CLI Founder, Dawnyel Smink, launched AZ Insurance Agents in 2003. Her drive and love of the industry propelled her to acquire CLI in 2008 and grow it to 40 franchise locations strong in 11 years. From her original career path of elementary school teacher, Dawnyel soon chose to help even more people by becoming licensed in property, casualty, life and health. Her passion for education has continued as she now helps clients understand the impact the right insurance choices can make in life. A Mom to three, Dawnyel enjoys traveling, playing golf with her husband, Jason, and giving back. As part of Make-A-Wish Arizona’s Charitable Planned Giving Council, she helps others to know the sheer joy of helping brighten others’ lives when a crisis such as a deadly disease rocks a family. When CLI welcomes a new client, a donation is made to Make-A-Wish Arizona in their honor.
Heather launched into insurance first as a location owner in 2006. It was not long before Dawnyel and CLI tapped the brilliant combination of her insurance experience along with her leadership and operation abilities in 2016 to serve as COO. CLI Select Agencies—a group 40 agencies strong—continues its lightening speed growth under her lead. Heather’s love of people is only equaled by her love of animals. She counts her moments with her college student son, Maxwell, her favorite but her time with her dogs is also sacred. She is a history buff and can lose herself in novels set throughout the centuries. Her dream is to one day retire a few steps from the water in a tree house where her days are spent snorkeling the barrier reef under the hazy Caribbean sun.
For 30 years, Ron Assise has thought about one thing: “How can I help my clients better?” He has consistently delivered sound advice, access to the best coverage available in the marketplace, and the best tailored coverage to his clients in the Illinois area. Today, Ron is a part of the Canyon Lands Team sharing the CLI Select Agencies message to select agencies throughout eastern US.
Like Dawnyel, Ron shares the love of education. For several years, Ron has taught Agency Management seminars to other agency leaders and has also delivered a variety of modules to agencies everywhere.
Ron grew up on the southwest side of Chicago, in Marquette Park. He currently resides in Tinley Park, Illinois with his wife, Cheryl, and their two children, Kristyn and Nicholas. When the family has the chance to vacation, they spend time in Florida. Ron is actively involved in the men’s ministry at his church.
Albert’s vision for the Canyon Lands Team is to make purchasing insurance simple, modern and speedy for both sides of the business--clients and agents. Since joining in 2015, Albert saw an opportunity for assisting independent agents and their clients through an electronic document processing operation. Since then, he has built and maintained The Closing Team focusing on expediting the purchasing process while maintaining standards in service and quality coverage. An electronic game aficionado, Albert loves both table-top and video games He and his fiancée, Jade, who live in Chandler, maintain a few classic vehicles. His hope is to one day, restore his very first car, a 1987 Chevy El Camino , that he drove when Jade and he went on their first date.
James has been on the team for two years. He joined Albert as a member of the Closing Team running audits. Despite his age, 21, he is well-versed in a variety of CLI’s operations. James enjoys spending time with friends and family. He also is a video game fiend and loves researching historical subjects as a hobby. The future for James is a wide open canvas but for today, he is getting settled in his home and savors the simple things in life.
In some ways, Alicia’s job may be the one our team and our agencies consider critical: She records all the commissions and manages details we each take for granted in the world of accounting. She originally entered the insurance industry as a CSK for personal commercial lines and has shifted her focus to her current responsibilities in 2019. A lover of travel, cooking, shopping and music. Alicia spends her free time enjoying family and friends. Whenever she can, she retreats to the pages of a good book to get lost in.
Artist. Marathoner. Marketing Specialist. Tabitha brings the beauty to CLI Select Agencies’ marketing strategies with an eye for images and collateral pieces that are impossible for the viewer to resist. Chat with her for a few moments and her warmth will grab you and her passion for charity will never let you go. At any given time, she is busy training for her next half marathon as she aims for her goal of racing in each of our 50 states. (She’s almost halfway there with 18!) An avid sewer and crochet enthusiast, her drive is magnetic. She has transformed her charitable passion into action having raised $5,000 for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. When she takes a moment to chill—in between the miles—you can find her binge-watching Netflix dreaming of her next adventure.
Since joining the CLI, Agency Onboarding Recruiting Specialist, Sheryl recruits and onboards new CLI agencies and is responsible for bringing topnotch services to each one. She has a fever for helping each agency understand the CLI Select way and benefit from all the strengths our corporate team brings. She and her husband, Al, have four grown kids, three daughters and a son, and one active grandson, Aesop. Sheryl loves learning, traveling, wine, cycling, and the outdoors, not necessarily in that order. She is a native of Pittsburgh and has lived in Arizona since 2000.
