Here at Inszone, one of our missions is to make sure that every employee is appreciated, acknowledged, and recognized for their achievements. This Employee Spotlight series aims to celebrate success and highlight the talented individuals we have at Inszone, Cover Cannabis, and California Pool Association. Each month we’ll be featuring Inszone employees on our website, blog and social accounts. Please join us in congratulating Jeff Neuhalfen, our Employee Spotlight for the month of October!
About Jeff
Jeff Neuhalfen is a Sales Team Manager at Inszone Insurance Services, joining the company in November 2024 after the merger with Loft & Co. With over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, Jeff has spent the last seven years leading and managing personal lines teams, bringing valuable expertise in both sales and team development to his current role.
Jeff’s dedication to excellence has been recognized with numerous accolades throughout his career, including being named Safeco Producer of the Year in 2019, receiving the Safeco Presidents Award in 2022, and earning the Safeco Award of Excellence in 2022, 2023, and 2024. He has also been a member of Safeco’s National Agents Council since 2018, where he has contributed to shaping industry best practices.
Outside of work, Jeff is passionate about giving back to the community. He actively supports Habitat for Humanity and helps local food banks, dedicating his time to causes that make a tangible impact. In his personal life, Jeff enjoys spending time with his family and engaging in outdoor activities such as RV camping, hiking, fly fishing, and boating. His love for nature and adventure is a constant source of balance and joy.
When asked to share some words about Jeff, his direct supervisor, Scott Ligouri, VP over Colorado and Francisco Saldana, Regional President over the Mid-West Territory, had this to say:
Scott Ligouri shared: “I would like to first and foremost say congratulations Jeff, well deserved. He is a friend first and a colleague second. He has just a wealth of knowledge and his passion for building and coaching teams is remarkable. I know our team really respects him and he is a student of our industry. Very deserving and thank you for all that have done for our company and the industry Jeff!”
Francisco Saldana added: “Jeff has been a steady hand during one of the most important transitions we’ve had – bringing Loft and Inszone together. His leadership presence gave his team the confidence to navigate change without losing focus on clients. By setting the tone, listening to concerns, and keeping everyone grounded, Jeff made the merger feel less like disruption and more like opportunity. He’s already carried that same presence into Inszone, setting the tone at his local branch and proving himself an invaluable addition to our team. I’m excited to see him continue shaping our culture and driving results as we grow together.”
Q: What initially brought you to the insurance industry?
A: I was a Senior Manager with Costco working endless hours and weekends and holidays. One of my children came to me and asked me if I ever came home. He was always asleep when I left for work in the early mornings, and he would already be asleep by the time I made it home in the evenings. His little perspective and the lack of time with his father opened my eyes that I needed a better plan. I initially helped a State Farm agent launch as the office Manager and they paid for my licensing and started my insurance journey.
Q: In what ways do you think your unique background or experiences contribute to your success in your role?
A: In my prior agency, there was an opportunity to deal with Credit Unions as a referral source. I joined at the infancy of the Credit Union relationships and launched what came to be a very successful and symbiotic relationship between our insurance agency and the Credit Unions we worked with. Mine and the agency’s mutual success in those relationships followed me to Loft & Co and now reside with Inszone to take to new heights. I am very excited to see where that seed that I helped nurture 15 years ago blossoms and grows from this point forward on a national basis through Inszone.
Q: If you could describe your approach to teamwork in one word, what would it be and why?
A: Lead by example… I have been in management most of my adult career life. I have tried both approaches along the way: micromanaging and leading by example. Micromanaging never did any good for me, nor did it do any good for any of the employees on my team. I learned that the best way to manage a team is by example, being the leader that people want to follow. Getting into the trenches and getting my hands dirty and not sitting above, feeling like I’m better than anyone else. I was raised to treat the janitor the same as the CEO — I have lived that throughout my career.
Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career so far, and what did it teach you?
A: My biggest accomplishment so far was 2019 Producer of the Year with Safeco. The awards and acknowledgments of my hard work through the years have reminded me that teaching insurance and not just selling it will gain you clients for a lifetime. Achieving the Safeco Underwriting Award of Excellence 2022, 2023, and 2024 has reinforced in me that doing things right the first time, with a spirit of excellence, also gets acknowledged by colleagues and the industry.
Q: Who has been the biggest influence or mentor in your life, and what valuable lessons have you learned from them?
A: Would be my father, hands down. I was the youngest of nine children and I watched my father work very hard to raise his family and teach all of us the value of a dollar, hard work, and integrity. He would always say there are two things that you need to always protect — your reputation and your record. Those things will follow you throughout all of your life. Work hard in everything you do but always follow the golden rule and treat people with the same respect that you expect back. You will always get back what you put out.
Q: What are some hobbies you do outside of work that you enjoy?
A: My life outside of work is mostly defined as a husband, father, and papa. My greatest personal achievements outside of work are the raising of our nine children, my nine grandchildren (so far), and getting out and exploring. RV camping, fishing, and kayaking are our favorite pastimes. Especially as I have gotten older, time with family and creating lasting and loving memories are the most important to me now. And we cannot leave out cheering on our National Champion Oklahoma Thunder!
Q: What do you think sets you apart, and how does it benefit your team?
A: I have a deep respect for every single person on my team. I want to make sure that their career success is everything that they want it to be, while also ensuring they have the ability to maintain work/life balance. Raising nine children and realizing every single one of them was different — learned differently and reacted differently — gave me a lot of good insight even as a manager. I know not every employee is going to be the same or handle things the way that I would. However, I try to look for everybody’s strengths and home in on those strengths for their success, my success, and the company’s success. This has helped me be a successful manager.
Jeff, your hard work, leadership, and positive spirit make a lasting impact on your team and the entire company. We’re grateful for all you do and proud to celebrate you this month!
Juan Cruz
