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Insurance Neighborhood LLC was formed in November 2005. The company was incubated within WellPoint, Inc., the nation’s largest managed care company). Initially operating in California as an online individual health insurance agency combining a cutting-edge sales platform with a network of qualified, vetted insurance professionals, Insurance Neighborhood went into hiatus in early 2007.
Alan Katz is the president, CEO and Chair of Insurance Neighborhood. During his 27 years in the industry, Alan has established a reputation for sales innovation. As a senior vice president at WellPoint he was instrumental in the creation of online health insurance agencies, leading the development and introduction of a variety of groundbreaking eDistribution technologies. His successful introduction of sales technologies and creative approach to managing channel conflict was instrumental in WellPoint being recognized for having one of “America’s Top 25 Sales Forces” by Sales and Marketing magazine.
Alan is also principal of the Alan Katz Group, which specializes in providing sales development and business strategy support to enterprises both large and small. He is the author of the Alan Katz Health Care Reform Blog and the book Trailblazed: Proven Paths to Sales Success.
Alan is well known in the broker community. He is a past president of both the National and California Associations of Health Underwriters (the largest professional association for health insurance brokers and related individuals). He received NAHU’s highest honor, the Gordon Memorial Award, in 2003. He speaks frequently to brokers on sales and health care reform.
Alan has a broad background beyond the insurance industry. He was an investigating attorney with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, was Chief of Staff to California Lieutenant Governor Leo McCarthy, and served on the Santa Monica City Council.
Michael Ashamalla is Insurance Neighborhood’s Chief Technology Officer. Mike began developing insurance sales technologies over 15 years ago as an outgrowth of his successful experience as an insurance broker. Consequently, he brings a highly acute agency-centric perspective to Insurance Neighborhood’s technology.
Mike has also built an accomplished technology consulting firm and launched a family business based in Agoura Hills, California. A licensed insurance broker since 1990, Mike built a successful practice as a benefits specialist with Cass & Johansing, a large insurance broker in Southern California. Mike holds a BS in Computer Science from Cal Poly Pomona and a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist designation from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.