As the country prepares for the most patriotic weekend of the year, one military veteran of the Sierra Foothills is heading up a new venture to continue his service to his country and assist those in need at home and abroad.
United States Marine Corps veteran Brandon Murphy is leading an ownership group opening Brightway, The Pacific Patriot Agency insurance office Tuesday. The 24-year-old Bear River High School alum, along with fellow California natives Ben Foster, 43, and Tyler Hunter, 31, decided to take their entrepreneurial spirits and bring them together for a common goal: To help others in any way they need. The plan is to use a portion of the earnings from their new business to launch The Pacific Patriot Foundation; a non-profit benefitting everything from our veterans in need to mission work beyond our borders.
“We have more than 25 years of military experience in this group and solid business administration background. We knew the right thing would be to make sure our business could do its part to benefit our men and women who served,” Murphy said. “Through relationships my wife, Abby, already has in place with various churches and charities in Greater Sacramento, we will make sure the foundation does all it can to help with veteran outreach.”
Also, very active in their churches when it comes to local mission work, ownership plans for The Pacific Patriot Agency Foundation to also benefit Hope Rising Haiti and Mission of Grace. The two non-profits help maintain and grow Haitian orphanages, as well as provide food, water and shelter for those in need in the poverty-stricken nation. “My wife has established relationships with these groups as she’s made several trips to Haiti over the past six years,” Murphy added. “We’ve all agreed that our business is about serving and protecting others. Let’s do that for our customers, as well as anyone in need.”
Murphy is no stranger to working in a multipurpose capacity. During his years of service, the Marines trained Murphy to work with bombing ordinances loaded onto V-22 Ospreys. The aircraft is operated by two different pilots and has vertical takeoff and landing ability like a helicopter. However, it is able to fly at higher speeds and for longer distances like an airplane.
Foster served for more than 20 years in the Air National Guard, including a two-and-a-half-year mobilization that had him stationed at Balad Air Base in Iraq, 40 miles north of Baghdad. The United States Air Force awarded Foster an Air Force Commendation Medal for service during Operation Noble Eagle and Operation Southern Watch in Iraq. Foster holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from the University of Nebraska.
The common bond in Brightway, The Pacific Patriot Agency is Hunter. Earning a Certificate in Culinary Arts from American River College, Hunter helped Murphy get his first job out of the military working in sales for ADT Security. Hunter and Foster met more than a decade ago as they began to work on projects involving Green Energy technologies.
Brightway, The Pacific Patriot Agency offers customized Home, Flood, Auto, Boat, Condo, Renters, Personal Articles, RV, Motorcycle, Umbrella, and Life insurance policies from numerous insurance companies. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PDT) and Saturday/Sunday by appointment. Visit them online at BrightwayPacificPatriot.com or call 916-313-5005.
Brightway’s corporate office staff provides expertise and support in areas including customer service, technology, accounting, marketing, distribution and business analytics. In addition, Brightway handles carrier relations and appointments, as well as support with personnel hiring, licensing, onboarding, training and retention. The company’s signature after-the-sale service empowers Agency Owners, like Murphy, Hunter and Foster, to focus on new business sales and provide customers the personalized service they deserve.
About Brightway Insurance
Established in 2008, Brightway grew to become one of the largest privately-owned property/casualty insurance distribution companies in the U.S. with over 300 franchises in 30 states and over $900 million in annual premiums. Recently, Brightway’s success led to a private equity investment that has infused the company with financial and human capital, and data and analytics access, to accelerate growth and deliver new and exciting market opportunities.
Brightway produces winning outcomes for franchisees and their customers by offering access to customized coverage solutions from a range of insurers paired with full back office and marketing support. This winning model allows agents and producers to focus on addressing the needs of their customers to become trusted advisors and grow their businesses.