Our Mission

As industry professionals and insurance course instructors, we discovered there were a limited number of choices available to students preparing for their pre-licensing examination coursework. Students were forced to select from either large national organizations offering an abundance of irrelevant information or cheap and poorly designed internet-based, self-study courses. Most of these courses are generic and geared to use across the country. They don't incorporate the nuances and intricacies required to understand the Michigan insurance landscape.

Along with our years of industry experience, we have successfully taught pre-licensing courses that often have the highest pass rates in the State of Michigan.  As an Associate Professor of Insurance and Risk Management at The University of Olivet, Tom designed courses to create a positive experience for students while serving the demands of today’s insurance professionals. 

Our goal is to make learning enjoyable and to assist you successfully passing your state insurance producer licensing exam, THE FIRST TIME! 

Meet Our Instructors

Gregory Brown, DBA, CIC

Instructor

Gregory Brown, DBA, CIC, is an adjunct instructor at The University of Olivet. In this role, Brown runs the ERESA dual-credit high school insurance program. He also supports the graduate and undergraduate levels of insurance, accounting, and business disciplines. Previously, Brown was a district trainer for Farmers Insurance, where he supported 35 agencies and was involved in agent recruitment. Agency support included implementing marketing initiatives, training agents on KPIs, initial business set-ups, and policy comprehension. Before this, Brown was a licensed driver education instructor who managed a 35-location operation, supervising 60+ instructors and graduating 3000+ students annually. With a career spanning over 35 years, Brown has made significant contributions to the service industry. He pioneered the first commercial provider curriculum for instructor certification in driver education, approved by the State of Michigan. His dedication to improving curriculums in his assigned classes has been recognized with awards for sales growth and teaching achievements, including the prestigious ADTSEA’s national teacher of the year award for driver educators in 2007. Brown's academic journey is marked by notable achievements. He graduated from Walden University, earning a DBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship. His pursuit of knowledge included an MBA from Grand Valley State University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Davenport School of Business. To further enhance his insurance expertise, he earned the CIC designation through the National Alliance. Brown's commitment to professional growth is evident as he is currently a licensed insurance producer in the state of Michigan.

Ron Devers, CIC, CPIA, CAWC, CIE

Instructor

Ronald Devers is Director of Agency Operations for PSI Insurance Agency located in Lansing Michigan. He began his insurance career in 1989. He developed his expertise by working for several companies including AAA, Farm Bureau and Auto Glass Specialists, but found his true calling for insurance and education after joining PSI Insurance Agency as a producer in 2005. He was promoted to Agency Manager in 2010 where has expanded the Agency’s line of insurance products and developed his niche by understanding the needs of pharmacists and pharmacies. Ron is involved in his local agent’s association having served as its president from 2012 until 2022, as well as serving as chair of the Professional Development Committee for the Big “I” Michigan (formerly MAIA). Ron also served on the Big I Michigan board of directors for 7 years. Ron has received numerous designations in his field, including certified insurance counselor, certified professional insurance agent, certified authority in worker’s compensation, and most recently certified insurance educator. Ron was honored when he was inducted into the 2014 and 2021 President’s Club by Auto Owners Insurance. Ron is also an ordained minister and a standup comic in his spare time. He combines his expertise in the insurance industry with his passion for helping his clients and other professionals.

David Smith

Instructor

David Smith joined the insurance industry in 1988 as a college intern at State Farm Insurance.  David graduated from Illinois State University in 1990 with a degree in Business Management.  He also played outside linebacker for the ISU Redbirds. Upon graduation, he gained experience at State Farm in Human Resources, Administrative Services, Public Affairs and Claims.  David began his agency journey in 1997 as a State Farm Agent in Clarkston, Michigan.  He began teaching insurance courses at Kaplan Financial in 2004.  David is a former Board of Education Trustee for Waterford Schools and currently serves on the Girls Gear Foundation Board of Directors and Chairs the Rochester University Foundation Board of Directors.  In 2022, he was appointed by the Governor to serve on the State Board of Chiropractic.   David is an Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at the University of Olivet.  He is also a USA/NCAA certified coach for the Michigan Mystics Travel Club as well as president of PlayAllBasketball.net and PlayAllMedia.net.

Founder and Support Staff

Tom Humphreys, CPCU, CLU, ChFC, CIC

Founder

In 1989, Tom created a scratch insurance agency with Farmers Insurance Group, advising clients on appropriate policies and coverage to protect their families. In 1997, he took his experience as a successful business owner to guide and mentor other individuals as a district manager for Farmers Insurance Group in west Michigan. In 2006, in addition to his position with Farmers, Tom became an instructor for Kaplan University, teaching property and casualty, life, accident and health, and continuing education courses. In 2010, he opted to get back into sales as an independent insurance agent while continuing to teach at Kaplan, and in 2015, Tom joined the faculty at The University of Olivet and is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Risk Management and Insurance Center. He was also appointed to the Michigan Auto Insurance Placement Facility’s Board of Governors by the State of Michigan’s Director of Insurance from July 2017 to September 2019. To demonstrate his dedication to continued education and professionalism, Tom has earned professional designations from the American College, The National Alliance, and the Insurance Institute of America. He has earned the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designations. Tom holds a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications from Michigan State University and a Master of Business Administration from Kaplan University.

Ingrid Humphreys

Program Administrator

Ingrid is your contact for assistance with class registration, state licensing exam logistics, password resets, and other general questions related to Michigan School of Insurance course offerings. She is passionate about education and is eager to assist you in passing your state licensing exam.