If you had to sum up Piedmont in one word, we think you’d settle on responsive. We take a lot of pride in our ability to respond quickly to the needs of agents, policyholders, carriers and brokers alike. This attitude is borne out of our appreciation for the opportunity to help people get the coverage they need. We provide the payment mechanism without which many people would not have access to that coverage. And we think that’s a pretty big deal.
This philosophy starts with our company founder, Tim Johnson.
Timothy Johnson – Founder/President – Columbus, Georgia
Tim’s financial services career spans over 30 years. His innovative approach to managing the bill payment process has led to Piedmont’s explosive growth.
Tim began working in financial services in 1980 joining Columbus Bank & Trust as a computer programmer. He continued his career in financial services at TSYS, the world’s largest credit card processor as the head of new product development, and then at Bank One (now JP Morgan Chase).
Most recently Tim was Vice President of Financial Services at InComm the industry’s leading marketer, distributor and technology innovator of stored-value gift and prepaid products.
During his career Tim has helped create more than 20 new products including fraud detection software, pre-paid gift card processing software, and prepaid debit card systems. These efforts and experience paved the way for the development of Piedmont’s patent-pending architecture.
Johnson attended Auburn University and Columbus State University.
Tripp Amos – Chairman – Columbus, Georgia
William L. “Tripp” Amos III purchased an equity interest in Piedmont, and joined the company as Chairman in 2018. Amos is a member of Aflac’s founding family, and has been in the voluntary/worksite business for over 25 years.
Most recently, he served as a Market Director for Aflac for 13 years, and has held numerous leadership positions in the company for the past two decades. Amos has been a Piedmont advocate since the company’s inception, and has long served as an informal advisor.
In his role as Chairman, Tripp develops strategic relationships with Piedmont’s carrier partners to create a more seamless experience for agents, brokers and policyholders, as well as positioning Piedmont as a critical component of the carrier’s corporate goals.
Tripp holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration & Management from Furman University, and an MBA in Marketing from Emory University.
Brian Hicks – Chief Business Development Officer – Nashville, Tennessee
Brian began his career in 1989 with the nation’s leading supplemental health insurer, Aflac, while still in college. After earning his degree in Speech Communication from Columbus State University, he spent 20 years with the company before retiring at age 40 to begin a writing, speaking and consulting career in 2009.
He joined the Piedmont team in 2012 to lead the company’s national launch, because he recognized that Piedmont was “an idea whose time has come.” He knows firsthand the frustration of a decision maker who will not payroll deduct. Today he is responsible for developing agent and broker partnerships, and growing the company’s national sales & marketing initiatives.
Brian is the former sales columnist for Benefits Selling Magazine (2012 – 2016), and author of the inspirational novel, The Tinderbox Tapes. He is a sought-after speaker at state, regional & national NAHU and NAIFA events, and he regularly keynotes at industry conferences and carrier meetings.