Bernie Lowe & Associates (BLA) strives to provide the highest quality service and insurance products the industry has to offer. Our focus on cost containment provides many soft-cost savings to the employer, in addition to relaying immediate hard-cost savings through meaningful short-term and long-term cost targets. BLA’s business model provides businesses with effective alternatives to mitigate increasing benefit costs.
Our clients share a special relationship with BLA through personalized service provided by each of our highly experienced staff of benefit professionals. We value the opportunity to partner with our clients and develop long-term relationships built on trust, integrity and on-going support.
History
Bernie Lowe & Associates, Inc. is an Iowa-based corporation established in 1992. Founder Bernie Lowe, Jr., CLU, RHU, was formerly a partner of the Prouty Company, Inc. which had a successful history working with associations and colleges delivering top-notch employee benefit programs and service since 1955.
BLA has carried forward this tradition and has diversified its role in the Iowa insurance market by working with a variety of large and small employers to manage their employee benefits programs.
BLA Divisions
- Colleges and Universities
- Small Employer Group and Association
- Large Employer Group (100+ employees)
Each division has a designated team leader, marketing specialist and service representatives. The emphasis of this approach is to operate our organization with precision and focus through each division’s expertise.
Associations
BLA is the exclusively endorsed benefits provider of these association groups:
Iowa Association of Independent Colleges & Universities (IAICU)
Iowa Medical Group Manger Association (IMGMA)
Iowa Medical Society (IMS)
Iowa Dental Association (IDA)
Iowa Society of CPA’s (ISCPA)
Iowa Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (IAHSA)
Employee Profiles
Each employee at BLA is required to carry an Iowa Insurance License, so anyone who contacts our organization can immediately work with a professional and knowledgeable agent.
Skip Lowe, President, BLA, Inc.
Skip is president and CEO of Bernie Lowe & Associates, and he oversees the sales and administration activities of BLA’s 150,000 insured lives. He is also directly involved in the marketing to new client prospects. “Bernie Lowe & Associate’s number one goal is the delivery of outstanding service to our clients, whether someone is ordering a new ID card or dealing with a sensitive claim issue — savings are quickly forgotten when poor service is experienced,” Skip says. “Providing clients a readily available, caring and knowledgeable insurance professional is paramount to our success. Carrying on this legacy of service for a second generation is simply an indescribable honor. It is the respect of family that motivates me to foster a family-like atmosphere at Bernie Lowe & Associates — our clients agree.”
skiplowe@bernielowe.com
Tim Lowe, Executive Vice President, BLA/Commercial
Tim became a member the BLA team in 2004 and is extremely active in the sales and marketing of the organization. In his leading role as a producer, Tim focuses his efforts on developing new business, reaching out to our valued clients and is always quick to remedy any challenges our clients may face. “It’s always such a huge honor for me to see a smile on our client’s face — that’s what it’s all about at BLA.”
tlowe@bernielowe.com
Terri DeGroot, Vice President, BLA, Inc.
Terri joined BLA in 1988 and personally manages the association and non–association business block. Her expertise in individual product and small group insurance matters enables Terri to utilize the professional skills, positive attitude and personality she is known for. “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference,” says Terri.
tdegroot@bernielowe.com
Linda Beem, Accounting & Finance
Linda Beem joined BLA in September 2007, bringing with her over 20 years of accounting and finance experience. Her attention to detail and extensive knowledge of computerized accounting systems complements her claim to the “penny perfect” books and financial reports that she maintains.
lbeem@bernielowe.com
Georgia Carey, Senior Account Executive, BLA, Inc.
Georgia Carey joined BLA in 2003 and handles large and small group insurance marketing, reporting, servicing and technology support. Her 30 years of insurance experience, attention to detail, knowledge of the market and her natural ability to react to change make her an irreplaceable asset to BLA, as well as an extremely well-respected agent in the industry. Georgia’s motivation to service the client is founded on her intuition to always find the right product and answer.
gcarey@bernielowe.com
Jeanna Gutierrez, Senior Account Executive, BLA/Commercial
Jeanna joined BLA in the spring of 2003 and works with the commercial division (50+ employee groups). Jeanna has over 10 years of experience in the insurance industry. Her work with BLA includes marketing insurance products, preparing and analyzing reporting packages and helping our clients and their employees with eligibility and/or claim-related issues. With this, her expertise in Web-based technology, COBRA, HIPPA, employer/employee advocacy and human resource experience brings value-added service to the approval of many BLA clients. Jeanna’s innovative approach to risk management is essential to any company’s success.
jeannag@bernielowe.com
Cheryl Heinen, Senior Account Executive, BLA/Commercial
Cheryl Heinen joined BLA in the spring of 2005 and works primarily in the commercial division (50+ employee groups). Cheryl has over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, with an extensive background in insurance underwriting. Her work with BLA includes marketing insurance products, preparing and analyzing reporting packages and helping our clients and their employees with eligibility and/or claim-related issues. In addition, Cheryl administers COBRA for our employer groups and works extensively on our Web-based technology. She is truly an extension of our clients’ human resource departments.
cheinen@bernielowe.com
Kathryn Brown, Account Executive, BLA/Commercial
Kathryn joined BLA in July 2008 and works with the commercial division (50+ employee groups). Kathryn has over 5 years of experience in the Human Resources area in addition to multiple years of experiences in the non-profit arena. Her work with BLA includes administering COBRA, processing eligibility, working with Benergy, marketing insurance products, handling claim/service issues for our clients, and preparing reports. Her technological expertise is a great asset to both BLA and our clients. Kathryn understands the clients point of view and believes in doing the leg work to provide the best quality products and services to the BLA clients.
Kbrown@bernielowe.com
Ray Main, Ancillary Sales, Executive/BLA Inc.
Ray joined BLA in 2010. For over 20 years Ray developed, implemented and managed employment-based health care, retirement and executive benefit programs as an insurance broker, serving Midwestern firms that employed two to two thousand employees. He retired from this independent commercial insurance agency in 2004 as a Stockholder and Board member. After retiring, Ray served as Director of Development and Community Relations for a faith-based not-for-profit retirement community. He created giving programs for annual and Legacy gifts for this organization’s capital, operation and endowment needs. Most recently, Ray represented a Midwestern business brokerage firm as an independent sales agent.
Ray is an Iowa native, attended the University of Iowa, served in the US Navy Seabees, and earned the Charted Life Underwriter (CLU) and Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) professional designations. He is a licensed real estate agent in Iowa.
“I am pleased and honored to work with prospects and clients of BLA, where the motto is we are branding client service. I look forward to working with you”.
rmain@bernielowe.com
Angie Moore, Senior Administrative Assistant, BLA/Commercial
Angie joined BLA in 2007 and now oversees the important administrative tasks the large group team is responsible for. She is very thorough and detail-oriented on her work, which shows in every task asked of her. Quickly adapting to the ever-changing insurance environment, Angie continues to take on more responsibility and provide quality production.
amoore@bernielowe.com
Jane Underwood, Senior Account Executive, BLA/Commercial
Jane joined BLA in February 2010 and works primarily in the commercial division (50+ employee groups). She has over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, having worked with both insurance carriers and independent agencies. She has underwritten large group health plans; managed an information systems department; and facilitated the implementation and service of both individual and executive as well as employer-sponsored benefit programs and policies. Jane earned a BSBA from Drake University. Her analytical and organizational skills, as well as her enthusiasm for explaining and communicating technical report packages, is an asset to BLA’s clients.
