Meet Our Team

Ward T. Bell – President & CEO (ward@wbassoc.com)

Ward graduated magna cum laude from Northern Arizona University in 1973 with a B.S. in Mathematics. Originally focusing his education to become an actuary, he ended up entering the sales and marketing side of the life insurance business over 31 years ago. Ward began his career working as a captive agent for National Life of Vermont before incorporating Ward Bell & Associates, Inc. in 1981. Under his continued guidance and management Ward Bell & Associates, Inc. has been a leading Marketing Organization for a number of highly rated life insurance companies including Columbus Life, Pacific Life and Indianapolis Life.

J.T. Bell – Chief Marketing Officer (jt@wbassoc.com)

J.T. has worked in the life insurance industry since age 19.  He graduated from the University of San Diego in 2003 with a major in Business Administration & Finance and a minor in Computer Information Systems.  Upon graduation, J.T. moved back to Phoenix and joined Bell & Associates, Inc. full time in the area of Marketing Support and case design.  Today J.T. manages Bell & Associates' various Marketing Reps and the Marketing division as a whole.  He is responsible for the oversight and case design of all large face amount policies that the agency handles.  J.T. is proficient in Premium Financing and other advanced case designs in the life insurance industry.  He has been a featured speaker at several industry-related conferences and events and is commited to staying on top of all cutting edge strategies in life insurance design.

Kristi Bell – Chief Operating Officer (kristi@wbassoc.com)

Kristi graduated from the University of San Diego with a B.S. in Accounting in 2000. Kristi worked as an auditor with Ernst & Young, LLP in San Diego for three years before returning to the Phoenix area to join our staff. A licensed Life and Health agent, her current areas of responsibility include overseeing commission accounting, contracts and licensing, new business, Human Resources, and control of additional financial matters.

Steve Brock – Senior Marketing Representative (steve@wbassoc.com)

Steve attended Northern Arizona University where he majored in Business. After college he served for four years in the United States Navy before returning to Phoenix in 1978. His work experience includes creating and directing the international division of a large national corporation, where he traveled extensively worldwide and specialized in military and anti-terrorist security. In 1995 he chose to enter the Financial Planning field. During the past seven years he has held positions handling agent recruiting, training and marketing for national agencies. He joined Ward T. Bell & Associates, Inc. in 2002 as a Marketing Representative where he continues to head our new agent training and resources as well as Long Term Care sales.

Linda Carter – Senior Case Manager (linda@wbassoc.com)

Linda joined Ward T. Bell & Associates, Inc. in 2002 in our Marketing Support department before becoming a Case Manager in New Business. She came to us with 30 years of insurance experience, working for such companies as Farm Bureau, Prudential and MetLife. Aside from managing a number of producers new business processing and case design, she also arranges travel and other correspondence for the office.

Ken Davis, CPA, CFP, CLU, ChFC – Vice President, Advanced Markets (ken@wbassoc.com)

Ken heads up the Advanced Markets division of Bell & Associates.  He is well-versed in qualified plans and tax-planning for business owners and other affluent clients.  He has worked in the financial services arena since the late 1970’s beginning his career as a CPA following his graduation from Cal State University, Fullerton, with Honors. Shortly thereafter he adapted his CPA role by becoming a Certified Financial Planner while serving as President of both the Greater Phoenix Institute of Certified Financial Planners and the Phoenix Chapter of the Arizona’s Society of CPA’s. In an effort to gain a greater understanding of Life Insurance, Ken expanded his education to include designations as both Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant during the 1990’s. Throughout his career he has sold a variety of securities and life products including acting as an Exclusive Financial Specialist with Allstate from 2001-2005 providing training and mentorship for agents of all backgrounds.

Darlene Hester – Licensing and Contracting Coordinator (darlene@wbassoc.com)

Darlene began her career in the financial services industry working for a few of the largest Arizona Banks.  She has also worked in Financial Compliance and was involved in Paralegal work through 2006.  In 2007 she obtained her Property and Casualty license and was a producer for Allstate Insurance.  She then transferred to a local commercial insurance company where she was the Compliance Analyst.  Darlene joined Ward T. Bell & Associates, Inc. in October 2011 as the Contracts and Licensing Coordinator to assist agents/agencies with their contracting needs.

Greg Phelps – National Annuity Manager (greg@wbassoc.com)

Greg began his career in the banking and finance industry after attending University of Missouri - St. Louis. He held senior positions in the finance industry until moving to Phoenix in 1997. He eventually set his sights on the annuity and life insurance wholesaling world where he has worked ever since. With nearly 15 years of experience working with various marketing organizations, he has helped develop proprietary annuity products for national distribution with some of the largest insurance companies in the world. He brings tremendous knowledge to Bell & Associates’ annuity division as their National Annuity Manager and excels in seeking out and managing new agent relationships for the firm.

Olivia Smith – Case Manager (olivia@wbassoc.com)

Olivia began her career in the financial services industry in 2000, working for a small local firm providing case design and additional marketing support. After three years she moved on to work with a regional office for a leading life insurance carrier in the Phoenix area. Here her role expanded to include internal wholesaling, eventually leading her to work with high profile producers in the case management area. Having joined Ward T. Bell & Associates, Inc. in October 2006, Olivia currently is working to serve agents in case management.

Phyllis Towle – Commission Accounting (phyllis@wbassoc.com)

Phyllis attended Purdue University and IU-PUI in Indianapolis, Indiana majoring in Accounting.  In 1975 she earned the Chartered Life Underwriters designation.  Before joining Ward T. Bell & Associates, Inc. in 1995, Phyllis worked for Union Central Life, Massachusetts Mutual and New England Life.  After 40 years in the insurance business she retired but continues to work with our office on a part time basis. Phyllis’s diverse background lends her expertise in the areas of commission accounting and special projects.

Zach Turmelle – Marketing Representative (zach@wbassoc.com)

Zach graduated from the University of Arizona in 2003 with a degree in Communication and a minor in Business. Thereafter he moved to Washington D.C. where he worked on the sales side for an information security firm before transferring back to Arizona in 2005, where he began working for a financial planner. His responsibilities included case design, case management, life settlements, inforce policy management, outsourcing training, and some IT work. Now working for Ward T. Bell & Associates, Inc. he serves as a Marketing Representative in Advanced Case Design.

Nathan Van Peursem – Marketing Representative (nathan@wbassoc.com)

Nathan graduated from Northern Arizona University and was a former quarterback for the NAU Lumberjacks, Nathan first joined the financial services industry working as an idependent agent for Northwestern Mutual where he gathered valuable industry training and experience out in the field. Following a few years there, he then went on to serve as an annuity Marketing Rep with one of the largest Annexus Annuity brokerage firms in the country. Nathan joined Ward T. Bell & Associates, Inc. in March 2007 and has excelled in his knowledge of providing creative case design for the affluent marketplace.

Kim Waterman – Case Manager (kim@wbassoc.com)

Kim moved to Arizona from Washington state in 2006 where she started working for a financial planner in Prescott coordinating seminars and preparing annual reviews for client meetings. After moving down to Phoenix in 2007, Kim began her career with Ward T. Bell & Associates, Inc. as a New Business Associate compiling medical records and coordinating cases for submission to carriers for review including premium finance programs. In 2008 she was promoted to her current position of Case Manager acting as a liaison for the producers and insurance companies.