Meet Paul Locke

The Call That Never Came

In 2004, one of my rental homes in Cherokee County burned. I had to work through the entire claim on my own, because my insurance agent never called me. Not once.

That experience is the reason I got into insurance. I decided that if I was going to do this work, my clients would never wonder whether anyone was in their corner. When something goes wrong, I want you to hear from me.

Where I Come From

I was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, and grew up in Michigan, partly on the Michigan State campus. Some of my best memories are family camping trips. Our family roots run through Petoskey, Mackinaw City and the Upper Peninsula.

In 1977 my family moved to Roswell, Georgia. I went to Roswell High and finished at private schools, including DeKalb Christian Academy. In college I trained as a pilot, went to construction school, and earned a business management degree with a focus on finance.

I’m proud of my family, including my children, Andrew, born in 1995, and Alexis, born in 1999. Today I live in Savannah, Georgia.

I’ve Been in Your Shoes

Long before insurance, I was working with houses. I founded Northside Property Maintenance, renovating homes. During the savings and loan collapse, lenders hired me to finish incomplete subdivisions so they could sell them. Around 1994, I served as my own permitted general contractor on a 2,200-square-foot home with a full basement in Canton, Georgia.

I’ve also bought single-family homes and rented them out. As controller at Crown Management Corporation, I handled the numbers, and I also did move-out inspections, evictions and turnover renovations.

Later I worked in technology, first as an IT tech at Chamberlain Edmonds and then as the email engineer for North America at Siemens. I earned my MCSE along with Exchange and Internet certifications, and the work took me to Germany.

Why I Went Independent

In 2005 I bought an Allstate agency. It was a captive model, and over time I realized it didn’t let me put my customers first the way I wanted to. After about four years I moved on.

In 2009 I founded America Insurance Brokers as an independent agency and joined SIAA. Today we represent more than 20 carriers, so I can shop your coverage and find the right fit for you instead of fitting you into a single company’s products.

How I Take Care of You

We help with general liability, workers’ comp, home and auto insurance. Landlord insurance is where I bring something extra. Whether you own tenant-occupied homes or small apartment buildings, I’ve dealt with fires, evictions and vandalism myself. I know what’s at stake, and I know what it takes to get through a claim.

My promise is simple: I’ll pick up the phone, I’ll check in, and I won’t leave you to handle a hard day alone.

Giving Back

When I was in fourth grade, my family adopted a little girl from Korea. We named her Jodi, and she became my little sister, the youngest in a family with three boys. Within a year, the strain on our family meant she couldn’t stay, and the adoption agency placed her with another family. It was one of the hardest things I faced as a young man, and it has shaped me ever since. It’s a big part of why I care so much about kids in need and about families who are struggling to hold together.

I’ve been on about 20 mission trips across Central America, South America and North America. Most were construction trips: building dormitories and home additions so families could take in more children.

Through Perimeter Church’s GO Ministries, I made several trips to remote rural Guatemala, bringing medical personnel to local communities.

Let’s Talk

Whether you’re near our office in Johns Creek or our smaller office in Savannah, I’d be glad to get to know you and help protect what you’ve built. Call me at 678-648-1900 or request a quote today.

Connect with me on LinkedIn.

— Paul Locke, America Insurance Brokers | Johns Creek & Savannah, GA