How we Help!
Protecting Assets
With well over a decade of commercial insurance experience, we help clients prepare for the unknown. As a boutique style independent insurance agency, we work on behalf of our clients vs. one specific carrier, though we have access to well over 100 markets.
Without big corporate overhead or hedge fund Gods to fuel, our mission is to serve as a trusted risk advisor for clients, in their corner for advocacy while keeping both coverage and cost in mind.
Commercial/Business Insurance
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance
- General Liability Insurance
- Professional Liability
- Errors & Omissions (E&O)
- Medical & Legal Malpractice
- Educators Legal Liability
- Law Enforcement Liability
- Abuse & Molestation
- Management Liability
- Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)
- Directors & Officers (D&O)
- Fiduciary Liability
- Employee Benefits Liability (EBL)
- Crime/Employee Dishonesty
- Pollution Liability
- Cyber Liability
- Liquor Liability
- Professional Liability
- Commercial Property
- Fire & Hazard
- Business Personal Property
- Inland Marine Insurance
- Contractors Tools & Equipment
- Builders Risk
- Business Owner's Policy (BOP - combined small commercial package)
- Commercial/Fleet Auto Insurance
- Cargo Insurance
- Surety Bonds
- License & Permit Bonds
- Construction Bonds
- Court Bonds
- Fidelity Bonds
- Specialty Programs (Education, Municipalities & Other Governmental Agencies, Non-profits)
We take a consultative approach with access to many products and carriers to offer optimum coverage packages with sensitivity to price. Though we can certainly get quotes from a number of highly rated carriers, we want to truly know our clients and their needs and we can help design an all encompassing risk management plan to suit our valued clients.
Assessing Need
What would happen if your organization was served with a lawsuit, your location had a loss such as a fire, or you had an employee injury?
Do you have a dedicated agent who is available to support your risk management needs?
Schedule a meeting for a complimentary review of your current insurance and risk management program.
Building Relationships
Everyone has different insurance needs, but the coverage is the easy part of it. Though we work to offer a personalized assessment, most importantly we want to get to know our clients and how we can best support them.
We're in this for the long haul and work to build longstanding business relationships with our clients and referral partners alike.
The best part? We don't work with "just anybody" so you don't have to worry about us stalking you into submission. We'll leave that to the commoditized brokers.
Meet the Core of Ascent!
Jodie Lyons - Founder & Managing Principal
Jodie has over 13 years in the commercial insurance industry, coming from a background insuring the public sector as a senior underwriter for Colorado School Districts Self Insurance Pool (CSDSIP) and Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency (CIRSA).
In 2019 Jodie left governmental risk pooling to delve into the private sector, joining a large regional brokerage that focused primarily in high volume workers' compensation. She quickly grew to be a top producer in the firm, though she was met with limitations in advocating for clients while in what felt to be a "sell only" environment. This didn't sit right with her.
In Jodie's words: "I didn’t want to become another cog in a corporate wheel and knew there could be a better way to help organizations by offering both a personalized approach and market access. So I BET IT ALL and ventured out to build it on my own on the faith that I would draw in a like-minded team and a healthy client base."
Jodie lives in the Saddle Rock community in SE Aurora & spends her downtime with her gal-pals at the golf course or on a mountain with her husband and furbabies. She is the proud mother of an Army Reservist/CSU son and a daughter in the medical field.
Russell Lyons - Chief Operating Officer
Russell is our resident "safety guy" who works with clients on their safety practices when he's not wrangling the back office here at Ascent.
In 2023 Russell retired as a 35 year, 3.8 million mile OTR driver who also took on DOT safety & compliance for his prior organization.
Hanging up his wheels (but not his CDL) he's focused on
helping organizations with their safety & compliance both on and off the road. This includes workplace safety, DOT compliance, transportation safety, and operational risk.
For those needing safety support that aren't (yet) with Team Ascent for their insurance needs, Russell is the founder and head hoss of our sister company, Ascent Safety Solutions
When Russell isn't geeking out on all things safety & compliance (or critiquing Jodie's mad driving skills) he likes quiet time at home with the furbabies, football, and mastering the landscaping.
Kadie Mellem - Commercial Account Manager
Kadie is our in-house customer service and small business agent.
Prior to joining Team Ascent, Kadie was in the service industry for 9 years as a bartender/server and though she loves the industry, she was ready to tackle something new. Kadie moved to Colorado to be a Project Manager for a roofing company. While roofing wasn’t the right fit, she quickly fell in love with all things Colorado.
Kadie is a proud grad of The University of South Carolina (Go Gamecocks!) with a degree in Marketing and Economics.
Kadie is handling our new smaller business inquiries & supporting client service as she masters the industry and grows with the team. She has become quite the asset to Team Ascent!
When not in the office, Kadie enjoys doing hot yoga, cooking, and watching college football – or horror movies – with her cats Roger & Steve.
Chester & Wizzle - "Champions of Cheer"
Chester & Wizzle are our official Champions of Cheer who enjoy occasionally accompanying Mom & Dad to the office to share their shenanigans.
They're both hypoallergenic and have their favorite beds under the desks when we have visitors.
If you're sensitive to animals, we're happy to have them chill at home for your scheduled meeting.
Join Our Team!
Are you experienced in Commercial P&C or a B2B pro wanting to enter the industry?
We don't operate like big corporate or the dusty old shops. We pride ourselves on follow-through of the concierge commercial insurance experience and welcome those who hold similar values.
At our current rate of success, based on doing the right thing and reinvesting into supports for our clients and internal team, we are seeking dynamic team members to grow with us.
Send your resume for consideration.