You Don’t Have To Be An Educator To Be Insured By Florida Educators Insurance

Gary Cucchi (fifth from the left in front row) and his professional crew at Florida Educators Insurance in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel can handle your insurance and financial services needs, even if you’re not an educator yourself.

The word “educators” in Florida Educators Insurance indicates that, primarily, this local insurance agency serves teachers and others who work in schools. Owner Gary Cucchi says it’s also a hallmark of how his agency does business.

“The biggest thing we do is educate our clients,” Gary says, “Not only do we serve educators and their neighbors, family members and friends, but we also educate our clients about their insurance and retirement plans to be sure they have the right strategy and coverages so their family is protected, now and in the future.”

Gary adds that it’s a common misconception that, because the company is called “Florida Educators Insurance,” people think the agency only serves educators.

“But, that’s not the case,” Gary explains. “We help non-educators all the time. They’re often family members, friends, and neighbors of our current clients — but they don’t have to be — and we help them with auto insurance, homeowner’s insurance, life insurance, IRAs, and 401k accounts.”

Gary is a Seven Oaks resident who used to be a teacher himself, before opening Florida Educators Insurance in 2002. His company is an independent agency of Horace Mann, which specializes in insurance products and financial services for educators. Founded in Springfield, IL, in 1945, Horace Mann is named for the founder of American public education and is now a multi-billion-dollar company traded publicly on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HMN).

Florida Educators Insurance moved to its current location in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 (just east of I-75) in 2008. The agency offers auto, home, umbrella, flood and life insurance, along with retirement and investment plans, such as IRAs and 401(k) plans, “529” college savings plans, plus plans just for educators known as 403(b) and 457 plans.

As an independent agency, Florida Educators Insurance writes policies with a wide variety of insurance companies. Gary explains that he works with many of the largest companies across the industries his agency represents. Some examples include insurance and financial services through – of course – Horace Mann, and financial services from American Funds, Fidelity and Raymond James Financial, life insurance through Lincoln Financial and Ameritas, home insurance through Tower Hill and American Integrity, and auto insurance through Safeco, Progressive and Mercury.

Of about 1,000 Horace Mann agencies nationwide, Gary says Florida Educators Insurance is now the largest.

“We don’t try to be the largest,” he explains, “It just happens and we get some plaque (from Horace Mann for it). I don’t care about how big we are; I care about my employees and our clients. If all that’s going well, it doesn’t matter if we’re number one or 100.”

Gary says all 19 agents in his office are fully licensed through the Florida Department of Insurance, and all financial services staff members hold numerous state and federal investment licenses through FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

“We’re a good size, especially staff-wise, but we’re like a mom-’n-pop in that we try to really get to know people and get to know their families so we can advise them properly,” Gary says. “We genuinely care about our clients and are not just trying to sell policies. The teacher in me has this philosophy to help people.”

Serving Schools

Gary says that in 2016, Florida Educators Insurance spent at least $100,000 to provide reading and attendance incentives, school supplies, teacher appreciation gifts, and more to local schools in Pasco, Hillsborough, and Pinellas County.

“Instead of buying billboards, we try to give back to the community,” Gary explains. “We advertise in the Neighborhood News because it’s local, but we don’t do any other ads. We want our dollars to go back to the people we serve.”

Florida Educators Insurance often gives away bicycles, based on incentives chosen by participating schools, including all of the schools in Wesley Chapel.

“For the last five years or more, we have donated several hundred bikes a year to schools in the area to promote attendance and reading,” he says. “It takes us a couple of weeks to deliver all the bikes. We got tired of renting U-hauls to do it, so we decided to get our own bus.”

Now, Florida Educators Insurance delivers those bikes in a customized school bus that has been wrapped with the company’s information and had seats removed on the inside to accommodate bikes, school supplies, or whatever is being delivered.

“Our relationships with the schools are based on what (each) school needs,” Gary explains. “Not every school needs bikes. We help every school in Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties in some way.”

He says this includes providing at least $25,000 worth of teacher appreciation gifts, typically $25 gift certificates to local restaurants, which many schools give away at appreciation breakfasts and lunches.

“This is our way of letting [teachers] know that we care about them, with no strings attached,” Gary says. “They don’t have to be clients, although we do insure 10,000 people in that three-county area.”

Happy Customers

Jerry Jackson is a recently retired educator who has been a Florida Educators Insurance client for 15 years, in part because he thinks so highly of Gary.

“He’s awesome,” Jerry says. “With him, there’s no high pressure. (Gary) just really wants to help people.”

Jerry also explains that he was in the State of Florida deferred retirement program, and Gary made retirement easy for him.

“He guided me through all of the requirements and all of the paperwork,” he says. “He’s an expert. If I need any kind of advice, I’ll call Gary. If he doesn’t know the answer, he knows where to find it. I refer him to everybody I know.”

Gary adds, “We’re not here just to save you a couple of dollars on your auto and home insurance, although we generally do that, and that’s the fun stuff. But, saving money on your home and auto insurance isn’t going to change your life. We also change lives with what we do. When we help someone properly plan for their future — their retirement needs —that can be life-changing.”

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to insurance and investment planning, so Gary asks his clients to be willing to discuss their unique situation with a Florida Educators Insurance agent.

“Most people spend more time planning for their summer vacations every year than they do for their own futures,” says Gary. “We ask you to give us one hour each year to go over your budget and goals so that you can be better prepared for the future.”

He explains that budgeting and goal-setting are part of the agency’s full-service retirement planning, but adds that the agency provides these services for all of their clients, even those who might only have auto insurance through the company.

“We’re here for all phases of your life,” Gary says.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News readers who call for a free quote on home or auto insurance, or who meet with a Florida Educators Insurance agent to discuss planning for retirement or insurance, and mention this story or the ad on page 18 will receive a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate, and, Gary says, there’s absolutely no obligation to purchase anything to receive it.

Florida Educators Insurance is located at 26809 Tanic Dr., Suite 101.  For more information, call 600-3268 or visit FloridaEducatorsInsurance.com. The office is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and on Saturdays by appointment.

Helping My Friends Promote Their Charitable Events Is Always My Pleasure

We keep telling you everything that’s happening in Wesley Chapel in every issue of this publication, but quite honestly, it’s hard even for us to keep up with everything going on in this community.

‘March For Babies’ Kickoff

I attended the Feb. 22 kickoff event (at Pasco Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch) for the 2017 Suncoast March of Dimes “March for Babies,” which will be held Saturday, April 29, 8 a.m., at the Shops at Wiregrass mall. The annual walk is the largest fund raiser for the March of Dimes, which invites you to walk for more babies to be born healthy. Premature birth is the number one killer of babies and the March of Dimes, which was founded in 1938 by former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (afflicted with polio himself) to combat polio, which at that time, was a tremendous worldwide killer and crippler of babies. Since then, the organization has focused its efforts on helping mothers and babies live healthier lives.

The 2017 Event Chair, Jennifer Cofini (photo above), who works for the Parks Auto Group, has two children, Dylan and Madison, both of whom were born prematurely (although they are both healthy today), so the March of Dimes is near and dear to her heart. Jen and her committee hosted more than 100 people at the kickoff event, many of whom work for Publix, a major sponsor of this year’s March.

According to MarchforBabies.org/ EventInfo?EventID=18398, the March already has raised more than $25,000, with Cofini’s goal being $250,000. WTVT-TV Fox 13 news anchor Linda Hurtado hosted the kickoff event, and quite a few parents of premature babies who amazingly survived being born as early as 29 weeks into a 40-week pregnancy brought those children along with them to the event; some even told their amazing, heart-wrenching  stories of courage.

I hope you’ll visit the previously mentioned website to make a donation and show up at the mall for a nice, three-mile walk to benefit this wonderful cause.

WRH Team Wins ‘People’s Choice’ At Dessert Contest

I also was on hand on Feb. 23, for the Pasco Education Foundation (PEF)’s second annual dessert contest (held at Land O’Lakes High), whereby teams from all five high school Culinary Academies in Pasco County competed to be able to provide dessert for more than 200 guests at PEF’s upcoming “Cinderella Ball” (to be held tomorrow night at Heritage Springs Country Club in Trinity), the foundation’s largest annual fund raiser. Although a team from Land O’Lakes High won first place from the four judges, one of the two teams (photo, left) from Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) took home the “People’s Choice” award for its strawberry dessert.

My surprising (to me) favorite of the seven confections everyone in attendance got to sample that night was the “24 Karat” dessert provided by the other WRH team. It had just enough of a hint of cayenne pepper in it to give this chocolate delight a unique kick.

And, don’t forget to check out the latest episode of WCNT-tv on YouTube. We’ve now had nearly 250,000 views and a reach of more than 500,000 through 17 episodes!

Judge Rules Reeves Can Not Use ‘Stand Your Ground’ Defense

Curtis Reeves said he believed he was in a “life-or-death struggle” with Chad Oulson before killing him on Jan. 13, 2014, at the Cobb Grove 16 Cinemas.

Curtis Reeves will face second-degree murder charges for the shooting death of Chad Oulson at the Cobb Grove 16 Cinemas in Wesley Chapel after Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Susan Barthle ruled March 10 that the controversial “stand your ground” defense did not apply in his case.

Reeves, a 74-year-old retired Tampa Police Captain, and Oulson, who was 43 when he died, had an altercation at the cinemas prior to the showing of the movie “Lone Survivor” on Jan. 13, 2014.

Reeves claimed he feared for his life and that Oulson was aggressive towards him after Reeves asked him to stop texting during the movie previews. Reeves claimed Oulson punched or threw a cell phone at him, and that he had no choice but to shoot.

Oulson was shot in the chest and died at the scene. 

Reeves’ attorney, Richard Escobar, invoked the “stand your ground” defense, which says a person does not have to retreat when confronted and can use deadly force if they feel they are in danger of bodily harm or death. If “stand your ground” is permitted by the judge, the accused does not have to stand trial.

But, a two-week-long hearing (Feb. 20-March 3) failed to convince Judge Barthle that it was applicable.

“After careful consideration of all of the evidence provided in this case, this court finds that the defendant did not credibly demonstrate that he reasonably believed it was necessary for him to use deadly force in this situation, therefore, defendant’s motion is DENIED,” Judge Barthle wrote.

Reeves’ defense hinged on his account of being attacked by Oulson and in fear for his life. According to Reeves, Oulson, who was sitting one row in front of him, was coming over the seat to attack him and practically on top of him when he pulled the trigger.

“The defendant testified…that he was grabbing the alleged victim’s chest or body with his left hand while he fired the fatal shot with his right hand, and even stated that he was surprised he did not shoot himself in the hand while doing so: The video evidence and other witness testimony contradicts this assertion also,’’ Judge Barthle’s order stated.

The closest Oulson came to Reeves is when he grabbed Reeves’ bag of popcorn and threw it at him.

“The video then shows the defendant lunge forward with his right arm extended, and fire at the alleged victim, who at that point was so far back from the defendant that he could not even be seen in the video anymore,’’ Judge Barthle concluded. “He certainly was not on top of the defendant, and plainly, the defendant’s left hand was nowhere near the alleged victim’s body.”

Reeves, who is 6 feet, 4 inches tall, was portrayed by the defense as old, frail and fearful for his life, but the judge concluded that he was anything but that fearful victim.

“He is quite a large and robust man,’’ she wrote. “He also appeared quite self-assured when he was testifying, and certainly did not appear to be a man who was afraid of anyone.”

Reeves testified for six hours during the hearing on Feb. 28, claiming that he politely asked Oulson to stop using his cell phone as the previews began.

Oulson swore at him, Reeves said. He said that Oulson’s wife Nicole was talking to him.

“I felt like he would ultimately comply,’’ Reeves testified.

Reeves also said that when Chad Oulson returned to his phone, he told him he was going to the cinema manager to complain. When Reeves returned from talking to the manager, he said he noticed the phone was off, and said he apologized to Oulson for involving cinema management.

That contradicted Nicole Oulson’s testimony of Feb. 23, when she claimed that Reeves was anything but polite in asking her husband to turn off his phone, calling it more of an “order” than a request.

And, she said, when he returned after talking to management, Reeves did not apologize, but rather goaded her husband.

“I see that you put the phone away now that I went to get management,’’ she testified that Reeves said to her husband. “It was not a polite, ‘Oh, thank you for putting it away’…It was to keep nagging at Chad…to keep the argument going.”

According to Reeves, a few seconds later, Chad Oulson stood and confronted him, as Nicole tried to restrain him.

“When I looked up, he was coming over the seat at me, across from where my wife was,” Reeves said. “I saw just a snapshot of something dark in his hand. Almost immediately, I saw what I perceived to be a glow from a light screen right in front of my face, and I was hit in the face.”

Reeves claimed the blow almost knocked the glasses off his face.

At that point, he testified that he began to fear for his life. “I realized I was in a life-or-death struggle,” he said.

Witness Mark Turner, a retired U.S. Air Force officer who was sitting a few seats down from Reeves, said he heard Reeves say something like, “Throw popcorn in my face” almost simultaneously with the shot being fired.

Two other witnesses sitting nearby in the theater, also testified that they heard Reeves make the popcorn comment. Another witness to the shooting,  Derek Friedhoff, said the popcorn comment was prefaced by “show you.”

Sumter County Sheriff’s Sgt. Alan Hamilton, who was off duty that day but taking in a movie, delivered what was some of the most damaging testimony to Reeves on Mar. 1.

Sgt. Hamilton testified that he saw the popcorn fly, followed almost immediately by the flash of the gun. He moved to where the shot came from, and said he heard Curtis Reeves’ wife Vivian say, “That was no cause to shoot that man.”

He then claimed Reeves scolded his wife.

“He pointed his finger at her and told her to shut her mouth and to not say another f-ing word,’’ Hamilton recalled.

Hamilton said he identified himself as a deputy and took the pistol Reeves had shot Oulson with away from the suspect.

Hamilton also testified that while he was keeping an eye on the altercation, he did not see Oulson climb over a seat to get at Reeves, as Reeves testified, or throw a cell phone or a punch at him.

“Common sense and the credible testimony of the medical examiner casts grave doubt on the likelihood of anything hitting the defendant in the eye beneath his glasses in the manner the defendant described,’’ the judge wrote. “Which begs the question, why did the defendant say he was hit. in the left eye  to the point of being dazed, when the video images and basic physics indicate that he did not get hit in the left eye with anything? The logical conclusion is that he was trying to justify his actions after the fact.”

In audio recordings of Reeves’ being interviewed the day of the shooting, Reeves can be heard saying what he had done was “stupid.”

“If I had it to do over again, it would never have happened,” he said. “We would have moved. But, you don’t get do-overs.”

Wesley Chapel Town Hall Somewhat Divided On What To Do With Obamacare

More than 150 people attended the Feb. 22 Town Hall meeting hosted by U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis (standing, far right) at the Wesley Chapel High Center for the Performing Arts.

Many politicians, including senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), are ducking their constituents — or liberal activists, they would say — by avoiding town hall meetings.

Not Republican U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis, however, who represents the 12th District of Florida, which includes all of Wesley Chapel.

In fact, Rep. Bilirakis is tackling his town halls head on, including one held Feb. 22 at Wesley Chapel High on Wells Rd.

While the crowd of roughly 150 wasn’t quite as rowdy as some of the other town halls Bilirakis has hosted recently, the message was clear: don’t take away our healthcare, but fix it.

Those fixes, said most of those in attendance, shouldn’t include getting rid of some of the more popular provisions of the Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”), specifically the number one concern raised that evening — coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.

“I’m begging you to keep something with pre-existing conditions,’’ said Bonnie Axler of Land O’Lakes. “I will lose my husband (who has cancer) if you don’t keep something.”

Bilirakis, praised by many of the speakers for showing up and not hiding from the people he represents, appeared to be truly listening to many of those speaking up. He cited his meetings with his constituents as the reason behind his support for the Obamacare repeal, which Republicans unveiled this week.

Although widely panned by Democrats and Republicans alike, as well as receiving little support from the country’s leading hospital and doctor groups like the American Medical Association (AMA), the Federation of American Hospitals and the AARP, Bilirakis said in a press release Thursday that “We have a better plan” than Obamacare.

The replacement, the American Health Care Act, is, according to Bilirakis, “the answer to lower costs, expand choices, and give patients more control. This bill reflects the feedback I’ve heard from my constituents over the past eight years. With our bill, we will put in place a health care system that works for Florida and the nation.”

A member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, Bilirakis is co-sponsoring the Pre-Existing Conditions Protection Act, which prohibits insurance companies from denying access, limiting coverage or raising premiums because someone is already sick.

Bilirakis also would like to see any replacement plan retain the ACA provision that allows people to keep their kids on their insurance until they turn age 26. That was good news to Zephyrhills resident Carrol Vaughn, who said she is fighting breast cancer and has a daughter in her 20s.

“There aren’t a lot of options to protect her until she’s 26,’’ she said.

Others, like Kurt Accebach of Odessa, went further. Accebach said everyone pays taxes for the police, the military and our streets, because it is for the common good.

“Maybe it’s time healthcare became a common good,’’ he said. A number of town hall attendees went over to shake Accebach’s hand afterwards.

Despite being in favor of some parts of the ACA, Rep. Bilirakis is opposed to Obamacare, voting to repeal it many times and calling it “unsustainable.”

“The costs are too high,’’ he says. “We have to come up with something better.”

His constituents have been showing up to demand it.

One speaker at the Wesley Chapel town hall reminded Rep. Bilirakis that he signed a pledge to repeal Obamacare in 2010, and campaigned on that promise while winning 71 percent of the vote (it was actually 63.5 percent) in 2012. He ran unopposed in 2014 and, in 2016, while still campaigning against Obamacare, Bilirakis received 68.6 percent of the vote.

“My question is to you,” said the speaker, “are you going to keep your campaign promise and repeal Obamacare?”

Bilirakis said he was keeping his promise, but was going to the people for ideas.

While those who voted for him and for President Donald Trump in Republican-friendly Pasco County may be demanding a repeal-and-replacement of the ACA, the controversial healthcare law is gaining in popularity across the country.

According to CNN, the latest Health Tracking Poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation, a polling source for the healthcare community, found that Obamacare has its highest level of support ever, with 48 percent in favor of it versus 42 percent opposed. A recent Pew Research Center poll (a nonpartisan fact tank), which does extensive public polling on different issues, has those numbers at 54 percent in favor of the ACA vs. 43 percent opposed.

Both are non-partisan organizations.

There remains, however, vocal opposition from those who cite rising costs and a shortage of plans and doctors as their reasons for dismantling it.

A steady stream of speakers lined up to offer their ideas to Bilirakis, ranging from requests to expand Obamacare to those who wanted to see it blown up altogether.

Some, like Axler, admit that the costs may be rising, but, “Every month I call in my credit card for that insurance, I thank God (my husband) is) still alive.”

Many in attendance blamed those rising costs on insurance companies, and cited that the No. 1 cause of bankruptcy in America is medical costs.

“When insurance and ‘big pharma’ is run as a profit model, we lose,’’ said Jennifer Higgins of Lutz.

Kim Irvine of Land O’Lakes claimed that Obamacare is not working. “I am for repealing and replacing it,’’ she said.

While she did say she supports a replacement covering pre-existing conditions, she told Bilirakis that those who insisted on keeping their children on their insurance until they were age 26 were “coddling” them.

“They need to grow up and get a real job,’’ she said.

Others, like Sandy Graves of Lutz, said supporters of Obamacare must be listening to “fake news.”

Rev. Mary Anne Dorner of Wesley Chapel said she has been struck by how divisive and looming the healthcare issue has become. “I have never seen people so afraid,” she said. “People are getting sick because they are so afraid.”

Dorner asked Bilirakis not to support a repeal of the ACA if there isn’t an improved replacement plan ready to go immediately.

Some in the crowd were still seething over comments made at Bilirakis’ town hall on Feb. 11, which attracted national attention. At that meet-up, Hudson’s Bill Akins, the then-Secretary of the Pasco Republican Executive Committee, told the crowd that the ACA has a provision for “death panels.” When the crowd erupted in protest, he called them “children” who needed to calm down.

Akins resigned a few days later.

But, Chelsea Bunch of Action Together Tampa Bay confronted Bilirakis (who was accused by some as nodding in agreement with Akins) at the Feb. 22 Town Hall, and asked him to publicly say there is no such thing as “death panels” in the ACA.

Bilirakis grabbed a microphone and said “There is no such thing as death panels in the ACA,” as the crowd erupted.

The town hall, scheduled for 6 p.m.-8 p.m., lasted two-and-a-half hours. Afterwards, Bilirakis posted a statement on his website.

“I held a series of public listening sessions on health care because it is my duty as a Representative to hear firsthand from my constituents, whether we agree or disagree on the issues. I will continue to seek common ground and constructive exchanges of ideas with the people of my district. That’s what democracy is all about.”

Dirt Is Moving On S.R. 56 Extension

Just east of the intersection of S.R. 56 and Meadow Pointe Blvd. is a busy place these days.

Construction has begun, rather quietly, on the S.R. 56 extension project that is expected to have a huge impact on central-to-eastern Pasco traffic and development.

After years of trying to figure out a way to pay to extend S.R. 56 from Meadow Pointe Blvd. to U.S. Hwy. 301/S.R. 41, and then pulling off a complicated deal to get approval from the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners, ground finally started moving in February on the extension without a big kick-off.

“We wanted to do something, we just couldn’t make it happen with everyone’s schedule,’’ said District 2 Commissioner Mike Moore. “But, they are moving dirt, and that’s the important thing.”

Moore and others had tried to arrange a groundbreaking ceremony, but once the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave the okay in early February, construction company Cone & Graham wasted little time digging in.

“We didn’t want anything to hold it up,’’ Moore said.

The road, which was originally envisioned as a two lanes, is now a four-lane $65-million project that is being touted as a big victory for economic development opportunities in the area, as well as increasing the tax base in both Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel as new homes continue to be built throughout the area. The extension also will relieve traffic on both S.R. 54 and S.R. 56, and provide easier access to I-75. It also will open a new path to Morris Bridge Rd., which also connects into the New Tampa area.

Currently, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills residents only have the two-lane S.R. 54 for east-west traveling between the areas, a trip that can be grueling during rush hours and other times.

But, S.R. 56 will provide more and easier access. And, with a widening of S.R. 54 project set to go for later this year, Moore says it will soon be “smooth sailing” for local commuters.

The S.R. 56 extension is a partnership with the City of Zephyrhills and four developers.

Funding for the project, which will cost less than $58 million (not including $8 million in interest), is being provided by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Pasco County, the City of Zephyrhills and the developers of Wesley Chapel Lakes, Wyndfields, River Landing and Two Rivers Ranch.

The developers are expected to add (gulp) more than 10,000 homes along the extended S.R. 56 from where it currently ends at Meadow Pointe Blvd. As for “soon,” the road is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.

By then, Moore joked, the county will have a ceremony ready to go to celebrate its newest transportation improvement.