Cypress Point Continues To Diversify

Cypress Point Community Church’s Thailand Missions Team is shown beginning their journey to Thailand, where they equipped and provided moral support to local Christian ministry leaders (Photo provided by CPCC)

As Cypress Point Community Church has grown from a few families worshipping and studying the Bible together in homes in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa to a congregation of more than 700 members, meeting the diverse needs of those who consider the nondenominational Christian church their spiritual home has become a complex matter.

Over its nearly two decades of existence, Cypress Point has dealt with the physical growth in number of worshippers by moving to larger spaces — from those family living rooms to a real estate sales and visitor center, to worshipping for six years at the Muvico Starlight 20 movie theater on Highwoods Preserve Pkwy. 

Now, congregants gather in the church’s own 30,000-sq.-ft. multipurpose building on 30 acres on Morris Bridge Rd., just north of Cross Creek Blvd.

In February, Cypress Point added a 10,000-sq.-ft. building to house its youth center, with a gym, basketball court, classrooms and snack bar.

While that physical expansion has accommodated the church’s growth in size, there also has been a requirement to develop more services and programs that meet the wide variety of needs and expectations its worshippers have, according to Lead Pastor Dean Reule, who co-founded Cypress Point Community Church in 1998 with his wife Hettie, who also is the church’s Children’s Pastor.

“The church is like a Walmart Supercenter,” says Pastor Dean, who earned his Ph.D. degree in Religious Studies from Florida State University in Tallahassee. “Whatever the need, there is always a Biblically-based solution.”

A commitment to enacting such solutions for the benefit of members and the wider community has yielded a wide variety of ministries, activities and services available through Cypress Point Community Church. 

Nourishing the spirit as well as the body during times of need is one way to express the mission of Cypress Point’s Care Center, which combines a food pantry, stocked with donations of canned and packaged food from church members, with a cadre of devoted worshippers who provide spiritual support as the Prayer Team.

Whichever season of life or road Cypress Point members may be experiencing or traveling on, Pastor Dean says there is no need to make the journey alone, as there are church activities relevant to all ages and lifestyles.

Young people are the future of a church and Cypress Point serves the needs of children from birth to adulthood. There is an Adventure program that introduces Christian teachings to young children (Pre K-fourth grade) through activities, crafts, instruction and music. On Thursday nights at “The Edge,” young adults (18+) meet and discuss topics relevant to them from a Biblical perspective.  Those of the in-between ages are served by “56,” which, according to the church website, is a “Sunday morning experience for kids in 5th or 6th grade.”

The Dwelling Place, or “DP,” is where young people in grades 7-12 come together to learn Christian teachings and connect with God in ways they can appreciate, which might be through instruction, performances, or conversation over pizza. These activities are held in the DP rec center, which is equipped with air hockey and video games, as well as the basketball court. Cypress Point youth volunteer Shannon Romera says the DP is a good place for teens to bring their friends.

“There’s no other place like it in New Tampa,” Shannon says. “It’s a safe place where kids can come out and it’s more comfortable than asking someone to come to a church service.”

Support For The Military & More

At the Morris Bridge Rd. entrance to Cypress Point, there’s a large, red-white-and-blue-painted sign announcing the church’s support to the community’s military families through its Military Support Outreach, or “MSO.”

MSO Director Evangelo “Vann” Morris acknowledges Cypress Point’s commitment to the military and its veterans.

“The church is really big on supporting the military,” says Morris, who is a retired U.S. Navy officer, adding that  the Cypress Point MSO is focused on helping homeless veterans transition to more productive lifestyles by working with local agencies and programs vetted by the Veterans Administration, such as Tampa Crossroads. MSO also supports active duty troops who are away from home with care packages filled with items ranging from USB thumb drives to packages of beef jerky and more.

People who are interested in helping prepare packages, donate items or provide the name of a deployed service member can contact MSO through the Cypress Point website CPCConline.com under the “Ministries” heading.

Other activities and programs at Cypress Point Community Church include its Firefighters Ministry, which demonstrates support for the community’s fire stations by bringing cards and letters of support, as well as light snacks to local station houses; MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) & More, a monthly meet-up that provides a network of support for mothers of young children; and Man Up, a fellowship of Godly masculinity in which men are motivated toward loving acts of devotion in the name of Jesus Christ.

Couples who have taken on the responsibilities of marriage and family may benefit from Cypress Point’s Love Walk ministry, which provides opportunities for fellowship and tip-sharing with other couples from all stages of marriage.

Promoting not only Christianity as a religion, but advocating and acting on behalf of its basic tenets, whether locally, nationally or internationally, is part of the motivation behind Cypress Point’s Compassion & Justice ministries, whose mission it is to, “Fight local and global poverty and injustice,” according to the Ministries page on the church’s website.

Participants in these mission projects often travel to impoverished communities in the U.S. to lend a helping hand, or to Southeast Asia to assist Christians there and to combat human exploitation.

Sunday services (at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.) also attract crowds to the worship hall, for energetic sermons from Pastor Dean, who connects diverse philosophical and spiritual points, from Plato to Jesus, into basic principles to embrace.

One recent Sunday message from Pastor Dean explored the Power of the Golden Rule (or Matthew 7:12) which, according to The World English Bible, reads as, “Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.”

It is a principle that guides much of the work that is performed at Cypress Point and Pastor Dean summed up the reason why to those who were gathered: “We can change our small part of the world.”

One person attending the service who says attending Cypress Point has made his part of the world better is New Tampa resident Neal Hamlett, who plays guitar in the church band and has been a member for eight years.

“It’s a big family that takes care of each other,” Neal says.

Cypress Point Community Church is located at 15820 Morris Bridge Rd. Sunday services are at 9:30 and 11 a.m. and the Dwelling Place (DP) has main services for young people in grades 7-12 on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., with doors to the rec center opening at 6 p.m. For more information, visit CPCConline.com online or call (813) 986-9100.

Bay Dermatology’s WC Office Offers Skin Health & Cosmetic Care

Dr. Adam Bennett (right) joined the Wesley Chapel office of Bay Dermatology on BBD Blvd. last year.

When Bay Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery opened its Shoppes of Wesley Chapel office (on Bruce B. Downs {BBD} Blvd. across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel) last year, it brought local residents the resources of a medical practice that has been taking care of skin, hair and nail maladies throughout the Tampa Bay area for almost three decades.

Bay Dermatology marketing manager Tom Agriesti says the health practice’s mission has been clear since it was established in 1988. It has grown to eight offices, including Homosassa, Spring Hill, Port Richey, Palm Harbor, Largo, St. Pete Beach, Wesley Chapel and N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Lutz.

“From day one, Bay Dermatology has provided the highest quality care for (our) patients and we’re glad to be able to do that for people living in the Wesley Chapel area,” Agriesti says.

Services and treatments available at Bay Dermatology range from health-preserving therapies and surgeries to appearance-enhancing cosmetic surgery, as well as procedures that are non-invasive.

Bay Dermatology’s Wesley Chapel office treats skin disorders such as acne, psoriasis (a condition in which skin cells build up and form scales and itchy, dry patches) and vitiligo, a long-term skin condition characterized by patches of the skin losing pigment.

The office also offers treatments for eczema and rashes, the removal of moles and warts, as well as skin cancer screening and treatment.

Clinical dermatology treatments for conditions like psoriasis, eczema and rashes such lichen planus, an inflammatory skin condition, characterized by an itchy, non-infectious rash of small, pink or purple lesions, include topical and oral medications. Bay Dermatology also uses XTRAC laser therapy for psoriasis, which uses targeted UVB light to treat the condition without damaging surrounding healthy tissue.

An extensive menu of aesthetic services, such as fillers, facials, Botox, peels and laser hair removal, also are available for consideration. Agriesti suggests having a customized, personal skin care consultation as a good starting point in providing patients with recommendations for treatments and products.

Therapeutic facials offer a way to freshen your appearance and the Bay Skin Care Signature facial treatment brings together the cosmetic benefits of antioxidants, serums, light chemical peel, extraction and facial massage topped off with a mask-treatment application. There’s also a facial geared toward the specific needs of teen complexions, as well as a “Just for Men” routine that aims to ease irritations like razor burn and promote a well-groomed appearance.

Chemical peels include glycolic, vitamin C and therapeutic combinations of salicylic and lactic acids as well as retinol and resorcinol. Generally, peels are intended to minimize the signs of aging, such as wrinkles, but Bay Dermatology’s VI Peel is a deep peel that aims to reduce if not eliminate blemishes such as age spots, freckles and acne scars as well. Many patients use the clinic’s aesthetician services as part of their post-operative care for cosmetic, laser and other surgical procedures.

Dr. Adam E. Bennett, MD, PhD, joined Bay Dermatology’s Wesley Chapel office last year.

He earned his medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville and continued his education in dermatology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, completing his dermatology residency at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa General Hospital, and Florida Hospital Tampa.

Dr. Bennett is Board-certified in dermatology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. His Ph.D. was earned at Cambridge University in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

According to Dr. Bennett, even though Bay Dermatology treats patients throughout the Tampa Bay area, it comes down to the one-on-one relationship between the patient and his or her  dermatologist, which he frames thusly:

“What would you do if it was your own family member or yourself?”

“Every single person who comes through the door is treated that way, with the best principles of excellence in medicine applied to their situation,” says Dr. Bennett, who adds that while he isn’t fluent in Spanish, he is competent in “medical Spanish,” meaning he can communicate on medical issues with patients who prefer to speak Spanish.

“We try to give optimal time to our patients when they’re in the room with the doctor and treat all of our patients like they’re members of our own family,” office manager Vanessa Kirschner  says.

Kirschner says that Bay Dermatology accepts a large number of insurance plans and will try to schedule same-day appointments if requested.

Kirschner’s patient-reception colleague, Anntoinette Sheppard, offers advice that will make your introduction to Bay Dermatology more efficient and easier overall.

“If you print out the paperwork (from our website), and have it filled out when you come in, it speeds up the process and I can get you in the back,” Sheppard says.

Dr. Bennett says sometimes a patient’s first visit is a quest for an answer to an internal query, such as wondering if you have skin cancer. “If you have something you’re worried about,” he says, “that’s a great reason to come in.”

Concern over a mole during a skin cancer screening prompted New Tampa resident Katie Floyd to visit Bay Dermatology’s Wesley Chapel office.

“You have to be aware of what’s going on with your body and if you see something that’s grown or changed color it’s a good idea to have it checked out,” says Floyd.

Floyd added that her experience at Bay Dermatology has been a good one, and conveniently located near her New Tampa residence.

The consensus among Google Reviewers about Bay Dermatology’s Wesley Chapel office is positive, with a score of 4.9 out of five possible stars from 11 reviews, among them, Vicki Barnitt’s five-star rating.

“Dr. Bennett was very thorough, friendly, and explained all procedures,’’ she wrote. “Staff are courteous and everything ran smoothly and on time during both of my appointments. Highly recommend Bay Dermatology!”

On The Cutting Edge

In addition to being a resource for personal skin health and cosmetic care, Bay Dermatology is undertaking initiatives that could bring cutting-edge, state-of-the art dermatological and cosmetic treatments and procedures to Wesley Chapel and New Tampa residents.

Dr. Bennett, who says he has a professional interest in research, says that Bay Dermatology is making big investments in research on behalf of its patients in the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa area.

“(Bay Dermatology) just opened our new clinical research center (in Pinellas County) and my goal is to expand it to all offices, including Wesley Chapel,” he says.

By adding research capability, Bennett says Bay Dermatology will be able to ensure the efficacy and safety of the medical grade cosmetics it offers, and also work with national researchers who are developing experimental treatments for skin diseases such as psoriasis.

Bay Dermatology’s Wesley Chapel office is located at 2653 BBD, Suite 120A. For more information or to make an appointment, visit BayDermatology.com or call (813) 514-0823. 

The Law Office Of Matthew J. Jowanna Serves Clients With Tenacity & Loyalty

Attorney Matthew Jowanna & paralegal Leah Shalna review a case.

Visitors pass by a shin-high stone statue of a bulldog when entering Matthew J. Jowanna’s law office at the Windfair Professional Center, located across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. The carved canine reflects Jowanna’s personal appreciation of the breed, which the domestic animal website VetStreet.com, among many, says is, “admired for the qualities of loyalty and determination;” characteristics Jowanna considers to be basic to his firm’s handling of clients’ legal concerns.

“A client hires you to be a champion, and you are for them,” Jowanna says. “The client comes before everybody.”

Jowanna lives in Tampa Palms with wife Camille and a bulldog (who, he says, also serves as a “paw clerk” in his firm) named Angelica “Geli” Bulldog Jowanna. “Angelica’s an ice-breaker,” says Jowanna.

Angelica “Geli” Bulldog Jowanna is both a “paw clerk” and the most adorable customer service rep at the Jowanna law firm.

“Geli” succeeds her sister, Brittany Bulldog Jowanna, as office mascot, after Brittany passed away last year. Our editor says that Angelica is the sweetest bulldog ever, but that alone isn’t reason enough to hire Jowanna.

The law firm handles personal injury cases, bankruptcy filings, family law issues, insurance disputes and coverage representation, as well as estate matters such as writing wills and establishing and managing estates through the probate process. Jowanna says his firm does not handle criminal cases.

Law is a second career for Jowanna, who earned his B.A. in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida in Tampa and worked in the local broadcasting industry as a television news assignment editor and on-air radio personality. His occasional media-related trips through the local courts led him to an observation.

“I saw a lot of 65-year-old lawyers around the courthouse but I didn’t know too many 65-year-old guys on the radio,” says Jowanna, whose transition from broadcast media professional to a second career as an attorney was made smoother by commonalities between the two professions — such as the need for excellent research skills and the ability to communicate and connect with people, such as jurors.

According to Jowanna, anyone interested in practicing law “should be a theatre major,” to be an effective litigator in a process he describes as, “essentially a show of conviction, and convincing.”

While Jowanna already had the delivery and presentation skills of being a lawyer, he needed the academic credentials to take the bar exam, so he earned his J.D. (Juris Doctor) degree from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law in Davie, FL.

Jowanna eventually also received his Master of Laws (LL.M.; Legum Magister) from Notre Dame Law School, in Notre Dame, Indiana.

Before opening his own office in 2006 to serve Wesley Chapel- and New Tampa-area residents, Jowanna worked his way up in the local legal field from associate attorney at a private firm to becoming a partner at another, while learning the ins and outs of personal injury and insurance-related law.

He says that background gave him the tools he needed to serve his clients well in a courtroom when called upon to do so.

“When you go down to that big law firm you see on TV, you’re not going to see that lawyer, they’re going to shuffle you off to a case handler,” says Jowanna. “When you come here, you’re going to meet the lawyer. We give the benefit of a big-firm lawyer with the comfort of being in your neighborhood.”

Jowanna adds that his firm’s eleven years of service have given it a bit of seniority within the local legal community.

“That makes us one of the oldest law firms in Wesley Chapel,” he says, proudly.

Jowanna also says his experience of working at a firm with more than 100 lawyers also taught him what not to do.

“A lot of lawyers tend to be robotic,” he says. “People don’t pay me to follow a checklist; people want a lawyer who thinks and is original.”

Communication The Key To Client Satisfaction

One principle Jowanna abides by is to always keep his clients informed.

“My number-one goal is client satisfaction and the best way to get that is through communication,” he says.

One client who appreciates how Jowanna combines commitment and communication is Glenn Eckoff, who retained the firm for a personal injury case when he was hurt in an auto accident. Eckoff says the experience went well from the moment he met Jowanna for a free consultation to discuss his case.

“He was on time, he welcomed me with a smile on his face and he was straightforward,” Eckoff says. “From that day on, Matthew Jowanna was nothing less than a spectacular representative of my case.”

Eckoff notes that he never had to wait for a return call from the law office, and that Jowanna would personally call him with case updates.

He adds that he also was pleased with how Jowanna handled the legal opposition en route to what Eckoff calls, “a very nice settlement.”

“During the deposition, he was very much on my side; he didn’t let me get bullied and made sure that the other parties were fair,” he says. “Not only did he have a smile on his face, but he was a warrior.”

Working on insurance-related litigation on behalf of consumers and insurance industry clients has given Jowanna a perspective he says helps him deliver outcomes that satisfy whoever he is representing in a particular case.

“Having worked both sides of the fence is an advantage,” he says. “When I represent a carrier, I can give them the insights of what the average “insured” (person) is thinking. When I represent an insured (person), I can give them the insights of how insurance companies really work.”

Family law practice serves client needs such as establishing legal paternal identification of children born outside of a marriage, dealing with divorce, child custody, wills, trusts and probate matters. As his practice has grown, Jowanna has brought on board Elyssa M. Harvey as managing attorney and to handle many of the family law cases.

Harvey, who earned her J.D. degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School’s campus in Riverview, FL, says family law can get emotional and legal situations like divorce cases go better when civility can be maintained.

“If people can at least be polite to each other and work together, it can keep things from getting dragged out,” she says.

Whatever the specifics of a case may be, Jowanna has developed a standard that applies to the work his firm does.

“There’s the law and the rules of law, and one must stay within those rules (while still doing) the best for a client,” he says.

Another way Jowanna tries to serve his clients is through a personal injury/accident app that is available via Jowanna.com, with versions for both Apple and Android smartphones.

The Matthew J. Jowanna Accident App was developed to capture and organize basic information from an accident scene, such as photos, video, witness contact information and GPS location, as well as where nearby medical and repair facilities are located.

For readers who may be considering scheduling a free consultation with the Law Offices of Matthew J. Jowanna, the firm’s paralegal, Leah Shalna, recommends writing down relevant questions before arriving to get the most out of the visit.

“Sometimes, they’ll get halfway home and think of something they wanted to ask,” she says.

The Law Office of Matthew J. Jowanna is located at 2521 Windguard Circle, Suites 101 & 102. You can find out more about the firm’s services and schedule a free consultation by visiting Jowanna.com or by calling (813) 929-7300. The firm also has a toll-free number: (855) 2-MJJ-LAW.

Small Business Administration Provides Hurricane Assistance Loans

New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents whose homes, possessions or businesses suffered damage or loss as a result of Hurricane Irma may be surprised that the Small Business Administration (SBA) can help them get back in business or help them be made whole again.

The SBA is providing assistance with low-interest disaster loans for Florida residents and businesses in the 48 counties covered by U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s disaster declaration covering areas affected by Hurricane Irma. Hillsborough and Pasco are among the Florida counties eligible for federal assistance.

Homeowners can apply for low-interest loans up to $200,000 to repair or replace damage to their primary residence and along with renters, can apply for up to $40,000 to cover personal property, including vehicles. SBA homeowner disaster loan rates are advertised as being as low as 1.75 percent with terms up to 30 years.

Help For Businesses, Too

When it comes to assisting businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size, the SBA disaster loans address not only physical damage to assets such as real estate, infrastructure and inventory, but economic loss as well. Owners can apply for up to $2 million for physical loss and $2 million to cover working capital.

Those loans, called Economic Injury Disaster Loans, are available even if no physical property damage has occurred.

The SBA is advertising loan rates as low as 3.305 percent for businesses and as low as 2.5 percent for non-profit organizations.

The SBA may not be the first place people might think of for homeowner or renter disaster assistance, so public affairs specialists like Mary Gipson and Laura Wages have been dispatched from the agency’s Disaster Assistance Field Operations Office in Atlanta to spread the word about the resource through local media, including a recent stop at the Neighborhood News office.

Gipson says providing disaster assistance is part of the job. “In times of presidential or other federal agency-declared disaster, we make loans to businesses of all sizes, nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters,” she says.

Applications for physical property damage loans need to be filed by Thursday, November 9, and the deadline to return economic injury applications is June 11, 2018.

According to Gipson, if you think you have a claim, apply sooner, not later.

“Do not delay when completing your SBA application,” she says.

The SBA loaned $40,900 in Tampa in 2016, with no reported loans in Wesley Chapel, according to data on its website, sba.gov, where you can find more information and apply online.

You can call (800) 659-2955 (or {800} 877-8339 (for deaf and hard of hearing applicants) or call Mary at (202) 579-3172.

If you prefer to do business in person, there is an SBA Disaster Recovery Center serving Hillsborough and Pasco county residents 36 minutes south of County Line Rd. and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.,  at Hillsborough Community College at the Regent (6437 Watson Rd. in Riverview). It is open daily from 8 a.m. — 8 p.m., according to the SBA website. Applicants can get assistance filling out the form and have their application reviewed before submitting it.

To Protect Your Home, Auto Or Business, Check Out Tina Insurance!

Tina Ricketts is the owner of Insurance/Seguros of America Ricketts, LLC.

There’s no better time than when a major-category hurricane is expected to arrive in your neighborhood to clarify the value of possessions, such as your home, automobiles and businesses.

When it comes to protecting those assets, Tina Ricketts, the owner and principal agent of Insurance/Seguros of America Ricketts, LLC (aka Tina Insurance), says that doing business with an independent, licensed, professional agent has advantages over obtaining coverage online or through a toll-free phone number.

“You have a face to go with the name,” says Tina. “When you call us, you deal with me directly.”

She also cites the focus of her agency’s activities and relationships with clients as distinguishing it from its competitors.

“The majority of consumers don’t know about insurance and don’t know what insurance they’re getting,” she says. “We teach them what coverage they need, based on what they’re doing.”

According to its website, TinaInsurance.com, specializes in “trucking, business, homeowners, or auto insurance.”

Trucking, you say? Tina has found that insuring commercial trucks is much different from insuring the family runabout.

“The first thing is, it’s an 80,000-pound vehicle, versus a 5,000-pound car, so the damage that a truck can cause is way higher than what a personal car can cause,” she says, adding, “There’s a difference between commercial use and personal use. You don’t use a semi-truck to ride around town.”

The implications of a trucking industry that operates safely on affordable, sound, insurance are apparent to Tina,

“You see them everyday on the road, bringing us our food and our goods,” she says. “(Trucks are) an important part of our economy.”

Tina started out at Insurance/Seguros of America in 2006 as a licensed Certified Professional Service Representative (State of Florida Customer Representative License), which allowed her to advise on and sell insurance products under the agency owner’s Florida Agent License.

When Ricketts earned her own license to sell property and casualty lines as an agent in 2010, she bought the agency, adding her family’s name to it.

She has started marketing her agency as Tina Insurance, as an official Doing Business As (DBA) name.

She is licensed for Property and Casualty insurance. She does not, however, sell life or health insurance.

Getting into the nuances of a your business’ products and services to create a right-sized, beneficial policy, as well as serving the insurance needs of individuals and families, keeps the job interesting for her.

“Every day you find something different,” Tina says. “Every risk (the probability of something happening being known, but not when it will occur, or the value of the occurrence) is different; they have their own needs they’re dealing with.”

She adds that she greets each new day at the office as an opportunity for “something new to quote,” such as coverage for a cryogenics salon that provides cold-temperature physical treatments for people.

Tina Insurance’s commercial coverage emphasizes small, independent enterprises such as those opening their doors to the public each day in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa. And, if those businesses rely on cars or trucks for commerce, Tina is ready to find the right insurance coverage to ensure that the wheels keep moving, whether they’re attached to pickup trucks or 18-wheelers; owner-operated or part of a transportation fleet.

“Every scenario is different,” she says. “It’s never boring.”

She adds that the first step to being certain you have the insurance you need could be checking what coverage you already have, or maybe think you have, but don’t.

“We are here to provide a service to help you understand what you have in case of a claim,” says Tina, who notes that many people make assumptions about what their insurance policies actually cover and often discover coverage shortcomings in a time of need, such as after a hurricane or other natural disaster strikes.

Tina also says that one of the most confusing areas is how flooding is defined and covered, since insurers make distinctions between flooding that occurs as a result of an overflowing hot tub and rainfall or storm surge from a hurricane.

“A lot of people think they have hurricane coverage or they have flood coverage and that’s not always the case,” she says. “It depends on how (your home or business) gets flooded.”

Bu$iness Policies

Commercial and business insurance involves coverage for everything from inventory to worker’s compensation. Tina says that minimizing exposure for her clients means taking time to learn about their businesses.

“Every business is different,” she says. “Tell me about your business and your daily operations.”

Tina Insurance which, according to its mission statement, is committed to protecting each client’s “American Dream,” and helping them financially recover from damages inflicted by natural disaster or incurred through the conduct of business.

And, just as the businesses that Tina finds insurance coverage for represents the dreams and aspirations of the people who own them, Tina Insurance is part of Tina’s own American Dream that began when she came as a teenager to Tampa from Venezuela 17 years ago.

The insurance agency is a family business as well, with her husband Nick also playing an important role in its success.

“He’s the marketing director,” Tina says. “He handles the advertising, marketing and networking.”

Tina has more than 10 years of experience in the insurance industry and purchased the Wesley Chapel agency, Insurance/Seguros of America, in 2010. She has been building her business ever since, keeping in mind a basic guiding principle in her daily quest for the best insurance values for her clients.

“I want to treat my customers the way I want an insurance agent to treat me,” says Tina, who has lived in Wesley Chapel since 2005 and is a member of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. She adds that the community’s growth has created a lot of opportunity in the insurance business.

“We’re growing so much as new homeowners come in, and a lot of those homeowners are business owners as well,” she says.

The consensus among the six customers providing Google Reviews for Tina Insurance is that the agency provides Five-Star customer service.

Andra Lo expressed appreciation for the high level of customer service in her Google Review: “Tina and her team were able to help me with all of my insurance needs, they were helpful and very easy to work with. I recommend them to anyone looking for great insurance service.”

Meeting commercial insurance requirements was Jay Ellison’s need and his Google Review is unrestrained in its praise of Tina  and her colleagues.

“Tina and her team are wonderful to work with. They take the time to understand your business and find the best coverage for you for a price that works. She’s my go-to recommendation for commercial insurance!”

Finding out whether Tina and her team can help meet your insurance needs begins with a free consultation which can be as simple as entering required information through the Tina Insurance website or through a conversation.

“If you want us to review your policy, come in and show us what you have,” says Tina, who offers one piece of advice to keep in mind until the end of the 2017 Hurricane Season on November 30.

“Keep your policy handy,” she says. 

Insurance/Seguros of America Ricketts, LLC, is located at 3823 Turman Loop, Suite #101, off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Wesley Chapel. You can visit online at TinaInsurance.com to learn more and get a free insurance policy quote or call (813) 907-1555.