Michael Sorensen is the Chief Executive Officer of Universal Insurance Services, headquartered in Deerfield Beach, FL. Joining the firm in 2003 as the National Brokerage Director, he specialized in the recruitment of independent brokers. He was instrumental in a sales capacity that consistently improved agent business and confidence by delivering the best of the insurance industry and in 2007 he was promoted to President. As a highly respected leader, with a clear and focused direction, he has produced significant results throughout his 23 year career and most notably at UIS. Mr. Sorensen has developed several key underwriting practices that have resulted in placing Universal Insurance Service's conversion ratios of informal to formal business among the highest in the industry. He has implemented countless improvements that have increased company profitability while also establishing Universal Insurance Services' position as the fastest growing and one of the most profitable BGA's within NFP.

Mr. Sorensen began his career in 1989 as a career agent with Jefferson Pilot, where he became a leading producer and one of the top 25 producers within Jefferson Pilot. Within two years he was named Sales Manager and was responsible for the recruitment and training of inexperienced career agents as well as the recruitment of independent brokers. As his career thrived he held positions with Berkshire Life as the "sole" General Agent and later joined John Hancock in 2000, as the Regional Vice President of the Southeast, where he managed relationships for a number of national and regional accounts including NFP, Partner's Financial, Highland Capital and Capitas.

As a well-respected and influential member within the insurance industry, Mr. Sorensen currently sits on several field advisory councils, including ING, Principal and MetLife.  

Mitchell K. Smith is the president and principal of Universal Insurance Services as well as the managing partner and founder of Universal Partners, with corporate offices located in Deerfield Beach, FL. He has become recognized as an expert in a variety of areas in the financial services industry. As a nationally recognized professional speaker and consultant he has spoken on a multitude of subjects ranging from Advanced Insurance Planning, Investment Planning, Economics, Wealth Preservation, Business Planning and the psychology of the investor. He has been a regular on NBC's SmartMoney Today, as well as a featured speaker on other major financial broadcasts focusing on areas ranging from Insurance and Estate Planning to Business Planning and Investment Advisory Services. In addition, Mr. Smith has been a frequent contributor to many national financial magazines such as Business Week, Investment News and Benefits Selling.

For the past 16 years, Mr. Smith has aided advisors, consumers and corporations in growing their businesses and personal plans either through the Practice Management and Coaching divisions he has created or through consulting for their particular situations. A money manager with unique consistent performance, he has also aided advisors and consumers in better understanding the economy and the complications of managing money in any environment through his own proprietary techniques. In addition, Mr. Smith has consulted with Arthur Anderson, McKinsey and major insurance corporations on everything from advanced case design to marketing and ethical initiatives for the advisory industry. Mr. Smith has helped create programs such as PrivateAdvisor Suite, one of the most compelling products in the corporate market, a series of cutting edge presentation platforms and a one of a kind case design concept. Their corporate client list over this time has included companies and associations with names like the PGA, Republic Services, Sun Microsystems, Spherion and others.

Sought after as the advisors advisor, Mitchell Smith is the financial industries "Renaissance Man"

Paul J. Price is the Chief Operating Officer as well as the Director of Premium Finance of Universal Insurance Services. Joining the firm in early 2009, he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Operations at UIS on a day to day basis. In addition, his extensive background in accounting and finance has also allowed him to develop premium financing solutions for high net worth individuals as well as other complex advanced life insurance planning strategies.

Prior to joining Universal Insurance Services, Mr. Price held various positions as Controller, Director of Accounting and Finance and Chief Financial Officer over the past 24 years. He began his career in South Florida with H. Wayne Huizenga. Mr. Price played an instrumental role with the expansion of the Florida Marlins as well as the acquisition of the Miami Dolphins. He was also responsible for the management of Mr. Huizenga's own personal financials and estate planning. Throughout his career, Mr. Price has worked for many high net worth individuals with the understanding of reducing tax liability while maximizing wealth.

Since his tenure with Mr. Huizenga, Mr. Price has worked for John Offerdahl, middle linebacker for the Miami Dolphins, Mark & Robin Levinson, owners of Levinson Jewelers, and Thomas Cundy, owner of CUNDY, Inc. a group and individual benefits consulting firm.

It was during his tenure at Cundy that Mr. Price was introduced to Michael Sorensen and Universal Insurance Services. Mr. Price and UIS worked in tandem on several projects including a consortium approach of coverage for Major League Baseball, which also included a potential captive arrangement.

Mr. Price holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from Florida Atlantic University.

Joseph Stark serves as the Senior Vice President of Insurance Operations for Universal Insurance Services. Joining the firm in 2005, he oversees the firm's Sub-BGA development. His serves as the liaison to Universal's BGA partners and is responsible for managing key relationships with producers and agencies to help increase their production.

Prior to joining Universal, Mr. Stark owned and operated M&S Marketing Group, marketing Life Insurance, Annuities, LTC and Medicare Supplements. From 1991 to 2005, under Mr. Stark's tenure, M&S became a top producing brokerage firm for many carriers. With a foundation in insurance sales and brokerage management, and more than 25 years industry experience, Mr. Stark brings a unique perspective to Universal's BGA partner relationships.

John Balis serves as a Vice President of Brokerage Development for Universal Insurance Services. Mr. Balis has extensive recruiting and relationship management experience, which allows him to specialize in attracting high-end life insurance professionals to serve their clients through Universal Insurance Services.  

Prior to joining Universal, Mr. Balis was with PartnersFinancial, one of NFP's premier national membership organizations, where he served as part of the recruiting team that brought new firms into the PartnersFinancial membership.   Mr. Balis entered the life insurance industry in 1964 in personal production and joined PartnersFinancial as a Principal in 1989.  In 2000, he left personal production to head up the PartnersFinancial recruiting effort.  

John DeMinico, CLU, serves as a Vice President of Sales for Universal Insurance Services; he is responsible for building, maintaining and strengthening relationships with our distribution partners.  He supports and develops key relationships with producers and agencies, ensuring they have the tools and resources available to them in order to maximize their production.    

 Mr. DeMinico joined Universal with significant experience in the life insurance and financial services industry on both the carrier and brokerage sides.  Prior to joining the firm, he most recently served as the Regional Vice President for Midland National Life where he was responsible for creating and developing successful growth strategies in the firm’s Northeast region.  Prior to that, he served in the same capacity at AIG American General, managing the Northeast regional sales activities for their independent producer channel.  

With almost 20 years of experience, Mr. DeMinico brings with him advanced technical skills in life insurance planning, annuities, long-term care, financial planning, asset allocation, investment planning and disability planning.  He is Life, Health, Accident and P & C licensed and holds Series 6, 7, and 63 licenses.  In addition to holding the Chartered Life Underwriter designation from the American College, Mr. DeMinico is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance.

Pete Dressler serves as the Internal Brokerage Director for Universal Insurance Services. Joining the firm in 2005, his responsibilities include running the sales desk, providing product marketing support, case design and illustrations for Universal's agents across the country. In addition, Mr. Dressler also works in advanced case design, specifically with premium finance.

Prior to joining Universal, Mr. Dressler was most recently with NFP Partners Financial in Austin, TX, serving as an Internal Wholesaler providing support services to firms on the East Coast. His responsibilities included reaching out to agents and supporting them with product and case design. In addition, he also provided support to the firm's external wholesaling sales force.

Vivien Preece, ACS, AIAA, serves as the Director of New Business and Case Management for Universal Insurance Services. She is responsible for overseeing all case managers, the Agency Works system and the entire formal process of the business. Ms. Preece joined the firm in 2006 as a senior case manager, working exclusively with the informal underwriting process.

Prior to joining Universal, Ms. Preece was with Genworth Financial as a member of their special phone team, handling everything from new business to underwriting to policy issue, policy owner service, and claims. With over 19 years in industry experience she has an in depth knowledge of all facets of case management.

Amanda Pogrell serves as the Director of Concierge and Advanced Case Management for Universal Insurance Services. Joining the firm in 2005, she is responsible for advanced case management as well as managing all large case processing, including premium financing. She works with high level cases and provides advisors with a top-tier level of service. Ms. Pogrell has cultivated successful relationships with the firm's carriers and underwriters, ensuring the best possible outcome for these cases.

Having worked in all areas of the business, Ms. Pogrell has extensive experience in the life insurance industry holding prior positions in licensing, commissions, case management, premium financing, and illustrations. She is a licensed life, health and variable annuity agent and holds a bachelor's degree in Business Management from Florida Atlantic University.

JoAnne Aimola serves as the Chief Underwriter of Universal Insurance Services. Joining the firm in 2010, she is responsible for overseeing Universal's internal underwriting team, which is comprised of experts in all facets of the underwriting process.

Prior to joining Universal, Ms. Aimola, directed the underwriting department for a leading carrier for over 20 years, bringing true expertise in handling complex medical and financial risks, especially in the affluent, high-net worth market. She led a successful and highly regarded dedicated relationship team working exclusively with NFP Life Brokerage and Highland Capital Brokerage, that won the Sun Life Financial customer service impact award in 2008. Ms. Aimola has experience underwriting foreign risks at SLF’s offshore company in Bermuda and was one of three underwriters chosen to underwrite the successful Sun Executive small Coli product. Working closely with Sun Life’s sales and distribution team, she developed and strengthened important relationships with her customers. She has proven technical expertise in handling complex medical and financial risks and effective negotiating skills when making tough decisions.

Under her direction, Universal’s underwriting department has firsthand knowledge of all aspects of the life insurance underwriting process and possess a depth of knowledge in medical and mortality modeling unsurpassed by our competitors. Her team maintains close working relationships with medical directors and senior underwriters at the carriers and her extensive experience has included training many of the underwriters running carriers today.

A graduate of Northeastern University, Boston, MA, Ms. Aimola holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education with Honors.

Gerri Bishop serves as the Director of Underwriting for Universal Insurance Services.  Joining the firm in 2006, Ms. Bishop is responsible for the underwriting of informal cases and formal cases issued other than as applied.  She also provides pre-sale and point-of-sale underwriting advice for field agents.

Ms. Bishop began her career in the insurance industry at Harvest and Federal Home Life Insurance Companies in 1993 in the agents accounting department.  She then held several positions over the next 6 years including Customer Service Specialist which required her to have a working knowledge of the entire insurance company.  She received extensive training in underwriting, claims, compliance, agents accounting, premium accounting and new business.  She was also required to become a licensed insurance agent.   

Ms. Bishop earned her FLMI (Fellow, Life Management Institute) with distinction in 1998 and her CLU designation in 2009.  She has also earned her Associate, Customer Service and Associate, Insurance Agency Administration with honors from LOMA and the AALU (Associate, Academy of Life Underwriting Designation).