WILLIAM MORRIS GROUP - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Account Manager
- Executive Assistant to William H. Morris
Amanda Lee Land joined the William Morris Group as an Account Manager in the fall of 2022. She brings nine years of previous experience working with employee benefits, annuities and cafeteria plans and is licensed in Life and Health Insurances. Amanda's expertise in these areas make her a valuable resource in assisting businesses and professional firms in determining the best fit for their group insurance needs.
A Waynesboro native, Amanda is a graduate of Mississippi College with a bachelor's degree in history and minor in business administration. She also holds an MBA with emphasis in International Marketing from King's College in London and is a member of Pi Gamma Mu Honor Society.
Amanda enjoys reading, gardening and tennis. She also has served the Jackson Community as a volunteer for the MS Children's Museum, the Jackson Zoo, and the Junior League of Jackson. She and her husband, Chris, have one son. They reside in Fondren and attend The First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, MS.
Job Titles:
- Financial Advisor
- Financial Advisor With the
Caldwell Hughes is a Financial Advisor with The William Morris Group, P.A. He has worked in his Financial Planning Practice beginning in 2012. Caldwell and his team primarily work with Physicians, Dentists, and Attorneys all around the country.
He and his wife, Tara, both graduated from Mississippi State University and live in Jackson. Tara is currently a Resident Physician in General Surgery where she plans to specialize as a Surgical Oncologist. Seeing firsthand what it takes to become a successful medical professional, Caldwell has a special understanding for what Physicians go through, and a passion to see them succeed financially.
Outside of his professional world, Caldwell enjoys days on the golf course, exploring with his favorite travel partner, Tara, and chasing around their White German Shepherd, Dakota. Caldwell and Tara attend Fondren Church in Jackson.
Chris Walters is a principal of The William Morris Group with over 20 years of experience specializing in executive benefits, life insurance, and long-term disability income insurance programs. He employs the latest technology and industry research to create custom solutions, particularly in implementing multi-life disability insurance programs benefiting medical and legal practices, hospitals, and professional firms. He maintains memberships in Finseca, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, The Financial Planning Association, and the Estate Planning Council of Mississippi.
A graduate of Millsaps College, he is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Greater Jackson and currently serves on the boards of directors for The Millsaps College Arts & Lecture Series, The Hundred Club of Jackson, The Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Jackson, and the Mississippi Council on Economic Education. He is active in the Rotary Club, where he is a Paul Harris Fellow.
Job Titles:
- Disability Insurance Manager
Jack began his financial representative career in 2004 as a Registered Representative with New York Life and NyLife securities. Jack has been affiliated with The William Morris Group, P.A. for the past 8 years. His primary focus is in the Attorney and Physician professional markets; as well as, the retirement market including Long Term Care and Estate Planning Protection. As an avid outdoorsman, he enjoys hunting and golfing with friends and clients. Jack lives in Madison, MS with his wife Caroline and daughter Evey. Jack attended the University of Mississippi and is a member of Northminster Church.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Member of the Junior League Jackson
Julie Jackson Thompson has a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and a Master's degree in Business Administration from Mississippi State University. She is also a Licensed but not practicing Certified Public Accountant on behalf of MML Investors Services, LLC or its affiliated companies.
In addition to being a sustaining member of the Junior League Jackson, Julie is active in local league tennis and serves on the board of the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation.. She also is an avid runner and a long- time member of First Presbyterian Church of Madison, MS. Julie is married to Todd Thompson and they reside in Canton, MS.
Job Titles:
- Customer Service Representative
Laura Simmerman Walters, a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in accounting, began here professional career in Jackson in May of 1994. She gained experience working for a regional wireless carrier, a national clothing retailer, and a large real estate investment trust before joining The William Morris Group, P.A. in 2006. She works in a variety of capacities to ensure that WMG clients feel a high degree of satisfaction in their relationships with the firm and in the insurance and financial products they sell.
Laura is a dedicated community volunteer who shares her talents with numerous organizations in the metro area, including The Junior League of Jackson, The Catholic Diocese of Jackson, Stop SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy), The Greater Jackson Arts Alliance, Jackson Metro Chi Omega Alumni Association, Friends of the International Ballet Competition, The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi, and many others. She serves as a board member and officer of the Mississippi Kidney Foundation, and as a board member of the Catholic Charities Diocese of Jackson. She is a parishioner of The Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle where she is a reader, member of the Martha and Mary Circle and chairperson of the Angel Tree.
Job Titles:
- Senior Disability Insurance Account Manager
Scott Bates enjoys working with growing families to select the appropriate personal insurance and financial products that help them prepare for the future. They appreciate that he represents a wide spectrum of the industry's leading companies.
Scott graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in business. He is a member of the Society of Financial Professionals, Jackson Young Business Leaders, and is an officer of the Mississippi Chapter of Delta Waterfowl Conservation Group. He and his wife, Becky, have served on the boards of directors for the Mississippi Children's Hospital and The Mustard Seed.
He has served as a Ducks Unlimited committee member in the Hinds County chapter, and is the former Chairman of the University of Mississippi Chapter. He enjoys hunting and fly fishing in Colorado and Montana. He and his family live in Madison and attend St. James Episcopal Church in Jackson.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Employee Benefits Specialist
Steven Lee is an Employee Benefits Specialist in the Group Benefits Department and joined The William Morris Group in 2021. He has worked in the insurance industry since 2006 and has spent the past 10 years working for major insurance carriers specializing in the placement of group disability, life, dental, vision, and other ancillary health products for employers of all sizes.
Steven is passionate about the importance of health and financial protection plans for employer groups and the need for these benefit plans to be properly structured and offered in the workplace. He takes pride in knowing the work he does directly impacts the health and financial wellness of people when the unexpected occurs, and they need help the most. He believes in sound consultative solutions to provide value to the businesses he works with while also providing the education necessary for employees to understand their choices.
Steven holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Tennessee and recently moved to Madison from his hometown of Memphis, TN. In Memphis, Steven was an active member of Second Presbyterian Church and was a member of the Children's Ministry Committee as well as a volunteer in youth Sunday School classes.
In his spare time, you can find Steven hard at work on his most important job, being a father to his children, Adeline and Porter, and husband to his wife Kandice. He also enjoys time on the golf course and outdoors.
Job Titles:
- Agent
- Manager of the Group Employee Benefits Department
Susan Curtis Harrison is the Manager of the Group Employee Benefits Department. She has been with the firm since 1992 and holds the Chartered Life Underwriter designation.
While Susan assists personal clients with individual life, disability and long term care insurance, her focus is Employee Benefits. She works with business and professional firms to help them manage employee welfare and retention through the use of insurance products and plans designed to fit the special and unique needs of each employer group. Her years of experience and knowledge of the insurance industry brings a valuable perspective to the planning process. She works with each client to help with plan design, enrollment and implementation, understanding of contract provisions, and ongoing claim and administration. Then she keeps a close watch on changes in the marketplace to help ensure clients have appropriate benefits at competitive rates.
Susan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University. She is a Sustaining Member of the Junior League of Jackson and a member of the Jackson Association of Health Underwriters, the Jackson Area Delta Gamma Alumnae Association, and St. Matthews United Methodist Church where she has served on the Board of Trustees and the Finance Committee.
In 1998 she was selected as one of Mississippi's 50 Leading Business Women by the Mississippi Business Journal.
Susan is married to Cliff Harrison and they have one son.
William H. (Bill) Morris, Jr., is the founder and President of The William Morris Group, P.A. (WMG) and is recognized throughout the life insurance industry as one of the most knowledgeable producers regarding disability income insurance matters. Bill holds the designations of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC). He is a Registered Representative with MML Investors Services, Inc. With 50 years of membership, he is a Life member of the Million Dollar Round Table, which is comprised of top agents worldwide. He is a member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting, a distinguishing group that meets in Washington, DC each year to attend to more advanced insurance matters.
He is the author of two books on disability income insurance as well as other insurance industry periodicals and has been quoted in US News and World Report. Bill has, on numerous occasions, been a featured speaker at meetings of the International Million Dollar Round Table, Top of the Table, CLU, ChFC, AALU and CFP Commencement Forum National Conferences.
Over 40 years ago, Bill established a working relationship with some of the top law firms in Mississippi. The William Morris Group now serves approximately 50 law firms and a large number of medical clinics and hospitals, totaling approximately 140 corporate clients.
Bill is a life-long native of Jackson and a graduate of The University of Mississippi (BBA). Being a distinguished military graduate, he served as an officer in the US Army from 1964-1966. Bill is a founding member of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Madison. He has served on many boards including his church, Young Life and the River Hills Tennis Club.
Bill is a photographer, singer, writer, and a collector of art. He produced The Original Drifters' first two gospel CDs. Bill also published a coffee table book, "Ole Miss at Oxford: A Part of Our Heart and Soul featuring photography of his alma mater." His memoir, This Magic Moment: My Journey of Faith, Friends and the Father's Love (Fitting Words) was released in hardcover in November 2019 and his audiobook was released in January 2020.
Bill and his wife, Camille, are the proud parents of two adult daughters, Camille and Kathryn, and grandparents of five.