Staff

Bryan Hall, CIC

President
Commercial Account Executive
Email:

Bryan is the President of the agency and a Commercial Account Executive. He has been in the insurance industry for twenty-two years and started at First West in 2006. A native of Montana, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three boys. In his free time, you can catch him skiing, golfing, at the lake, following his sons around in all their activities, and he loves a good Sunday dinner with his family. Bryan favorite part of the insurance business is the people from interacting with team members to clients. It makes the industry fun and very rewarding.

Bernadette Stough, CIC

Vice President
Personal Account Executive
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Bernadette is Vice-President of the agency and a Personal Lines Account Executive. She has been in the insurance industry for over 30 years, all of which have been with First West. When not at work she loves traveling, coercing her husband into the next home improvement project and spending time with their spirited Boston Terrier. She enjoys the insurance industry because she likes building relationships, solving problems and being a member of her clients trusted team.

Julie Bennett, CIC

Vice President of Finance
Commerical Account Manager
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Julie appreciates the opportunities that come with her new position as our Operations Manager in 2023, to perpetuate the role that First West plays in helping our community enjoy a great quality of life. She has been in the insurance business for over 25 years as a Commercial Account Manager, coming to First West in 2016. In her free time, you can catch her and their Gordon Setters at the lake with her husband, two sons and their families or hiking, attending music events, playing the piano, and participating in community fun runs.

Mark Collins, ARM, CRIS

Secretary-Treasurer
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Mark joined First West Insurance in April of 2003. Prior to that he worked at Acordia NW in Seattle, WA as a Commercial Insurance Broker in the Construction and Surety Department. Mark became a shareholder at First West in 2005 and focuses on many areas of commercial insurance including construction, non-profit/social service, transportation, manufacturing, and hospitality. He currently holds the Associate in Risk Management and Construction Risk Insurance Specialist designations and sits on the Board of Directors at First West. Mark is married and has two amazing kids, Riley and Olivia. In his spare time you can find him outdoors on the rivers of Montana and on the road to watch Boise State soccer.

Aaron Odegard

Sales Manager
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Aaron is our Sales Manager and a Commercial Lines Account Executive in the Farm and Ranch Department. He has been in the insurance business since starting at First West in 2012. He enjoys spending his time with his wife, two daughters, and son. In his free time, he follows his kids around to all of their activities, golfing, supporting MSU football, and running the Bozeman Stampede. He enjoys the insurance business because of the people and the relationships he makes around the community.

Tyler Delaney, CIC

Commercial Account Executive
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Tyler has been a Commercial Insurance Agent at First West, Inc. since 1998. He has a proven record of benefiting his clients though market knowledge, coverage expertise, cost saving solutions, claims prevention and management. A CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) since 1999, he values long-term relationships with his clients, understands the importance of a fast response time and making every effort to minimize their administrative burden.

Dan Cramer, CIC

Commercial Account Executive
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Dan is an Account Executive in Commercial lines and Farm/Ranch Department. He has been in the insurance business since 2006 and started at First West in 2014. Dan enjoys spending time with his wife, three kids, and his Australian Shepard Stella. In his free time, you can catch him fishing, skiing, and following his kids around to all their activities. He enjoys the insurance business because of all the new changes every day and meeting new people around the Bozeman community.

Rob Deming, CISR

Commercial Account Executive
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Rob is a Commercial Account Executive. He has been in the insurance business for seven years starting at First West in 2016. Born and raised in the insurance world he is the third generation in the insurance business. In his free time, he enjoys playing hockey, golfing, and hiking. When work allows Rob loves to travel and see new places. He likes insurance because every client and business is different, so you never know what to expect.

Wyatt Laakso

Commercial Account Executive
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Wyatt is a Commercial Producer. He has worked in the insurance business for four years starting at First West in 2019. A native of Bozeman, he went to school at Montana Western and returned to Bozeman after graduating to start his career in insurance. Wyatt enjoys spending time with his friends and family. In his free time, you can catch him hunting, fishing, hiking, and golfing. He loves the insurance business because he enjoys watching a business grow and become successful

Justin MacKenzie

Commercial Account Executive
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Justin is a Commercial Account. He has been in the insurance business since joining First West in 2023. He enjoys spending time with friends and family. In his free time, you can catch Justin golfing, curling, skiing, hiking, attending bobcat events, and traveling with his wife. He appreciates the insurance business because of the sense of security it provides. Knowing that people have coverage for unexpected events brings peace of mind. Plus, I find it fascinating to analyze risks and help businesses make informed decisions.

RJ Fitzgerald

Commercial Account Executive
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RJ is a Commercial Producer. RJ started working at First West in March of 2023. A native of Dillion, Montana, he grew up working on his family ranch. He moved to Bozeman and attended MSU, where he played football for the Bobcats. In his free time, RJ enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing golf, watching sports, and attending barbeques. He loves the insurance industry because he is constantly meeting new people and the learning opportunities are endless.

Greg Neil, CIC

Personal Account Executive
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Greg is a Personal Lines Account Executive. He has been in the insurance business for twenty years and started at First West in 2005. He enjoys spending his time with his wife Kara and supporting his four kids with their activities. In his spare time, he serves as the board chairperson for Bozeman School District. During the summers you can catch him going on trail runs, biking, and swimming. He loves the insurance business because he enjoys helping his clients establish a comfort level with personal insurance coverage allowing them to focus on their lives while having confidence they are covered when the unexpected happens.

Kodi Swanson, CPIA

Commercial Lines Manager
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Kodi is our Commercial Lines Manager. She has been in the insurance business for over twenty years and started at First West in 2019. Around the office you can always count on Kodi for a hilarious story and warm smile. Her off-work hours are consumed by family, pets, and true crime podcasts.

Kevin Babcock

Loss Control
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Kevin Babcock is the Loss Control Consultant at First West, Inc. Kevin has been with First West since 2004 and is a shareholder. Prior to joining First West Kevin held the position of safety director/human resources consultant for several firms – Barnard Construction Company, Town Pump and Montana Resources. He has extensive experience and knowledge in all areas of safety and is valuable asset to First West.

Julie Nygren, CIC, CRIS

Operations Manager
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Julie Nygren, CIC, CRIS, began her commercial insurance career in 1997 and has gained experience in many insurance specialties, including construction, real estate development, nonprofits, technology, manufacturing and retail. Julie joined the First West Insurance team in 2016.  Having grown up in the Gallatin Valley and graduating from Montana State University, she and her husband, Chris, were thrilled to return to Bozeman in 2012. She enjoys singing in the Symphony Choir, playing the piano, and appreciating and contributing to the activities and outdoors that this community has to offer. They have two grown sons and a Gordon Setter.

Tiffany Obie, CIC, CISR

Commercial Account Manager
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Tiffany is a Commercial Account Manager She has been in the insurance business since 2004 and started at First West in 2011. She enjoys spending time with her husband, two boys, and dog named LuLu. In her free time, you can catch her watching her kids participate in sports and music activities, skiing, golfing, and going on road trips. She likes the insurance industry because she loves working with clients and helping them protect what they have worked so hard to create.

Sue Howard, CISR

Commercial Account Manager
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Susan Howard, CISR is a Commercial Lines Account Manager. Sue has been in the insurance industry for 25 years. She began her career working for an Equine Insurance agency located in NJ. She moved to Montana in 2000 and joined the First West Commercial Lines Department in September of 2002. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, dancing and spending time with her horse, dog and grandchildren.

Jodi Neville, AFIS

Commercial Account Manager
Email:

Jodi is a Commercial Account Manager. She has been in the insurance business for twenty-five years starting at First West in 1998. She enjoys spending time with her eighteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren. In her free time, you can catch Jodi traveling, doing lots of road trips and kayaking. She loves the insurance business because she enjoys the fact that she can help provide peace of mind and protection of our clients lifestyle and assets.

Marci Stoppel, CIC, CISR

Commercial Account Manager
Email:

Marci is a Commercial and Surety Account Manager. She has been in the insurance business since 2012 and with First West since 2015. A Bozeman native, she enjoys spending time with her amazing son, awesome husband, and has multiple pets in tow; dog, cat, and hamster. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, hiking, camping, and fishing. She likes insurance because every business is different, and we get to see the inner workings of each client. We also get the opportunity to build relationships with the businesses that make up our community.

Alex Gepner CIC, CISR

Commercial Account Manager
Email:

Alex is a Commercial Lines Account Manager. She has been in the insurance business for nineteen years starting at First West in 2012. She enjoys spending time with her family, and puppy Maizee. In her free time, you can catch her camping, four-wheeling, enjoying the mountain views, and traveling. She likes the insurance business because it is fluid, and the industry ebbs and flows with the ever-changing risks of the environment. It can be technical and complicated and sometimes feels like you have to put together the puzzle pieces to ensure there are good fits and no gaps.

Shauna Diehl, CISR, AFIS

Commercial Account Manager
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Shauna is a Commercial Lines and Farm & Ranch Account Manager. She has been in the insurance business for thirteen years starting at First West in 2010. She enjoys spending her time with friends, family, and horse. In her free time, you can catch her camping, ATVing, barrel racing, and trail riding. She loves insurance because it is always evolving, helping clients, and the learning opportunities are endless.

Kemper Brand, CIC

Commercial Account Manager
Email:

Kemper is a Commercial Account Manager. He has been in the insurance business since 1980 and started at First West in 2014. He enjoys spending time with his wonderful wife, kids, and grandsons. In his free time, you can catch Kemper gardening, hiking, supporting Clemson University athletic & artistic events, beach time at Pawleys Island SC, and playing the role of "Poppa". Kemper likes the insurance business because he enjoys the challenges faced by an ever-evolving industry, and the opportunity to educate and service the businesses that rely upon the insurance industry.

Jeri Anderson, ARM

Commercial Account Manager
Email:

Jeri is a Commercial Account Manager. She has been in the insurance business for thirty-five years starting at First West in 2020. Jeri currently lives in Phoenix and travels to Montana often to visit family. She enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and dogs. In her free time, you can catch her hiking and biking. She loves insurance because she enjoys leaving customers happy and helping them to the best of her ability.

Lisa Patton, CPIA

Select Business Unit Lead
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Lisa is our Select Business Unit team leader. She has been in the insurance business for over twenty years starting at First West in 2023. A native of Butte, Montana but has lived all over the state. She has one daughter and two Scottish Terrier fur babies. An outgoing and spontaneous person, she likes to keep busy in her free time. Lisa enjoys going to CA to visit her daughter, camping at the lake, and spending time at home with her dogs. One reason she loves the insurance business is because it is different every day and learning opportunities are abundant.

Carter Reynolds

Commercial Account Manager
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Carter joined First West as a Commercial Lines Account Manager in 2021. He enjoys spending time with his wife and family, and his favorite hobbies include bowhunting, backcountry skiing, and sport-climbing. Carter is a regular volunteer at YAA Camp (Yellowstone Alliance Adventures), and a supporter of the Bozeman Hawks Cross Country and Track and field program where his wife coaches. Carter likes the insurance business for the relationships and getting to learn all about his clients' various trades.

 

Kalina Vanderhoff, CISR

Commercial Account Manager
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Kalina is originally from Eastern Montana, graduating from Montana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing. She worked in management consulting prior to joining First West in 2006 and earned the CISR designation in 2009. Outside the office, Kalina enjoys spending time with family, reading, learning new skills, organizing things and people, and gardening (with mixed results). She and her husband have three girls who enjoy camping, rock hunting, and excursions across Montana. 

 

Kelly Henderson

Commercial Lines Account Manager
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Kelly began her insurance career in 2013 and during that time has obtained her CISR designation and has worked on the wholesale and agency side of insurance. Before joining First West she graduated from Portland State University with a double major in Human Resource Management and Business Management. When not at work she enjoys spending time with her husband, chasing her twin boys around and jogging with her two dogs. She grew up in Montana and loves taking her boys on mini-Montana adventures. 

 

Nicole Christensen, CIC, CISR

Personal Account Manager
Email:

Nicole is a personal lines account manager. She has been in the insurance business for thirteen years starting at First West in 2010. She loves the insurance business because she likes to provide clients with peace of mind their insurance needs are being met. Outside of work, she enjoys her four amazing children, chef of a husband, and of course her puppy. She loves the outdoors; hiking, gardening, and reading a good book in the sunshine.

Jessica Smith First West Insurance

Jessica Smith

Personal Lines Account Manager
Email:

Jessica is a Personal Lines Account Manager. She has been in the insurance business for ten years and started at First West in 2022. She enjoys spending time with her son and husband and dogs. In her free time you can catch her floating, hiking, spending time on the water, volunteering, and helping her husband farm in NE Montana. She loves insurance because she enjoys helping people navigate an ever-changing industry

Sydney Rochford, Personal Lines Account Manager

Sydney Rochford

Personal Lines Account Manager
Email:

Sydney joined First West as a Personal Lines Account Manager Trainee in the summer of 2023. She grew up in Three Forks, MT and attended Montana State University Billings, where she played golf and obtained a BS in Business Management. She spends her free time with her family and dogs in the mountains or on a golf course.

Erika Kinney First West Insurance

Erika Kinney

Claims Coordinator
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Erika is our Claim Coordinator. She has been in the insurance business for six years starting at First West in 2022. She enjoys spending time with friends and her son. In her free time, you can catch her going to concerts, reading poetry, and volunteering with the Zeta Phi Beta organization. She likes the insurance industry because she enjoys assisting our customers during the claims process. It's already a difficult time so being able to make their lives easier is a nice job to have.

 

Carla Pfannenstiel, AINS, ARM, CPCU

Commercial Lines Processor

Carla Pfannenstiel, AINS, ARM, CPCU started her insurance career in 2009 and joined First West Insurance in 2022. She enjoys traveling, hiking, volunteering at her local parish and spending time with her 13 grandchildren. 

Stephanie Clapper

Commercial Lines Processor

Stephanie is a Commercial Lines Processor. She has been in the insurance business since starting at First West in 2022. A native of Bozeman, she enjoys spending time with her two boys 16 and 18. In her free time you can catch her doing yard work, walking her dog, and sitting at a campfire with a cold beverage. She loves insurance because she is constantly learning and is never boring.

Heather Dahl, CISR

Commercial Lines Processor

Heather is a Commercial Line Processor. She has worked in the insurance industry for twenty years. She started at First West in 2014. Moving to Montana in 2001 she enjoys spending time with her adult children and her husband Dave. In her spare time she enjoys tropical trips, evening walks, reading, and shopping. She loves working for a local agency because she can create meaningful relationships with clients and work with them for many years.

Stephanie Bolay, AINS

Commercial Lines Processor

Stephanie Bolay joined First West as a Commercial Lines Processor. She began her insurance career in 2010 at the IMA Financial Group where she held various roles including Certificates Processing Account Manager, Processing Account Manager, and Senior Tech/Team Trainer. Stephanie’s father was in the Air Force during her childhood, so she moved around the country a lot. She has lived in Wichita, Kansas since graduating from Wichita State University in 2007. Stephanie has three children who keep her very busy. If she is not in the stands cheering on her children, you can find her cheering on her favorite football, basketball, and volleyball teams. 

Antoinette Bloem

Life & Health Account Executive
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Antoinette is a Life & Health Benefits Account Excutive. She has been in the insurance industry since 2007 and started at First West in 2019. She enjoys spending time with her husband and four kids. In her free time, you can catch her driving her kids to their activities, camping, floating, and watching her son play baseball. She likes the insurance business because she gets to help people navigate and understand their benefits.

Terri Jallings

Life & Health Account Manager
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Terri is our Life & Health Account Manager. She has been in the insurance industry for over twenty years and started at First West in 2014. A native of Montana, she enjoys spending time with her four kids and grandkids. In her free time, you can catch her camping at the lake, boating, fishing, and riding her four-wheelers around Montana. She enjoys the insurance business because she loves to help people find answers to their insurance problems.

Suzanne Haniuk, PHR First West Insurance

Suzanne Haniuk, PHR

Controller
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Suzanne is our Controller and HR Coordinator. She has been in the accounting business for over twenty-five years and holds a PHR Certification. Suzanne started at First West in 2022. She enjoys spending time with her grandkids and dogs. In her free time, you can catch her gardening, and camping. She likes insurance because it protects people and their families and is challenging and ever-changing.

Debra Hoffert

Accounting Assistant
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Debra is our Accounting Assistant. She has been in the accounting/bookkeeping business for over 30 years now and started at First West in 2017. She enjoys spending time with her husband, two kids, grandkids, and many kittens. In her free time, you can catch her camping, traveling, making family movies, and doing historical re-enactments. She likes the insurance business because of the stability it offers the clients.

Lilly Dalessandro, Front Office Coordinator

Lilly Dalessandro

Front Office Coordinator
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Lilly joined First West in August of 2023. Originally from California, she graduated from Sonoma State University with a BA in Communications and enjoyed her time as Panhellenic President. In her free time, she loves going to MSU football games, golfing, whitewater rafting, and ziplining. She is thrilled to be part of such a wonderful team at First West.

Gina Shroyer-Weaver

Front Office Coordinator
Email:

Before joining the First West Front Desk team in 2014, Gina graduated from Montana State University and taught elementary school in Clyde Park, Montana. Gina loves hiking, skiing, reading, camping and being outdoors.

 
1905 Stadium Drive
Bozeman, Montana 59715
 
Phone:  406-587-5111
Toll Free: 800-606-9378
Fax:  406-587-9162

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