said Jeff Couchman, Executive Vice President of Underwriting & Sales at Western National. “She brings great energy, underwriting knowledge, and established agency relationships to our excellent sales team. She will be a great addition to our team as Western National continues to grow.”
Umialik Insurance Company, headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, has served the property-and-casualty insurance needs of Alaskans since 1981. Umialik is a member of Western National Insurance Group, a super-regional group of property-and-casualty insurance companies providing personal and commercial coverage in 20 states across the Midwestern, Northern, and Western U.S. as well as in Alaska; and surety bonds in 43 states. Together, the affiliated Group writes over $900 million in personal and commercial direct premium through five active insurance companies—Western National Mutual Insurance Company, Western National Assurance Company, Pioneer Specialty Insurance Company, Umialik Insurance Company, and American Freedom Insurance Company—and through one affiliate, Michigan Millers Mutual Insurance Company. All of the companies’ products are sold exclusively through professional Independent Insurance Agents.
