Our South Georgia insurance agency was founded by Ben Hill Roberts, Jr. in 1933 and operated for 53 years as Roberts Insurance Agency, Inc.   In 1986, the corporate name was changed to Valdosta Insurance Services, Inc. to better identify the function of the firm.

The present owners and officers of the company are Will Davis Burgsteiner, Jr., Len A. Carter, H. Bryon Courson, and Julian C. Sherwood, III. The staff consists of 12 support personnel and five producers.

The agency represents a number of the finest companies in the insurance industry and has received many awards and recognitions for distinguished service from these companies.

Valdosta Insurance Services, Inc. is a professional organization dedicated to providing the best programs of insurance protection to its more than five thousand clients in the area. The agency is proud to be a Trusted Choice agency. 

 

 

VIS Owners

Will D. Burgsteiner Jr. "Butch"       
Email:   bburgsteiner@valdostainsurance.com
  

Butch began his insurance career with Hartford Insurance in 1976 as a claim representative.  He has worked with other companies until he entered the agency side with Langale-Willis Agency in 1983.  In 1987, he joined Valdosta Insurance Services as Partner.

Butch married his wife Jane in 1970 and earned his BBA from Valdosta State university in 1973.  Butch has served his country in the United States Marine and is Vietnam veteran.  

 

Len A. Carter, AAI    
Email:  lcarter@valdostainsurance.com

A native of Valdosta, Len attended local schools and graduated from the Valwood School in 1973 and Valdosta State University in 1978 with a BBS in Business Management.  Has been in the insurance business since 1980 and joined Valdosta Insurance Services in 1987.  Len holds the Accredited Advisor in Insurance (AAI) designation and is a licensed insurance counselor.

In his career, he has served as a board member on both the local and state Big I associations, Past President of the Valdosta-North Rotary Club, served two terms on the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce board and is a 35 year Georgia High School Association basketball referee.

Len is married to his wife Melissa, and they have two daughters, Dori and Aldine.

 
H. Byron Courson, CIC    
Email:   bcourson@valdostainsurance.com

Byron is a native of Valdosta, Georgia and is a graduate of Valdosta High School and Valdosta State University.  He began his career as a claim adjuster with GAB Business Services, Inc. in Marietta, Georgia in 1985.
 
In 1987, he accepted a position with Maryland Casualty Insurance Company (now Zurich) as the Regional Staff Field Adjuster for the Atlanta, Georgia Regional Office. He also crossed trained in Audit, Loss Control, Underwriting and Marketing. 
 
In 1989, he accepted a position as Marketing Manager / Agency Underwriter with Tillman Insurance Agency, Inc.  in Valdosta. The agency held "the pen" for three major carriers, and he operated the program during the period.  
 
In 1991, he accepted a position as "Producer" with Anderson Insurance Agency, Inc. in Valdosta. 
In 1994, he became a partner with Valdosta Insurance Services, Inc. as the agency purchased the assets of Anderson Insurance Agency, Inc. 
 
Byron currently holds The Certified Insurance Counselor designation (since 1992), and has an Agent's, Counselor's and Surplus Lines license. He is married to Katharine Carter Courson and has one daughter, Katharine McRee Courson.   


 
Julian Carol (Trey) Sherwood, III

Trey has lived in Valdosta since he was four years old. He is a graduate of Valdosta High School and graduated from Valdosta State University in 1992.  

Trey has been in the insurance business since 1992 and served as Chairman of the Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia's Young Agents Committee. 

He is married to the former Leslie Wetherington and they have two daughters, Abbie and Julia.

 

Our Team


Summer Clark
Email:  sclark@valdostainsurance.com

Summer Clark is from Statesboro, Georgia but moved to Valdosta in 2002 when she began her studies at Valdosta State University.  She graduated from VSU in 2005 and began her insurance career as an independent agent working with Aflac.  Summer joined the life and health department at Valdosta Insurance Services in 2006.  She is married to Scott Clark who raises quail for the local plantations.  Summer is a member of the Quitman Church of Christ where she teaches Sunday School, she also works with the local Children's Home one weekend each month. 

 



Matt Dorsey
Email:  mdorsey@valdostainsurance.com

Matt was born and raised in Valdosta, graduating from Valdosta High School and then Valdosta State University.  He began working at Valdosta Insurance Services in 2000 while still in college.  Matt is currently pursuing the designation of Certified Insurance Counselor.  He is married to Heather Hiers Dorsey and they are active members of Park Avenue United Methodist Church.


 

 

Nick McKay, AAI
Email:  nmckay@valdostainsurance.com

Nick joined Valdosta Insurance Services in 2007.  A native Valdostan, he is a graduate of Valdosta High School and The University of Georgia.  Nick was a senior management consultant for Ernst & Young where his clients included Fortune 500 manufacturers, financial institutions, health care and technology companies.  He has provided insurance and risk management services for companies throughout the country but is glad to return home to South Georgia.  Nick has earned the Accredited Adviser in Insurance designation as well as the Georgia Insurance Counselors license.  He is an active member of Park Avenue United Methodist Church and serves on the board of the Valdosta Chapter of The Red Cross.

 

William "Mabry" Smith
Email:  msmith@valdostainsurance.com

William "Mabry" Smith, 32 years old, was born and raised in Valdosta.  He is a graduate of Valdosta High School and The University of Georgia.  Go Dawgs!  Licensed in both Property and Casualty, as well as Life and Health insurance, Mabry has been in the insurance business and with Valdosta Insurance Services, Inc. since 1998, serving as an insurance producer.   His hobbies include saving people money on their insurance, hanging out with my wife and baby girl, playing golf, hunting, fishing, and all things associated with UGA football.

 

 

Leanna Wynn
Email:  lwynn@valdostainsurance.com

Leanna Wynn was born and raised in Lowndes County. The last six years she has resided in Madison, Florida, attending North Florida Community College and Florida State University, majoring in accounting. 

 
Leanna's career in insurance began with State Farm three years ago as sales representative in both personal and commercial lines of the business. Here, at Valdosta Insurance Services, Leanna will be our Personal Lines Agent.  
 
She is an active member of the Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce and the MetroOne  Association. In
her spare time Leanna enjoys training for triathlons, playing softball for Central Church of Christ and playing golf.