LUBA Workers’ Comp Hires Veteran Insurance Professionals Kristie Garcia and Rick Riddell

Baton Rouge, La. (January 30, 2024) – LUBA Workers’ Comp has hired two new insurance professionals to join its growing sales and underwriting teams: UK native Kristie Garcia and Mississippi native Rick Riddell.

Based in Lafayette, LA, Garcia joins LUBA with almost 20 years of independent insurance agency experience. In her new role as a LUBA Sales Executive, she will be responsible for managing and growing relationships with LUBA’s agency partners in the Louisiana and Texas markets. Garcia’s extensive experience on the agency side of the insurance business gives her valuable perspective when it comes to providing superior customer service to LUBA’s agents and policyholders.

Based in Hattiesburg, MS, Rick joins LUBA with over 13 years of industry experience. In his new role with LUBA as a Senior Business Development Underwriter, Rick will be responsible for underwriting policies and managing agency relationships in the Mississippi market. Before joining LUBA, Rick was with Strategic Comp (a division of Great American Insurance) and State Auto Insurance.

Riddell explained that LUBA’s relationship-driven culture and genuine commitment to service were major draws for him. “I love delivering value to my agents,” he said. “At the end of the day, I know with LUBA I am providing a quality product backed by a service team who is committed to taking care of our clients.”

Garcia said that she was drawn to LUBA for similar reasons. “I always recognized that LUBA’s emphasis on relationships and customer service made them stand out from industry competitors,” she explained. “Having placed business with LUBA for years, I know firsthand how deep their relationships with their agency partners go, and I love being a part of that now.”

“Kristie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our Sales Department, and her values and goals as a professional truly align with who we are at LUBA,” said LUBA Senior Vice President Trent Bondy. “And Rick is also a natural fit for our team. He is a top-notch insurance professional, and we’re thrilled to have him as part of LUBA’s continued expansion in the Mississippi market.”