Our Team
Jason Garman
Owner & Licensed Insurance Agent
I was born in Springfield, Illinois, but moved to Las Vegas when I was really young. I lived in Las Vegas for about 30 years before relocating to Southern California. Finally, I moved from San Diego to Mountain Home in June of 2012.
My wife jokes that my favorite thing to do outside of work is to play with our English bulldogs named Hank and Dolly. I’m pretty obsessed with them-- I’d have ten of them if it was up to me! I also enjoy doing CrossFit most days, or some type of exercise. I like to keep active and healthy.
Most people never have to deal with insurance until they have an issue or a problem. At that point, it can be frustrating. We strive to be the go-to for our clients: from helping to choose their policy, to explaining their coverage, and especially servicing them when there’s a problem we can help solve.
Health insurance is confusing and frustrating especially as people get older. Plus there are a lot of options -- it's almost like learning a new language for some clients. I try my best to make it as painless as possible, and treat and service my clients just like how I’d want someone to treat and service my parents.
Alison Garman
Owner & Licensed Insurance agent
I moved from San Diego to Mountain Home- from the beach to the Ozarks! I’ve lived in quite a few different cities and states, but consider Minnesota to be home because all of my family lives up there.
My favorite hobby is to travel. I’ve always loved to explore. From camping in my backyard when I was younger, to family road trips, and now trying to use my passport as often as possible- I love to travel. Meeting people, visiting new places, learning about different cultures and eating new foods are all adventurous parts of traveling that I enjoy. When I’m home, I enjoy being outdoors. Whether it’s going hiking, paddle boarding, boating out on the lakes, or sitting around a bonfire, I enjoy being out in nature. I also volunteer quite a bit within our community.
My part I most enjoy about working with seniors are the conversations I get to have with them. I like hearing stories of years and decades past; many of our clients are so fascinating and full of wisdom. Oftentimes my clients become like friends or family to me, and I get to know them and hear stories about their children and their grandchildren. I also like knowing that we’re helping our folks have peace of mind with the decisions they make regarding their health insurance. The choices can be overwhelming, and knowing that we’re helping to ease some of that stress is very rewarding.
Jessica Pitchford
Licensed Insurance Agent
I was born and raised here in Mountain Home, Arkansas. After meeting my husband, we relocated to Little Rock for five years and then moved back to our hometown to raise our kids around our family. We love the Ozarks. We like going camping and fishing, and spending time with family. We also enjoy being on the lake pontooning, having cookouts, that kind of thing.
In my terms, I always say that seniors are my people. I enjoy helping them just like I would help my own parents. Some people find it difficult when they turn 65, first get on Medicare, or when they transition into a new time in their lives where they need new insurance. I want to be someone who helps them through their confusion. The newness can be very frustrating, and some don’t have family or kids to help them. At the end of the day, I like to be able to say that I helped them choose the right plans just like I would for my own family members.
Amanda Principato
Licensed Insurance Agent
Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, I have always been a southern girl. My grandparents vacationed in Mountain Home, and my family enjoyed its lakes and rivers, so it was only natural that we migrated here. I have continued to rear my children locally; both of my sons attend Cotter High School.
My life centers around my children who play basketball, baseball, golf, track, chess, and quiz bowl. We’ve been used to running from game to game since they were very young kiddos. I suppose you could say they are my hobby as well as my joy in life. I am acutely aware that our window of time together is very small and precious.
Helping people is part of my heritage, so this job is a natural fit for me. My grandmother was a tireless volunteer in the Memphis community, spending much of her time helping those who were food insecure. Growing up, my parents regularly invited local seniors, whom didn’t have any loved ones nearby, into our home for the holidays. They also helped troubled teens by giving them shelter, love and guidance. Therefore, it was only natural for me to serve people as well, and it makes my cup overflow. Senior Health Insurance’s reputation for going above and beyond for their clients, as well as their genuine care and concern for them, is a perfect fit for me.
Jennifer Hooyer
Office Manager
I have lived in Arkansas my entire life, but came to the Mountain Home area from Little Rock when I got engaged in 2004. This area is gorgeous, and has so many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.
My husband, Matt, and I have been married 17 years, and we have 2 kids who are now starting to get into sports, and I love it. Cheering them and their teammates on fills my bucket up to overflowing. As a family, we love hiking, kayaking, camping and having campfires in our backyard as often as possible. We will grill out as many days as we possibly can when the weather is nice, and love hanging out in the backyard as long as the mosquitoes don’t overtake us!
I’ve loved working with seniors for many years prior to joining this incredible team of people, and I am thrilled that I get to continue doing so now in my new role. The clients we serve are amazing and deserve the best service there is to offer, and that is exactly what they get when they come in to see us. And that makes my heart very happy!
Al Rice
Future Retiree
I’m originally from Tipton, Iowa -- small town. I got tired of people telling me that I couldn’t have a campfire where I wanted to have a campfire, so I bought a piece of property on the White River down here. The land was grown over, but I cleared it and was finally able to have my own campfire.
My favorite hobby when I’m not working at the office is to do as much fishing as possible. I’ve got grandchildren and great grandchildren that I spend time with when they are free, and a few of them also enjoy fishing! I also spend time with my wife doing anything we enjoy together -- we’re always doing something: working on a shoreline, fixing up the house: my honey- do list doesn't seem to end!
I think the best part about working with seniors is getting them to come back to us because they're happy with us. If they have an issue then we have to fix it. One of the biggest complaints I hear from people is that they get a policy from an agent somewhere else or over the phone, and then never know who to call to get help. Here, we run our office so when someone has an issue we are there to help them -- and that’s what’s kept us going. If they have an issue, we take care of it.
Lana Rice
“I’m the Mom.”
I spent my growing up years in Illinois. After that, I lived in Las Vegas for twenty-six years. Long before all the dating apps of today existed, Al and I were pioneers of the internet and met online. I figured I'd give that route a try and Al was my top match, believe it or not. A city girl from Las Vegas meets a country boy from Flippin, Arkansas. And we've been laughing our way through the last 20 years ever since then.
In my spare time, I enjoy playing guitar and the piano. Many of my siblings are also musical, so I've always been interested in music. I also love to be outdoors. I’m not much of a fisherman, but I like to be on the boat and in the water. My most favorite thing to do outdoors is sit in front of a campfire.
By far, the best part of working with seniors is helping them. So many of them have no idea what they should be doing. They come in here, they don’t know what plan they should have, they don’t know what they should do -- so by far, my favorite part of the job is helping them. I can’t tell you how many of our clients will tell us they are so grateful that they have some place to go, and some place where they know they will get a straight answer. That is very rewarding for us.
Hank Garman
Chief Morale Officer
Hank was born in the Sunshine State of Florida in 2017. Although some may say his handsome face could get him all he wants from this world, he offers much more than a pleasantly plump figure and irresistibly entertaining under bite.
A handful of Senior Health Insurance clients have been fortunate enough to witness Hank’s lovable demeanor. He’s as easy going as they come, and with just a few scratches to his ears or his honey buns, he’ll make you a friend for life. Hank enjoys long naps, ice cubes and a good milk bone to chew on.
Hank’s favorite part of being around seniors is their willingness to be kind to him and enjoy being in the present moment (mostly if you’re petting him or giving him a treat).
Dolly Garman
Director of Events
Some say that everything is bigger in Texas, and that holds true for the personality of our youngest Senior Health Insurance mascot, Dolly Garman, who hails from the Lone Star State.
Born in 2019, this short and stocky sweetheart is full of energy and wrinkles. Dolly loves when her social calendar is full of pups to play with, humans to chase, and lazy days spent outside. Contrary to most other English bulldogs, she loves water and would allow herself to be bathed every day if her parents were patient enough to do so.
Dolly’s favorite part of being around seniors is how they always seem to smile when they see her. She enjoys making others happy, and becomes obviously pleased when she is able to do that.
What People Are Saying
“Senior Health Insurance is great to work with and have an amazing team! They have always went above and beyond helping our family with our insurance needs. Could not be happier with their service. Highly recommend them!”
“They are knowledgeable, dependable, helpful and friendly. We’ve been with them for over 10 years.”
“Alison is an amazing person; very professional and knowledgeable. She has such a heart for helping others and it shows in everything she does.”
“Met with Jason Garman and was very impressed. He was knowledgeable in all things I needed to know, and made a thorough presentation which made it super easy for me to decide on what coverage I needed.”
Awards
Voted on by members of the community, Senior Health Insurance is the current winner of Best Insurance Agency for The Best of the Twin Lakes 2019.
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