Sierra Summit Surety Opens Two Calif. Locations

Sierra Summit Surety Insurance Services, as managing general agents for Arch Insurance Co., has opened two Southern California locations, one in Pasadena and one in Rancho Cucamonga. Both offices are ready to write surety bonds, according to Bill Shupper, vice president/CFO and Ray Gail, president.

Shupper and Gail previously worked together at Lou Jones & Associates. Shupper began his surety career in 1979 at Lou Jones and was elevated to president/CEO in 1993. Upon spearheading the firm’s growth to over four times the size, the firm was acquired by Kemper in 1998. Shupper maintained his contacts in the industry as an independent surety consultant for over five years.

Gail began his surety career in 1984 with Lou Jones & Associates. In 1992, he joined Austin, Cooper & Price as bond manager. However, after a short stint with ACP, he returned in 1994 to work again with Shupper at Lou Jones & Associates. For the next nine years, which extended through the acquisition of Lou Jones by Kemper Insurance, Gail held the position of chief operating officer. In 2003, Gail moved to Arch Insurance as assistant vice president of Surety.