UNCW - Key Persons


Arnold Frank Murray Jr

Job Titles:
  • Agent
I grew up in Wallace, NC and relocated to Rose Hill, NC after getting married at age 26. I have been working in the insurance industry for over 40 years. What I most enjoy about my job is the satisfaction of helping people with all their insurance needs. On a personal level, I love reading my bible, spending time with God, volunteering for our local fire department, and playing golf. When I am not at work I love to travel to different places and spending time with my wife and family. I also volunteer for our local fire department and for my church and community.

Bree Jaber

Job Titles:
  • Personal Lines Account Manager

Bryan K DeBose

Job Titles:
  • Personal Lines Account Manager
I have been in the insurance industry since 2011. I hold licenses in life & health, property and casualty, medicare supplement and long term care. I enjoy making a difference for my clients and finding solutions to meet their needs! I am happy when I can see that I make my customers happy! I grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, where I graduated from John T Hoggard High School, then attended UNCW and graduated from The University of Mount Olive. I studied vocal music performance with an emphasis in opera while attending UNCW! It has always been a passion of mine! I enjoy hunting, spending time with family and performing either in choral concerts, musical theater or opera. When I am not working you will find me spending time with my family or in the woods at the farm. I am also the current president of the Alumni Association at The University of Mount Olive!

E. Stephen Owens - President

Job Titles:
  • President

Ellie Nee

Job Titles:
  • Personal Lines Account Manager
I am a first generation Italian, raised in New York. I graduated E.A. Laney High School and attended UNCW, majoring in Elementary Education. I have 33 years of experience in the personal lines insurance industry, and have worked with both captive and independent agents. Being an insurance professional gives me a wonderful feeling because I know

Karen A. Harris

I grew up in MA, where I began my insurance career. I have 3 beautiful children, 5 stepchildren, and many grandchildren.

Madison Owens

Job Titles:
  • Accounting and Operations Director
I grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina. I attended NC State University. I have grown up with my father, Stephen Owens, being in the insurance industry my entire life. I just recently graduated from college at NC State and then got my insurance license. I am excited to start my journey working alongside him at his agency!

Michelle DiGiovanni Hulsmann

I am extremely passionate about the value of insurance and the importance of the independent insurance world. I believe it is what allows me to put my whole heart into an industry and truly enjoy my career! In my opinion, an insurance agent is not just a job, it's a calling. I love what I do, and that is protecting all that matters to my customers! I grew up in Pender County where my family owned their insurance agency for 42 years! Insurance has always been my passion! I enjoy spending time with my family and my two dogs Bella & Sarah. When I am not at work you can find me out shopping somewhere! I am extremely passionate about the value of insurance and the importance of the independent insurance world. I believe it is what allows me to put my I've worked in Personal and commercial lines and have knowledge of Life insurance as well. What I love most about my job is the opportunity to share my insurance knowledge so clients can make informative decisions.

Paige Lang

Job Titles:
  • Personal Lines Account Manager

R. Stuart Franck

Job Titles:
  • Agent
I have been a licensed insurance agent since 2009. I previously spent 18 years in the real estate building and development arena. It is gratifying when you know the product you have provided a client is beneficial in protecting a cherished asset of theirs. I love being able to help! I can normally relate to customer needs due to my real estate background. I tend to see things through the eyes of the customer. I grew up in coastal North Carolina and have been living in Wilmington since 1995. My time as a kid was spent at the beach and continues to be spent that way when my free time allows. Personally, I enjoy spending time with my wife and kids either outside or on the beach along with our pet dog Irie Lou Lou. When I am not at work you can find me surfing, passing basketballs to my oldest son Brodie to shoot or hitting tennis balls with my youngest son Elijah. A good weekend to me is staying busy with a combination of things ranging from time with my wife to a few hours of surfing and followed up by a nice dinner at home as the sunsets. I have also worked on homeowners boards and various nonprofit boards. Giving back is something we all need to do more. The world is better when you give back a little of your time.

Rebecca Black

Job Titles:
  • CSR
I grew up in the West Virginia mountains. I am a certified dental assistant. I am fairly new to the insurance industry. Several of my family members have worked in the insurance field, and I am excited to grow my skills and knowledge. I love being able to help people. No matter what the situation may be, I take pride in providing top-quality customer service. I am a worship leader for my local church. In my free time, you can find me writing songs or playing an instrument. I also love spending time with my son. I love decorating my home and my favorite way to spend the weekend is to relax at home and sing at my church. I am a worship leader for my local church. and sledding down the giant hill at the end of our street. I moved to Burlington, NC, at 9 years old and have been in NC since, except for spending my High School years in the mountains of VA at Oak Hill Academy. I have worked in Insurance for over 15 years and have a true passion for this Industry. I love working with customers and enjoy ensuring their Insurance needs are met. If a client is happy at the end of the day-I am too. I have two sets of twin boys- ages nine and two, and a French Bulldog named Charlie. They are the light of my life and make every day exciting and fun! I enjoy cooking and love watching scary movies. On the weekends, I am usually at a park with my kids or at one of their sporting events. I am a huge advocate of the ASPCA and have volunteered my time working with rescued dogs from catastrophic events, and have previously taken in a few dogs that needed homes as well. I am a worship leader for my local church. I worked at Allstate for a year and a half before joining the Owens Agency. Helping people make sure the personal items that they have worked hard to earn are protected and making them feel valued rather than making them feel like another dollar in the bank. I enjoy reading and going to the gym anytime I can. I will tell you all about the latest novel I read or cried over while also explaining my new workout routine. I enjoy singing and dancing to Disney movie tracks in the car. If I am not working, you can catch me spending my weekends with my family, laying in bed, sitting outside reading, or at the gym bobbing my head in between sets.

Robyn Eason

Job Titles:
  • Personal Lines Account Manager
II have been in the insurance industry for 19 years now and I have loved every bit of it! It is such a rewarding job and I am so happy to assist customers every day! My favorite part of my position is meeting new people and being able to build relationships with them while helping them with their insurance needs at the same time! I grew up in Lindenhurst, New York. I enjoy spending time with my husband and son on my weekends. We can usually be found at a zoo or aquarium! I also love all things Disney so getting to Disney is always such a treat! I am also an animal lover and before getting into the insurance industry, I was a dog groomer. I am truly happy being in the insurance industry and love to assist!

Ronda Dezso

Job Titles:
  • Personal and Commercial Lines Account Manager
I have been a licensed insurance agent since 2005 and have loved every second of it! I really enjoy being able to help people with their insurance needs on a day-to-day basis. It is rewarding to use my experience and knowledge to assist families and create new relationships. I grew up in the state of North Carolina, however, with my father being a minister, we moved around a lot throughout my early life. I have three boys who I love dearly. Curtis is my oldest son at 25 years old, Will is 20, and James is 9! They truly are my heart. I enjoy fishing at the river and just enjoying the quietness of the woods. I find nature to be so peaceful! I am very active in the Autism Awareness community and support Autism Awareness as much as possible!

Tamara Gandee

Job Titles:
  • Personal Lines Account Manager
I am a native of Wilmington and grew up in Delco, NC. I have about 10 years of experience in the insurance industry and am licensed in Property and Casualty, Life and Health in NC and SC. I like my job because I enjoy helping others! Some fun facts about me are that I enjoy doing anything near the ocean, listening to music, riding ATVs, working on classic vehicles with my husband, and spending time with my family. I also play the piano and enjoy cooking. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time at home, working on a project, or just relaxing! Sometimes I also volunteer time at my church.

Virginia (Ginny) Paige Hope

Job Titles:
  • Agent

Wanda Darden

Job Titles:
  • Personal Lines Account Manager
I grew up in Rose Hill, NC. I am new to the insurance industry, but what I most like about my job is being able to help the community and providing an insurance service to our town. Personally, I love to work in my yard and spend time with my family. When I am not working, I can be found either in my yard gardening or in the mountains. I also enjoy volunteering at my church and in the community.

Zach Pegram

Job Titles:
  • Agent
I grew up in a small farming town in Henderson, NC. I graduated high school from Northern Vance High School and after graduating, I continued my education at North Carolina State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture Business Management. Growing up in an insurance family, I've always felt that insurance would be a natural fit. I have been a licensed agent for the past 4 years but started as an agent with the Owens Insurance Agency in January of 2023. I enjoy connecting with people and helping them in any way that I can. The insurance industry allows the opportunity to get to know people within my community and state, but I also get to learn their stories and identify the things that matter the most to them, helping protect them against seen and unseen risks. I like spending time outside, whether it be on the coast, in the mountains by a river, or riding through the countryside. Hunting and fishing are two of my top hobbies and I also enjoy grilling out, cooking, and making good food. I also volunteer for Ducks Unlimited. This organization is something that I have been a part of for most of my life, and I am extremely grateful for all the experiences and people I have met through it. I believe we all should give back to our resources to protect the future for the next generation and do what we can to leave this world better than how we found it.