We help you transform surety credit from a hassle
to a competitive advantage.
The surety program for your business, especially if your business is contracting, is literally the lifeblood of the operation. Without bonds, you can’t be considered for public market segment opportunities and, very possibly, a significant portion of the private market segments. To be competitive, you need the very best surety professionals possible handling your account.
10 Timely Questions to Assess your Surety Team
Is your Surety team as good as it should be? Talk to the professionals at Cretcher Heartland; we turn all of these questions into answers and solutions. Ask yourself:
- Do you know exactly where your surety program is now or is it very vague?
- What size of jobs can you bid?
- How is the surety analyzing your working capital and net worth, which are the two major drivers of surety credit?
- What is the financial condition of your surety? Are they experiencing losses which could affect your surety program?
- When was the last time you met with your surety?
- Will your surety agent be able to help you if you need to make a claim on someone’s bond or find a new CPA, attorney, or banker?
- Do you know what you need to do to expand your surety program?
- Do you have a pro-active approach with your surety professional?
- How well does your surety agent know the surety personnel, from the local level all the way up to the President of the surety operation?
- Is your surety agent recognized by others as an industry expert?
If these questions leave you feeling less than confident about your surety program, contact us. With nearly a century of collective experience in surety, we’re ready to help you transform your surety credit strategy from a hassle to a clear competitive advantage.
Meet the key members of our Surety team
Erle Benton, Bond Dept. Mgr.
Erle graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. From 1984 to 1995, he worked for a leading insurance company as an underwriter, senior underwriter, and supervisory underwriter before joining a leading regional property and casualty insurance company as Senior Surety Underwriter. During the next 11 years, he was promoted to Assistant Vice President responsible for surety business in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, and Missouri. Erle joined the Cretcher Heartland Agency in 2006 as their Bond Manager.
Erle Benton holds the coveted CPCU (Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriters) and AFSB (Associate in Fidelity and Surety Bonding) designations. He is active with many surety and construction related associations both locally and nationally. He has held all of the officer position of the Surety Association of Kansas City. Erle is also a member of the NASBP Professional Development and Education Committee.
Kelly Watson
Ms. Watson began her illustrious career in the surety bond business in 1994 at a leading global insurance broker, where she held a variety of positions. In November 1997, she joined the surety bond division at Cretcher Heartland. Kelly has received several agency internal awards for outstanding performance and service to her internal and external customers.
Kari Boekman
Kari Boeckman graduated from Hannibal-LaGrange University in Missouri with a B/S in Business Administration. Prior to moving to Kansas City to join the Cretcher Heartland team, Kari worked at a Jefferson City, Missouri insurance agency as an account manager in financial services.
She holds insurance licenses in Property and Casualty as well as Life and Health. She is an active member in her community and is very involved with local civic organizations.
How do we help you stay ahead of rapid developments and changes in the surety industry? One way is through our active