The Story
Most companies have a beginning - why they went into a certain business, who started it and how it developed overtime. PRJ has its own story as well.
PRJ are the initials for Paul R. Jeffers. Mr. Jeffers had a wonderful career and reputation that focused predominantly on life and disability insurance. Paul began his life insurance career in 1956 in Texas. After moving his family to California in 1969, he focused on life and disability sales with American General, Standard of Oregon and Paul Revere life insurance companies. Paul also specialized in estate planning.
Paul became a popular motivational speaker beginning in the late 1970s. One morning he woke up completely deaf, however, that didn’t keep him from continuing to do his work to make sure his clients had the appropriate insurance coverages and estate plan to meet their family needs. He could read lips as well as most people could hear. He was a truly remarkable man.
In 1983 Paul’s daughter Cathy married Ken Stamey. After a couple job opportunities following college Ken eventually started his career in the insurance business alongside Paul. After a few years selling individual life and disability insurance Ken came to the conclusion that he wanted to expand to offering group plans to employers. Ken started PRJ Insurance Marketing, Inc in March of 1985 in Vacaville, CA in a small office on the corner of Monte Vista and South Orchard Avenue. By the 1990s he had grown his business and had four employees. As the employee benefits and retirement plan continued to grow, the servicing of that business required more staff and just prior to Matt purchasing the business there were eight employees.
In 2013 Ken hired Matt Hefner after a few meetings over a few years at which point he decided it was the right time to bring Matt on with the intentions of him being the successor in the future.
Matt has his own lineage story as his grandfather William (Bill) R. Stroud spent his career in the insurance industry on the east coast in North Carolina. Mr. Stroud had a successful career as an agent, but spent the majority of his career as a sales manager and agency manager. He was a great motivator that was often called on to speak at large gatherings. Matt grew up listening and learning from the wisdom of his grandfather and grandmother on his annual visits back east. Upon finishing his degree in Economics Matt decided to begin a career in the insurance field in 2008. After 5 years of pounding the pavement as an independent agent, Matt accepted Ken’s offer to join his office.
Our Team
Ken Stamey - CA License 0679857
Matt Hefner, CLU - CA License 0G02454
Advisor/Registered Representative
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Matt began his career in the industry in 2008 with MassMutual Life shortly after graduating from UC Davis with a Bachelors in Economics. In 2010 he completed his securities licensing and began to assist people with their investment needs as well. After pounding the pavement on his own for the first five years, he joined PRJ. In 2015 he completed his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) certification which was a goal he sought in part because his grandfather was also a CLU. On January 1st, 2020 Matt completed the purchase of PRJ which was the culmination of a six year plan.
Matt enjoys competition. He grew up playing soccer competitively and began rugby thereafter and remains involved with the local club. He also enjoys a good cribbage or backgammon match as well.
Gabi Wackerli - CA License 0704356
Group Benefits Manager
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Gabi's insurance career bagan in June 1978 as a life insurance proposal clerk. Since that time she has worked in all branches of the industry. In the early years as a Sales Rep for Paul Revere Insurance (now UNUM), working with brokers. During that time Gabi was an extremely involved Board member of the Sacramento Association of Life Underwriters as well as a moderator for LUTC (Life Underwriter Training Council). In 1993 she ventured into group health by working with a local Sacramento agent. After a short period of time with a General Agent, she landed a position with Guardian as a Benefit Advisor. And finally in 2002, she came to work for PRJ.
Gabi lives in Sacramento and enjoys spirited games of dominos with her many friends and is the Treasurer of the Sacramento Swiss Club.
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Jennifer Crone - CA License 0M31327
Advisor Assistant
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Jennifer Joined PRJ in 2017. She has been in customer service for 20 years and 12 years in management roles. Jennifer is a Northern California native. She has been married for 28 years and has 3 adult children.
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Alexia Hathcock - CA License 4140660
Group Benefits Specialist
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Alexia graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelors in Human Resource Management and has been in customer focused management roles for 10 years. Beginning 2020, she joined the PRJ team.
During her free time, she enjoys working out, hanging out with her pups, and attending local functions.
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Morgan Crone
Group Benefits Specialist
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Morgan joined PRJ at the beginning of 2022, with over 13 years of customer service under her belt. She began her career at her family's restaurant at 12 years old and has been working diligently in customer service roles ever since. She also has a background in management and received her EMT certification in 2014.
Morgan spends her free time indulging in the arts, working out, travelling and spending time with friends and family.
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Chelsea Rosenkild
Group Benefits Specialist
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Sonja Ross
Group Benefits Specialist
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