Premium Finance Brokerage

Meet the Team

Since 2005, PFB has been exclusively comprised of premium finance professionals who work for our clients. Meet the people who serve and support your agency.

Here To Serve & Support

The People Behind Your Premium Finance Program

Our team works directly with agencies, brokers and MGAs to place, manage and service their premium finance business. Please reach out to any member of our staff below with questions about your account or a new placement.

Stewart Sheppard

Founder and President

Stewart Sheppard

Stewart Sheppard is the Founder and President of Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC. He leads overall company strategy and direction, sales management and development and also manages a large book of premium finance business.

Stewart started his career in 1987 with The Travelers Insurance Company as a commercial lines underwriter. After spending 10 years in production underwriting and marketing he left to begin a journey in the premium finance industry with Transamerica Insurance Finance Corporation (TIFCO). In 1999, he moved on from TIFCO to help create and manage a premium finance company owned by The Independent Insurance Agents Association of Pennsylvania. In six years, the company grew to become the largest association owned premium finance venture in the country financing over 100 million dollars annually. In July of 2005 he started Premium Finance Brokerage. From its humble beginnings PFB has grown to become one of the nation’s largest privately held aggregators of property & casualty premium financing.

Stewart graduated cum laude from the University of Baltimore in 1987. He participated in club volleyball and is a former collegiate official. He spent several years coaching youth soccer and lacrosse. He was also a high school lacrosse coach and official. He resides in Monkton, MD with his wife Lori and has two grown sons.

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Scott DiCarlo

Chief Operating Officer

Scott DiCarlo

Scott DiCarlo is Chief Operating Officer at Premium Finance Brokerage LLC. He is responsible for overall company operations, credit and underwriting, sales support, marketing and social media, vendor relations as well as managing a book of premium finance business.

Scott has over 27 years of experience in the premium finance industry, most of which was with Imperial PFS, the largest privately held premium finance company in the country. He held roles with increasing responsibility including Branch Manager, Regional Operations Manager and most recently had created a new department and role within the company as Director of 3rd Party Financing and Reporting.

Scott is on the Board of Directors of Premco Financial Corp. He resides in North Tonawanda New York, between Buffalo and Niagara Falls, and graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo with a degree in Economics.

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Nick Buich

Executive Vice President of Sales

Nick Buich

Nick Buich is Executive Vice President of Sales with Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

After several years in software sales, Nick started his insurance career in 2016 when he founded an independent retail insurance agency. His primary business model was to partner with captive insurance agents to help them write the business their parent company would not. Due to the nature of the business model, Nick often found himself writing surplus lines policies and thus gained a lot of experience working with premium financing as an agent.

In 2019, Nick decided to make the move to premium financing by selling his agency and founding his own premium financing company. Over the next 5 years Nick learned and grew his book of business, initially with his own company, and eventually moving his book into a larger finance company to increase his resources. When that finance company was purchased by a larger finance company, Nick decided it was best for his partner agents and himself to join PFB as a broker, giving his partner agents an opportunity to choose a company that best fit their agency and still keep the relationship they had built together.

Nick has a Master’s Degree in Education and completed his undergraduate education at the University of California, Davis, where he was a member of the football team as well as working on campus during his tenure. Nick currently resides in Walnut Creek, CA with his wife and daughter. He enjoys spending quality time with his family, travelling, and golfing whenever possible.

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Ted Elliott

Senior Executive Advisor

Ted Elliott

Ted Elliott is a Senior Executive Advisor with Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC. He manages his own book of premium finance business and assists in sales executive training and development.

Ted brings 56 years of experience in both the insurance and premium finance sides of our industry. Beginning his career as an accountant in 1967 with Calvert/Cavalier Ins. Cos. in Baltimore, MD., he then moved to Omaha, NE in 1977 to launch a new entry into the physicians medical malpractice arena. As President and CEO of Medical Liability Mutual Ins. Co. of Nebraska he successfully got the doctors company licensed and fully operational within six months. Then in 1979 he returned to the east coast to take a position as Regional Manager with The Insurance Finance Company (Tifco) owned by Alexander & Alexander. Over the ensuing 35 years he worked for Cananwill, AICCO, Imperial AICredit, PFS, and Imperial PFS in various management and sales capacities. Ted retired at the end of 2014 but then joined his longtime friend, Stewart Sheppard, at Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC in March 2015. He currently continues to find satisfaction and enjoyment servicing his agency clients and friends.

Ted and his wife of 47 years, Carol, live in York, PA. Their son, Kyle, is a meteorologist and Director of The Weather Information Center at Millersville University in Millersville, Pa. Ted played semi-pro football in Maryland in his younger years and also enjoys gardening, trout and bass fishing.

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Tina Larsen

Sales Support & Service Lead

Tina Larsen

Tina Larsen is Sales Support & Service Lead at Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

Tina started her premium finance career in 1997 with Premium Payment Plan (PPP) in Hudson, NY. First hired to enter cash payments, she gained many responsibilities over the seven years that she was there including underwriting new finance agreements, supervisor to the cash department, customer service, account executive and obtaining the licenses that allowed PPP to do business in many states across the country. Tina and Stewart Sheppard’s relationship developed when Tina was assigned as the account executive for his book of business.

In 2004, Tina left PPP to work with Stewart at The Independent Insurance Agents Association of Pennsylvania as his assistant. When he opened Premium Finance Brokerage in 2005, she naturally followed.

Tina resides in Moline, IL with her husband Leif and has 2 children, Sydney & Aiden.

Tina enjoys early morning workouts at 9round Kickboxing Fitness and taking long bike rides along the Mississippi.

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Rebekah Chung

Sales Support & Service Associate

Rebekah Chung

Rebekah Chung is Sales Support & Service Associate at Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

Rebekah joins PFB with three years of experience in premium financing, having served as a Quote Team Associate. In this role, she supported the Sales team and provided outstanding service in quoting & managing client relationships She began her career in 2022 after dedicating time to raising two children and reentering the full-time workforce with a strong commitment to excellence.

Rebekah graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics.  She grew up in Maryland moved across the country to San Jose, CA; Pasadena, CA; Frisco, TX now back to Maryland. She now resides in Clarksburg, MD with her husband Jason and two grown daughters.

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Tiffany Covemaker

Tiffany Covemaker

Sales Support & Service Associate

Tiffany Covemaker

Tiffany Covemaker is Sales Support & Service Associate at Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

Tiffany started with Premium Finance Brokerage as a part-time employee in 2021, creating finance quotes as a support team member. After transitioning to full-time, she began administering the Concierge Service Plus program (CSP) while also providing quotes and general sales and service support.

Tiffany graduated Magna Cum Laude from Blackhawk College with an Associate’s Degree in Business Management. After working as a Nursey Specialist at Lowes Home Improvement for 25 years, she opted for a new career at Premium Finance Brokerage. She is an alumnus of the Illinois Master Gardeners and enjoys gardening and the outdoors. She resides in Moline, IL with her husband John and their 2 small dogs.

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John Ault

Sales Executive

John Ault

John Ault is a Sales Executive with Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

He graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1984 and worked full-time throughout college as a law clerk for a Birmingham law firm. John subsequently entered the property and casualty insurance industry as a personal and commercial lines claims adjuster. After several years, he moved to insurance sales as a direct writer for a large national commercial insurance carrier before transitioning to the retail side of the industry as a commercial sales executive where he worked for multiple large insurance agencies. John joined Premium Finance Brokerage in 2006.

John and his wife Judy have one son and they reside in Birmingham, AL. He is an avid golfer, loves books, and is a lifelong fan of both the Green Bay Packers and Alabama Crimson Tide.

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Shlomo Licht

Shlomo Licht

Sales Executive

Stewart Sheppard

Stewart Sheppard is the Founder and President of Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC. He leads overall company strategy and direction, sales management and development and also manages a large book of premium finance business.

Stewart started his career in 1987 with The Travelers Insurance Company as a commercial lines underwriter. After spending 10 years in production underwriting and marketing he left to begin a journey in the premium finance industry with Transamerica Insurance Finance Corporation (TIFCO). In 1999, he moved on from TIFCO to help create and manage a premium finance company owned by The Independent Insurance Agents Association of Pennsylvania. In six years, the company grew to become the largest association owned premium finance venture in the country financing over 100 million dollars annually. In July of 2005 he started Premium Finance Brokerage. From its humble beginnings PFB has grown to become one of the nation’s largest privately held aggregators of property & casualty premium financing.

Stewart graduated cum laude from the University of Baltimore in 1987. He participated in club volleyball and is a former collegiate official. He spent several years coaching youth soccer and lacrosse. He was also a high school lacrosse coach and official. He resides in Monkton, MD with his wife Lori and has two grown sons.

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Ted Mast, AAI

Sales Executive

Ted Mast

Ted Mast is a Sales Executive with Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

Ted graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in December 1977. His first job was with Allstate in their regional office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1978 spending the next six years in operations and data processing. In 1984, he moved to Indianapolis, Indiana as administration manager and then field marketing manager.

Ted began working for the Independent Insurance of Indiana association in 1999 as Vice President of Marketing and Sales and started their premium finance program. In 2013 he was made an offer he could not refuse to continue his premium finance career with Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

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Chris McClure

Chris McClure

Sales Executive

Chris McClure

Chris McClure is a Sales Executive with Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

Chris started in insurance sales in 1987. He was in sales and agency management until 2006 when he began his career in premium finance sales. Chris introduced and developed premium finance sales in Puerto Rico for two different finance companies from the states. 

Chris has been married to Deniz since 1998 and has 4 children. He spends his free time boating and coaching a high school wrestling team.

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Sheila Minniti

Sales Executive

Sheila Minniti

Sheila Minniti is a Sales Executive with Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

Sheila started her career in 1980 with CUPAC, a premium finance company owned by Commercial Union Insurance. From there she worked with Imperial, Oxford, UPAC, Broadway and finally, Premium Finance Brokerage for the last ten years. She has experience working internally and in sales for over 40 years, spanning the Midwest and West Coast territories.

Sheila obtained her Bachelors Degree in Business and Psychology in 1989. She accomplished this by attending night school and always working full-time all while raising three children.

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Brien Volpe, CPCU

Sales Executive

Brien Volpe

Brien Volpe is a Sales Executive with Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

Brien's career in the insurance industry began in 1987 as a commercial lines underwriter with Kemper Insurance Company. With 16 years of experience in production underwriting and marketing across various carriers and general agents, he transitioned to the premium finance sector with UPAC in 2003. His journey continued as he joined Premium Finance Brokerage in August 2011.

An alumnus of St. Anselm's College, class of 1982, Brien earned his CPCU designation in 1992. Beyond his professional endeavors, he has dedicated time to coaching youth basketball and participating in the Knights of Columbus. Brien resides in Attleboro, MA with his wife Joanne and has two grown children.

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Jim Wright, CPCU

Sales Executive

Jim Wright

Jim Wright is a Sales Executive with Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

He started in the insurance business in 1984 joining a three-generation family agency. He ultimately relocated and sold the business to his brother and started in the premium financing business in 2000 with UPAC. He has marketed the California, Arizona, and Nevada areas over the years with IPFS, Broadway, and IFC Premium Financing. He has assisted his wife, Sheila Minniti, in building the business in Southern California for the past seven years with Premium Finance Brokerage.

Jim holds the CPCU designation and prides himself in bringing a strong insurance background to strengthen his business partnerships. In his spare time, he enjoys tennis and golf, and also likes to volunteer in feeding the homeless community in his town.

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Ledjana Beleshi

Ledjana Beleshi

Sales Executive

Ledjana Beleshi

Ledjana Beleshi is a Sales Executive with Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

Ledjana began her career in premium financing in 2016, shortly after graduating from college. What started as a stepping-stone role quickly evolved into a career she is deeply passionate about today. During her early years in the industry, she worked on the funding and underwriting side of the business, gaining firsthand knowledge of how premium finance operations are structured and managed. This foundation gave her a strong understanding of the full financing lifecycle and the broader insurance landscape.

In 2018, her ability to build and maintain strong relationships led to an opportunity to move into a client-facing role, representing the finance company directly to agency partners. Her operational expertise, combined with deep industry knowledge and a relationship-driven approach, contributed to her continued success and ultimately led her to join Premium Finance Brokerage.

Today, Ledjana works closely with independent insurance agencies to help them secure strategic premium financing solutions that support client savings while strengthening agency growth.

Ledjana holds a master’s degree in Finance and completed her undergraduate studies at Walsh College in Michigan.

Based in Michigan, Ledjana enjoys boating on the Great Lakes, practicing walking meditation, traveling, and exploring new destinations through local culture and shopping.

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Donald Snell

Sales Executive

Donald Snell

Don Snell is a Sales Executive at Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

Don joins PFB with 5 years of experience in premium financing, previously serving as a Sales Executive with a family-owned finance company. After the acquisition of that finance company, Don continued to work for the acquirer for the next year.

Don graduated from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Professional Sales with a Double Major in Marketing.
Don grew up in Toledo, Ohio where he met his wife of 15 years and now resides in Fishers, Indiana with their 2 daughters. He enjoys spending time with his family and travelling when possible.

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James Hayes

James Hayes

Sales Executive

James Hayes

James Hayes is a Sales Executive at Premium Finance Brokerage, LLC.

James has had a distinguished career in finance spanning multiple decades, currently serving as a Sales Executive. James is committed to expanding PFB’s reach by fostering strategic relationships within the insurance sector. He is adept at identifying opportunities and collaborating effectively to meet client needs, enabling long-term growth for all stakeholders. James is dedicated to positioning Premium Finance Brokerage as a trusted partner in premium financing solutions.

Prior to PFB, James had a long and successful career helping people in the mortgage industry.

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