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Meet Your Broker

Leadership

  • Doug Strong

    President

    Doug Strong

    President

    Doug Strong’s career journey began in the early 1980s when he worked in construction with Seaboard Properties Ltd. However, a downturn in the economy led him to pursue a new path as an insurance agent, marking the start of a transformative career in the industry. He spent his early years working with Seaboard Properties before joining the Canadian Indemnity Insurance Company as a marketing representative. In 1989, Doug returned to Seaboard Properties, accepting a partnership position and beginning a new era that would shape SeaFirst Insurance as it is known today.

    In 1991, Doug purchased shares in the company, cementing his role as a driving force behind SeaFirst’s expansion and success. Under his leadership, SeaFirst acquired other firms across the region, establishing a strong presence in locations like the Saanich Peninsula and Gulf Islands. Doug also played a critical role in strengthening SeaFirst’s relationship with Lloyd’s London, a partnership that began in 1991 and grew into a robust coverholder arrangement. Today, SeaFirst is widely regarded as not only one of the largest Lloyds Coverholder but also setting a standard as “Best in Class” in London.

    Beyond his impressive business achievements, Doug has an adventurous spirit that drives him both professionally and personally. An avid outdoorsman, he has embarked on unforgettable river rafting trips, scaled some of the highest peaks in the world, and tackled daring heli-skiing expeditions. His passion for adventure mirrors his approach to business: bold, forward-thinking, and resilient.

    Doug’s legacy at SeaFirst also includes fostering a family connection within the company. He mentored his daughter, Laura, who now leads SeaFirst’s Lloyd’s Underwriting division. Through his guidance and commitment, Doug has not only positioned SeaFirst for continued success but has also ensured that his values of dedication and perseverance live on in the next generation.

  • Dan Olive, CAIB

    VP Operations

    Dan Olive, CAIB

    VP Operations

    Dan is one of the Managing Partners at SeaFirst Insurance and looks after our personal lines, general operations and marketing while managing a large commercial lines portfolio. He has been in the insurance business since 2004 and his primary areas of expertise are strata and pharmacy insurance. As an active member of the community of Central Saanich, Dan volunteers with multiple organizations and has served on several advisory committees and non-profit boards. In his spare time, he enjoys camping with his family and is an avid roller hockey player.

  • Shawn Fehr, BA, CAIB, CIP

    VP Commercial Lines

The Team

  • Doug Strong

    President

    Doug Strong

    President

    Doug Strong’s career journey began in the early 1980s when he worked in construction with Seaboard Properties Ltd. However, a downturn in the economy led him to pursue a new path as an insurance agent, marking the start of a transformative career in the industry. He spent his early years working with Seaboard Properties before joining the Canadian Indemnity Insurance Company as a marketing representative. In 1989, Doug returned to Seaboard Properties, accepting a partnership position and beginning a new era that would shape SeaFirst Insurance as it is known today.

    In 1991, Doug purchased shares in the company, cementing his role as a driving force behind SeaFirst’s expansion and success. Under his leadership, SeaFirst acquired other firms across the region, establishing a strong presence in locations like the Saanich Peninsula and Gulf Islands. Doug also played a critical role in strengthening SeaFirst’s relationship with Lloyd’s London, a partnership that began in 1991 and grew into a robust coverholder arrangement. Today, SeaFirst is widely regarded as not only one of the largest Lloyds Coverholder but also setting a standard as “Best in Class” in London.

    Beyond his impressive business achievements, Doug has an adventurous spirit that drives him both professionally and personally. An avid outdoorsman, he has embarked on unforgettable river rafting trips, scaled some of the highest peaks in the world, and tackled daring heli-skiing expeditions. His passion for adventure mirrors his approach to business: bold, forward-thinking, and resilient.

    Doug’s legacy at SeaFirst also includes fostering a family connection within the company. He mentored his daughter, Laura, who now leads SeaFirst’s Lloyd’s Underwriting division. Through his guidance and commitment, Doug has not only positioned SeaFirst for continued success but has also ensured that his values of dedication and perseverance live on in the next generation.

  • Dan Olive, CAIB

    VP Operations

    Dan Olive, CAIB

    VP Operations

    Dan is one of the Managing Partners at SeaFirst Insurance and looks after our personal lines, general operations and marketing while managing a large commercial lines portfolio. He has been in the insurance business since 2004 and his primary areas of expertise are strata and pharmacy insurance. As an active member of the community of Central Saanich, Dan volunteers with multiple organizations and has served on several advisory committees and non-profit boards. In his spare time, he enjoys camping with his family and is an avid roller hockey player.

  • Shawn Fehr, BA, CAIB, CIP

    VP Commercial Lines

  • Christine Etele, CAIB

    Personal Lines Manager

  • Daniel Bernardes, MA

    Operations Manager

  • Daryl Kochan

    Director of Underwriting

  • Kari Bowerbank, CAIB

    Personal Lines Underwriting Manager

  • Mike Gagnon, BA, CIP

    Claims Manager

  • Kerri Koome

    Personal Lines Sales Manager

  • Steve Pearce

    Commercial Sales Growth Manager

  • Garrett Hartley

    Senior Commercial Account Manager

    Garrett Hartley

    Senior Commercial Account Manager

    Garrett Hartley, Commercial Account Manager at SeaFirst Insurance, looks after various commercial accounts. His expertise includes strata properties, commercial buildings, contractors, adventure operators, and many other types of businesses. He has been with SeaFirst since 2012 and in the industry since 2011. Fourth-generation islander, Garrett has a wealth of knowledge of the area, local businesses, and communities. In his free time, Garrett stays active exploring the outdoors, hiking, fishing, snowboarding and golfing. You can also catch him enjoying the excellent restaurants that Greater Victoria has to offer.

  • Michael Kissinger, CRM, CAIB

    Commercial Lines Sales Manager

  • Amanda Dyrbye

    ICBC Supervisor

  • Sarah Harms

    Personal Lines Supervisor

  • Tanya Phillion

    Commercial Lines Supervisor

  • Bronwyn Wagar

    Operations Team Lead

  • Candy Classen

    Underwriting Team Lead

  • Joshua Ward

    Small Business Unit Team Lead

  • Kim Topping

    Personal Lines Team Lead

  • David Hill

    Underwriting Team Lead

  • Steve Millar, BA, FCIP, CRM

    Claims Department Team Lead

  • Tracey Cottrell

    ICBC & Driver Services Team Lead

  • Aishwarya Panse, B.COMM

    Insurance Advisor

  • Aaron MacGregor

    Commercial Producer

  • Alexander Gibson

    Commercial Insurance Advisor

  • Alexia Huibers

    Insurance Advisor

  • Amy Nash

    Insurance Advisor

  • Ali Flynn, CAIB

    Commercial Producer

    Ali Flynn, CAIB

    Commercial Producer

    Ali Flynn joined the Insurance Industry in 2009, beginning her career in Auto & Personal Lines before moving into Underwriting. Her passion for sales and client relations led her to transition from Underwriting to a supervisory role in Personal Lines. She then moved to the commercial side of the business, where Ali excels at guiding clients through the complexities of insurance policies to ensure they receive the necessary protection.

    Outside of her professional pursuits, Ali is a proud mother to her daughter, Layla. Together, they enjoy an active lifestyle, with skiing being one of their favorite activities. Balancing her career and family life, Ali is passionate about ensuring that both her clients and her loved ones feel safe and supported in every endeavor.

    With a wealth of experience in the industry, Ali is dedicated to providing clients with personalized insurance solutions that meet their unique needs.

  • Bill Boneham

    Senior Underwriter

  • Arpita Sahasrabudhe

    Auto Insurance Agent

  • Dylan Bell

    Commercial Producer

    Dylan Bell

    Commercial Producer

    Dylan joined SeaFirst in January 2024 as a Commercial Producer, specializing in Apoth-A-Guard, Business, Property, Strata, and Contractor’s Insurance. With 13 years of experience in the golf industry, Dylan brings a strong service mindset and a passion for building relationships. His goal is to provide personalized insurance solutions that truly fit each client’s unique needs—protecting what matters most to them.

    When he’s not working with clients, you’ll likely find Dylan on the golf course, exploring new travel destinations, road biking, or hiking the stunning trails of Vancouver Island.

    Dylan is dedicated to making insurance simple, smart, and stress-free.

     

  • Deanna Bakken

    Senior Underwriter

  • Arthur McDonald

    Auto Insurance Agent

  • Joel Tyrrell

    Commercial Insurance Specialist

    Joel Tyrrell

    Commercial Insurance Specialist

    Joel has been with SeaFirst since 2020 and can’t say enough good things about the environment and culture here. He has been in the insurance industry since 2004 and can offer exceptional guidance and service on everything from large strata commercial properties to small businesses and everything in between. Joel was born and raised in Victoria and has a passion for meeting new clients and making new connections. This passion for customer service has led to many meaningful new client relationships and referrals. He enjoys baseball, golf, camping, hiking and travelling in his spare time.

  • Austin Pandolfi

    Auto Insurance Agent

  • Brenda Aspinwall

    Auto Insurance Agent

  • Chantelle Hughes

    Insurance Advisor

  • Jessica Cedar

    Underwriter

  • Kim Wright

    Commercial Lines Assistant

  • Corrine Gardner, CAIB,CIP

    Insurance Advisor

  • Max Wood

    Underwriter

  • Barb Maja

    Claims Telephone Adjuster/Examiner

  • Robyn Young

    Underwriter

  • Nicole Lok, CAIB

    Commercial Insurance Advisor

  • Hayley Pfeifle

    Auto Insurance Agent

  • Jaime Perron

    Insurance Advisor

  • JC Raines

    Auto Insurance Agent

  • Samuel Bernard

    Underwriter

  • Jennifer Stevens

    Insurance Advisor

  • Jessica Oberg

    Insurance Advisor

  • Katrina Buzath, CIP, CAIB

    Auto Insurance Agent

  • Kaylee Strugnell

    Insurance Advisor

  • Lynda Nash

    Insurance Advisor

  • Heather Sigwin

    Claims Examiner

  • Megan Saunders

    Insurance Advisor

  • Rachel Drover

    Personal Lines Underwriter

  • Randi Logan

    Auto Insurance Agent

  • Rick Chisholm, CAIB

    Insurance Advisor

  • Sabrina Goodfellow

    Auto Insurance Agent

  • Sabrina Sarvas

    Insurance Advisor

  • Sally Bauman

    Insurance Advisor

  • Scott LeBlanc

    Small Business Unit Insurance Advisor

  • Tyler Thornhill

    Auto Insurance Agent

  • Laura Kinloch

    Claims Assistant

  • Peggi Raidt

    Administrative Assistant

“Yesterday my husband and I completed a private purchase of a vehicle in Sidney. The seller suggested we go to your agency to do the transfer and insurance. What an amazing customer service experience. All three employees were engaging and helpful. The gent who helped with our transaction was absolutely awesome. Thank you for your stellar service. We live in Colwood but joked we will drive to Sidney for all of our insurance needs on a go forward! Keep building the incredible culture you have at the Sidney location.”
— Kelli S.
“Yesterday my husband and I completed a private purchase of a vehicle in Sidney. The seller suggested we go to your agency to do the transfer and insurance. What an amazing customer service experience. All three employees were engaging and helpful. The gent who helped with our transaction was absolutely awesome. Thank you for your stellar service. We live in Colwood but joked we will drive to Sidney for all of our insurance needs on a go forward! Keep building the incredible culture you have at the Sidney location.”
— Kelli S.
“SeaFirst and Garrett have been wonderful to deal with, quick to respond to our needs and questions. Even better is that they saved us a ton of money on our insurance with their adventure tourism specific policy.”
— Breanne and Rick, Spirit of the West Adventures Ltd.
“I was satisfied and pleased with the prompt attention with which our claim was handled. Each person I spoke to during this process was very helpful.”
— Sue, Intelligent Traffic Equipment
“The service received from SeaFirst, the adjusters, the insurers and the restoration people was great. I highly recommend everybody who was involved. Thanks for the help in a horrible situation.”
— Nighean Anderson
“SeaFirst Insurance has been the insurer of Driftwood's assets and liability since our opening day of operation in 2008. They have been able to customize, adapt and structure our growing needs into a comprehensive plan that is far superior in value and relevance to our unique needs than anything else presented to us.”
— Gary Lindsay, Driftwood Brewery
“SeaFirst Insurance dealt with an emergency flood situation whilst we were out of the country and were unreachable! They acted immediately when a neighbour called them to inform (them) about the flood, sending a service tech team out that same night. SeaFirst's repair and restoration team were instructed, coordinated, highly skilled, fast workers and absolutely amazing in every way possible.”
— Michelle Hall, Cedarwood Cove
“We were fortunate enough to have discovered SeaFirst in 2001. We have very specific insurance requirements and often need to call SeaFirst for additions, information, clarifications and such. Responses are always immediate and thorough. We would recommend SeaFirst, without reservation, to anyone considering their services.”
— Christine Bowles, JEA
“Honest, insightful and accurate service is what we’ve come to expect from Shawn and the team at SeaFirst Insurance Brokers. The firm has unmatched customer service coupled with incredible expertise and most importantly - they save us time because I know that when I contact them, they’ll take care of our issue quickly and correctly.”
— Kent O'Neill, The Lodge at Gold River Ltd.
“As a business consultant, I realize that a key building block of any operating plan is risk management; more to the point – informed risk management that not only protects operations but can promote growth with how you structure your liability coverage. I have zero hesitation in recommending SeaFirst Insurance as a strategic partner in all aspects of professional risk management.”
— Terry Phelps, Working Paper Consultants Ltd.
“We experienced a loss within the first three months of becoming store owners. The staff at SeaFirst insurance helped us to get through it with their great understanding and service. They were wonderful to work with, especially under the circumstances.”
— Sandy Conn, Qualicum Pharmasave
“I was very happy with the timely decision on the acceptance of my claim. As a small business owner, it was important to me that there were no unnecessary delays that would impact my business. I am very happy with the straight forward expediting of this claim.”
— J. S. Moreton & Associates Ltd.
“Service was exceptional from both SeaFirst and the adjuster! The adjuster visited the property the same day I reported the damage and all parties operated efficiently and professionally.”
— Graham & Nancy Williams
"Thank you for your professionalism, I would never entrust my insurance with anyone but Seafirst, quick , easy and timely, Warm regards Edwina"
— Edwina MacDonald
"Alexander was incredible in helping us secure insurance quickly for our charity event. Thanks to his swift service, we were able to raise over $23,000 to support sending kids with disabilities to Camp Shawnigan. We're so grateful for Seafirst's support!"
— Russ E.
"Hayley renewed my car insurance at the Sidney location. She was awesome! Very professional, efficient, and personable."
Paula Young - The Peninsula SingersFunding Director, The Peninsula Singers

Useful Links

Head Office

7178 West Saanich Road
Brentwood Bay, BC
V8M 1P6

Contact Us

Phone: 1-877-655-1141
Fax: (250) 652-4427
Email: info@seafirstinsurance.com

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Congratulations
to our President
Doug Strong
on his 35 Years
with SeaFirst!