Meet Our Team
John C. Petrie, CIC
Agency Owner
John was born in Seattle, Washington. He graduated from Willamette University in 1984, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree and lettered in basketball. After graduation, he went to work for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company selling Annuities, Life and Disability insurance. A year later he entered the Property & Casualty side of the insurance business, specializing in large commercial and agricultural risks, including wineries. By 1995 John had earned his Certified Insurance Counselor designation from The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research. In 1997, John left his employer, honored an agreement not to solicit his clients and started his own independent insurance agency from scratch, working literally out of a walk-in coat closet. Within months, his business was thriving. Two years later, John joined forces with Aaron Smith, owner of Mountain West Insurance Services. Together they combined their respective resources and renamed the agency The Summit Group of Oregon, LLC. In 2005, they built the office building where the agency now resides.
John enjoys hiking, rock climbing, and especially mountain climbing, where he and his wife Gloria have reached the summit of many of the most prominent peaks in Oregon, Washington, and California. John and Gloria also climbed Africa’s Mt Kilimanjaro – the tallest freestanding mountain in the world – and together completed the Portland Marathon.
Aaron P. Smith
Agency Owner
Aaron was born and raised in Salem. After high school, he joined the Air Force where he served as an Armament Systems Specialist on active duty in Japan and Arizona for almost 4 years. He then returned home to serve in the Oregon Air National Guard for an additional 4 years and entered the Air Force R.O.T.C at Oregon State University. He started in the insurance business in 1992 focusing on life insurance and retirement plans. In 1994 he went to work for a prominent independent insurance agency in Salem as an all-lines producer and focused on developing that agency’s employee benefits department before starting his own life and health insurance agency in 1997. Aaron is currently working towards his Certified Insurance Counselor designation from The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research.
Aaron’s hobbies include many outdoor sports and activities as well as artistic woodworking. Aaron is also very involved with his family and has coached youth sports since 2003 and has been involved in other youth education programs since 1996.
Cynthia Pedersen-Powers
Account Executive & Education Director
Laura Miller, CISR
Operations Manager
Account Manager – Workers’ Compensation
Account Manager – Individual Health, Medicare, & Group Benefits
Leslie Usselman, CIC
Account Manager – Commercial Lines
Jennifer Beard
Client Services – Commercial Lines
Bob Farnsworth
Account Executive – Commercial Lines & Farm
Kelli Orchard
Client Services – Health Department
Liliya Sotelo
Personal Lines Account Manager
Ana Mendez
Personal Lines Account Manager
Baljinder Grewal
Personal Lines Account Coordinator
Michelle Lair
Administrative Assistant
Gloria Petrie
Owner, Ascension Accounting, Inc.
Gloria was raised in Spokane, Washington. She began her accounting career in 1979, handling the books for a small-town pizza parlor. Since those early days, she has served as a Cost Accountant for an international manufacturer, a Controller for a large Portland-based telecommunications company, a Human Resource Manager, and has provided business counseling and accounting services for several other industries. In 2003, she parlayed her vast experience into her own business, Ascension Accounting, Inc., where she manages accounting services for several different employers, including The Summit Group of Oregon.
Gloria leads an active lifestyle. She enjoys hiking, mountain climbing, cycling and various water sports, including swimming and snorkeling. She has successfully completed the Portland Marathon and still enjoys running today. She has traveled internationally to Canada, Mexico, and Africa. Gloria also enjoys her family time with her husband, children, and grandchildren.
For more information on how Gloria may help you with your business accounting needs, please visit her website at www.AscensionAccounting.com