Celedinas is president and CEO of Celedinas Insurance Group of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The agency, which was founded by Celedinas’ father in 1959, employs 85 people and serves more than 20,000 families and businesses. Ranked number 14 in Insurance Journal’s 2008 Personal Line Leaders, the agency has approximately $85 million in direct written premium and is currently licensed in 25 states.
According to Smart Choice® CEO Douglas S. Witcher, the move allows agents in Florida to finally benefit from the strengths of the program. “We have had a lot of interest from Florida agents for years,” Witcher explains. “But, until meeting Ray, we’ve never had the right individual to lead our efforts in the state. Ray and his team are well-equipped to provide Florida independent agents with the opportunity to have access to nationally-known, top-rated insurance carriers and benefit from Smart Choice’s training, education and support.”
“We want to provide as many Florida agents as possible the freedom to thrive instead of merely survive in the industry,” Celedinas explained. “We have been very successful here with our retail operation, and we believe we can help any motivated agent with high aspirations take his or her agency to the next level.”
Celedinas graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Risk Management and Insurance and immediately went to work in the family’s agency, which had three employees. After becoming the top producing agency in the history of a well known direct writer, Celedinas Insurance Group made the move to the independent agency channel. Today, the agency is on the fast track, growing and expanding into new markets and product lines in partnership with many of America’s preeminent insurance carriers.