Eric VanVleet founded the insurance agency in 1981 after learning the commercial insurance business “at the knee” of a mentor for the prior 8 years.

Eric holds a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation, and he keeps it updated by yearly classroom instruction. As is typical of a homegrown, small city insurance agent, Eric has been, and is, a community activist participating on many boards including the Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Junior Achievement, and Community in Schools.

Eric was inducted into the 2018 Junior Achievement of Eastern Indiana’s Business Hall of Fame. He was honored for his lifetime of achievement and investment into our community. The video below was created for that event. It focuses on his upbringing and life events that led him to where he is today.

Eric and his wife, Linda, have 2 children and 5 grandchildren whom all reside in Richmond.

Brad VanVleet is President of VanVleet Insurance Agency. Brad is licensed in both Property/Casualty and Life/Health. He joined the team at VanVleet Insurance right after he graduated from the University of Dayton with a business degree in 2001.

Brad received the 2008 Governor’s Award for Tomorrow’s Leaders. This award is presented by the Governor annually to young adults who strive for and attain excellence as entrepreneurial leaders, volunteers, and scholars.

Brad is an active community volunteer.  He has served on the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Cope Environmental Board of Directors, and the YMCA Board of Directors.  He is passionate about youth sports and helps with the Richmond Youth Football League.  

Brad and his wife, Kelly, have two children, Drew and Bryn. 

Kelly VanVleet is the Marketing Manager at VanVleet Insurance. She is also licensed in property and casualty insurance.

Kelly graduated from the University of Dayton in 2001 with a degree in Elementary Education.  She taught 1st and 5th grades for five years before joining the team in 2007. Kelly is an active community volunteer with several organizations. She is on the Boys and Girls Club of Wayne County Board of Directors, Vice President of the Richmond Rose Garden Board of Directors, and Richmond High School Assistant Softball Coach.  She enjoys volunteering her time at Seton Catholic Schools and is a member of St. Andrew’s Catholic Church.

She lives in Richmond with her husband, Brad, and two children, Drew and Bryn.

Kyle Zajdel joined the staff of VanVleet Insurance Agency as an agent in 2007. He holds his insurance license in Property and Casualty and Life and Health. He specializes in group health plans. Zajdel was promoted to Vice President of Life and Health Sales in 2018.

Zajdel earned a degree in Economics from Ohio Wesleyan. 

In 2019, Zajdel founded Richmond Lacrosse. He has always been passionate about bringing the sport of Lacrosse to Richmond. With the help of a grant, he was able to start the Richmond Lacrosse club organization. Zajdel currently coaches the middle school and high school team.  

Kyle and his wife, Alison, live in Richmond and have two children Maggie & Joel. They are members of First English Lutheran Church.

Valerie has lived in Wayne County most of her life, growing up on a family farm. She is a graduate of Centerville High School and lives in the Hagerstown area with her husband, Brian, and daughter, Lanie. She keeps busy with their hobby farm with a horse, 2 miniature donkeys, 4 cats, and 2 dogs! Valerie also enjoys helping out on her parents’ farm any time she can.

Valerie showed horses for over 25 years and still enjoys volunteering with the local 4-H program. Valerie was certified in equine massage therapy in 2004. She also enjoys any outdoor activities, home renovation projects, landscaping and antiquing.

Brad Clark is a Personal Lines Agent.  He is licensed in both property and casualty and life and health insurance and has been a part of the VanVleet team since July of 2018.

Brad graduated from Grace College in 2015 with a degree in business.  When not at work he enjoys playing golf, watching his favorite sports teams, and spending time with friends and family.  He also strives to stay involved in the local community, currently serving as a committee member of HYPE Wayne County (Helping Young Professionals Engage).

Brad resides in Richmond and regularly attends New Testament Church of Christ in Hagerstown, IN.

He graduated from Indiana University with a degree in business, in 2004.

He is passionate about our community, and is looking forward to being able to serve the Richmond area.

Kyle resides in Richmond with his wife Laura and two daughters, Kate and Julia. They are members of Fountain City Wesleyan Church, where he also serves on the board.

After graduating from Earlham in 2006 she spent five years as an assistant volleyball coach at Manchester University and then returned to Earlham as Head Volleyball Coach for two years. She then worked as a Front End Manager with Menards before coming to join the VanVleet team in 2016.

Clark is licensed in property and casualty insurance and life and health insurance. Loni enjoys playing softball in the summers and enjoying the outdoors on the family farm in the fall.

danielleo@vanvleetinsurance.com

Danielle Onstott joined the VanVleet team in July 2018.  She has worked in claims and customer service before recently taking the Commercial Account Manager position at VanVleet.  She is licensed in property and casualty insurance.

Danielle is a 2006 Northeastern High School graduate. She attended Indiana University East and graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.

Since graduating, Danielle has worked in the field of early childhood education in Richmond for eight years.

Danielle enjoys gardening, photography, biking, cooking and learning about and experiencing new things.

Carol began her career in banking, and has since worked in financial aid at her alma mater and most recently an insurance company in Kentucky. She is from Indianapolis and has moved back closer to family. Carol resides in Richmond with her husband and their two children.

Tammy Bruner joined VanVleet Insurance in September 2016. She has been licensed in property and casualty and life and health insurance since 1988. Bruner has her CISR & CPSR designation.

She lives in Arcanum, OH with her husband. They have 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren all of who are very active in sports. Besides attending their grandchildren’s activities she loves boating, fishing and traveling.

Bruner attends the EUM Church of Greenville, OH.

Brittany Collins joined the VanVleet Insurance team as a Customer Service Representative in October 2017 and is now the Group Health Client Service Coordinator.  She is licensed in property and casualty and life and health insurance.  She is also certified in Human Resources Management.   

Brittany went to Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina and graduated in 2015 with an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration.

Brittany enjoys hunting, hiking in the mountains, baking and decorating cakes, and traveling…especially to visit her family in South Carolina!  She enjoys serving in her church in Milton, IN and helping with their youth ministry.

She loves small town life and is passionate about helping local businesses grow and reach their goals.  She assists our Group Health clients by navigating the waters with all the regulations and coverage information involving benefits that are offered to each employee.

Kritsch graduated from Richmond High School in 1978 and Indiana University in 1983. She is an avid IU Basketball fan and hopes to see them win another National Championship!

Carolyn resides in Richmond with her husband, Michael. Combined they have five children- Alex, Kristen, Angi, Andrew and Tyler and two granddaughters, Emma Rae and Brielle. They are also proud parents of two pugs, Zoey and Pugsley.

Carolyn enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and going to concerts and plays.

Jonathan Clark joined VanVleet Insurance in 2019.  Clark is our in-house Claims Support Specialist.  He is licensed in property and casualty insurance.  

Jonathan graduated in 2016 from Hagerstown High School and went on to study marketing at Grace College where he graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

He has a passion for helping others and is eager to assist those in the Richmond area.

Outside of the office Jonathan is an avid golfer; he is a member at Highland Lake Golf Course here in Richmond. Jonathan also enjoys attending professional sporting events with friends and family; he is a huge Indiana Pacers fan and is optimistic that they will soon win a championship. He also loves visiting the Rocky Mountains, and he hopes to travel the world in his future.

Jonathan currently resides in Greens Fork, Indiana and is a regular attendee of New Testament Church of Christ in Hagerstown.