To speak with a licensed insurance agent
To speak with a licensed insurance agent
I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, and moved to California from New York in the early 1970s to begin my career in the footwear industry. I have lived in Camarillo, California, since 1982 with my wife, Loly, a retired translator and educator with the Pleasant Valley School District. We have two sons, Michael and Robert; our oldest, Michael J. Adams, now works alongside me in the business.
A Career Built in Footwear
After graduating from St. Joseph High School in Cleveland and briefly attending Kent State University, I spent 30 years in the footwear industry. I began as a Retail District Manager with Vanguard Ltd., a division of Melville Shoe Company, where I led the opening and growth of 12 premium retail stores during the major mall expansion across Southern California from 1972 to 1979. From 1980 to 2002, I worked in the wholesale footwear market as a Regional Account Executive, representing manufacturers including Old Maine Trotters (Old Town, Maine) and Daniel Green Co. (Dolgeville, New York), before becoming National Account Executive for Etienne Aigner in New York.
There, I played a key role in launching their new comfort-shoe division, Easentials, growing it from $0 to $20 million in annual sales. Throughout my career, I built lasting relationships with major retailers such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, Dayton Hudson’s, May Co., and JC Penney, along with several national catalog companies, the Marine Corps and Navy Exchanges from Virginia Beach to San Diego, and Zappos.com, the largest online footwear retailer.
A New Path in Health Insurance
In 2002, following the events of 9/11 and a desire to reduce my travel schedule, I made a career transition into the health insurance industry. I spent my first year learning the health and benefits markets with an established agency in Orange County, California, before starting my own practice. I now specialize locally in Ventura County, helping clients navigate health, dental, vision, and life insurance for small businesses, Medicare beneficiaries, and individuals and families.
What began as a practice with zero clients has grown into one serving over 700 clients across California and six additional states, including Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, and North Carolina. Our clients span industries such as physician practices, veterinary clinics, manufacturing, and financial services, and many have been with us since our earliest years in business. We represent many of the nation’s leading health insurers, including Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, WellCare, SCAN, Delta Dental, and VSP Vision.
We also specialize in helping Medicare beneficiaries navigate their plan options — our oldest client is turning 100 this September, and we proudly serve many clients in their 90s. I also enjoy working with the self-employed and individual/family markets, including Covered California enrollees.
Beyond the Office
I am a past President of the Camarillo Kiwanis Club and stay active with daily swimming and gym workouts at our local YMCA. In my free time, I enjoy competing in golf and billiards leagues, and I’m always rooting for my hometown Cleveland baseball and Browns football teams. My wife Loly and I — married 45 years — love traveling to new places around the country and the world, as well as simple weekend walks along California’s beautiful beaches.