30 years of service
Senior Financial Group celebrates business legacy
The firm celebrated its anniversary with a Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting at its office, 10201 Parkside Drive, Suite 101, Wednesday, Aug. 10.
“It’s especially heartening when we get to do milestone ribbon cuttings to celebrate businesses that have continued to exist and invest in our local communities, such as Senior Financial Group that has been here for 30 years,” FWKCC president/CEO Julie Blaylock said.
“Anything that lasts 30 years, you’ve got to make some good decisions and work hard,” said Jerold Johnson, SFG president who founded the company in 1983 and incorporated in 1992. “I think one of the things that helped us is the industry that we’re in is such a growth industry.
“There’s almost 11,000 people a day turning 65 and applying for Medicare,” he added. “And, that’s going to continue on for another 10 or 11 years before it slows down, so I can’t really take the credit” for the firm’s longevity.
“What I have done is I have hired some really, really quality people who have helped me build it.”
Founding the business was always a good fit for Johnson, recalling he always got along with children and senior citizens.
“I heard a quote that really fits: that ‘I never worked a day in my life;’ (the business) was always fun to me,” he added. “That’s the way I look at the business today. It’s been a lot of fun for me, and we’ve helped a lot of people. They’re going to go to bed and sleep very soundly.”
For Greg Boling, SFG business development manager, the firm’s success stems from “just doing the right thing for the customer.
“If we work with them and what they have fits what they need, we say ‘keep what you have.’ We’re not trying to change them just for the sake of making a change. It’s truly what fits their needs,” Boling said.
“That’s the beautiful thing about our business,” Johnson added. “We run into so many people who need help, want help, and you can make a difference in their lives today, and that’s something I’ve always appreciated.”
“The motto is ‘We do Medicare differently,’ so that’s what makes it work,” Boling said. “It’s the consultant approach, where we really identify with the customers and look at their whole needs package of what’s going to fit their particular situation.
”It’s not a one-size-fits-all program,” he added. “It’s a majority of their Medicare needs, finding them the right coverage and the right price.”
As a full-service group, “We provide Medicare education, consulting, and we also can provide the coverage to the carriers,” Boling added. “We’re a national field marketing organization.”
With multiple Medicare plans and carriers, “we can identify which ones are going to be best in a particular location for customers’ needs,” he said.
In addition to Medicare, Boling said the firm has some insularly products, such as prescription drug plans; dental, vision and hearing insurance; hospital indemnity; cancer insurance; and individual health/marketplace insurance.
SFG has about 50 on staff to serve. “I have a fantastic team that works with people; always what I’ve done from the beginning,” Johnson said.
“The staff here is really exceptional,” Boling said. “They care about the customers first and foremost.”
While a person becomes eligible for Medicare at age 65, “it’s always good to start talking about it early,” he advised. “Even a good year ahead of time doesn’t hurt.”
Prior to moving to its current site in January 2020, SFG was at Station West Drive off North Campbell Station Road in Farragut. “We just moved here for more space,” Boling said.
SFG’s office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday — but appointments scheduled according to customer convenience.
For more information, call 865-777-0153, visit online at sfgmedicare.com or call toll-free at 800-677-0153.
