Get To Know Us
Our team members have diverse backgrounds, skills, and experience, just like our clientele, allowing for a wide-range of services from our small group.
Rocco Esposito
Rocco Esposito
Rocco has been with Esposito Insurance Group since 2003, when he took over management operations from his mother Josephine, who started the agency in 1979. He believes in providing straightforward, honest advice, and works diligently to secure coverage that is right for every client’s unique circumstances. Rocco’s business philosophy also guarantees that your service is only beginning when you sign the contract, and you will never receive an automated response––only friendly, personalized service.
Rocco is a member of the Board of Directors for the South Jersey Real Estate Investors Association, a branch of the non-profit National Real Estate Investors Association, and regularly provides the group with expert advice on risk assessment and insurance coverage for businesses and investors.
Prior to joining EIG, Rocco was the Chief Technology Officer at Hunter Douglas and Maidenform. He is a graduate of Rutgers College of Engineering and holds an M.B.A. from Rutgers Graduate School of Management. In his free time, he enjoys music, modern art, reading, and physical fitness. Rocco lives in Montclair, N.J. with his wife Sue, and the couple have two adult children.
John Ortega
John Ortega
John has been working at Esposito Insurance Group since 2004 as a personal lines agent, and is fluent in both English and Spanish. He also enjoys a niche in writing specialty auto policies, including those for boats and classic cars. John also handles all information technology-related duties at the agency, so be sure to restart your machine before calling him.
John prefers working at a smaller insurance provider so he can have direct relationships with clients, and is the go-to agent for handling complex customer service cases. The lack of bureaucracy and hierarchy at Esposito Insurance Group eliminates a layer of management and complexity that allows him to meet client needs in the most expeditious and efficient manner.
John holds a B.A. in finance from Rutgers University and lives in Edgewater, N.J. with his wife and 20-year-old son. He enjoys traveling, especially to his second home in the Dominican Republic.
Allison Lawhorn
Allison Lawhorn
Allison began working at Esposito Insurance Group in 2007 while still in college. She ended up enjoying the insurance industry and decided to stay after graduation and become a licensed agent.
Allison has excelled at the agency and is an integral part of our small and tight-knit team. She specializes in commercial closings and summaries, is an organizational genius, and is known for completing tasks so quickly and perfectly that she is one of the main reasons our small group can service a large number of clients.
Because of the cross-over of responsibilities at Esposito Insurance Group, Allison can put her skills to use in multiple areas of the industry, ensuring that each workday is different from the last. Another benefit to this structure is that Allison and her colleagues are able to personalize policies to meet individual client needs.
Allison holds a B.S. in math from New Jersey City University. She is a big music enthusiast and enjoys attending live concerts with her husband Raheem. The couple live in North Caldwell, N.J.
Madeline Santana
Madeline Santana
Madeline joined our group in 2007 and quickly worked her way up to become a top agent. Conversant in both English and Spanish, she excels at providing unequivocal customer service, and is our go-to life insurance specialist. Madeline works hard to assess each client’s circumstances and risk factors to provide the best protection for their family and assets.
Collaborating directly with coworkers to provide specialized assistance and quickly solve customer challenges is a satisfying part of Madeline’s workday. She stresses that these close partnerships and resulting efficiency would not be possible at a large agency or carrier.
Madeline holds a B.S. in business administration from Berkeley College. She and her husband Hector live in Bloomfield, N.J.
In her free time, Madeline enjoys crafting, running a book club, spending time with family and friends, and being the taste tester of Hector’s specialty cocktails. She also likes to sample local restaurants and visit Nashville whenever possible to hear country music, her favorite genre.
Rich Rickards
Rich Rickards
Rich is an agent based in Voorhees, N.J. who joined our group in 2017. He provides a full range of policies by serving clients with personal lines, real estate, and commercial needs.
While always providing the best value, Rich strives to protect his customer’s assets and educate them on the differences among a wide range of policy choices.
Having lived in South Jersey his entire life, Rich understands claims and policies specific to the area, which ranges from heavily populated urban to rural farmland. Rich is very committed to his local community, including being a member of his town’s zoning board and volunteering for the local fire department. He is also a leader of the South Jersey Real Estate Investors Association Landlording Group where he advises members on property risk management.
Rich holds a degree in business and lives with his wife Karyn and their dog Milo. The couple have two adult daughters.
Millet Cespedes
Millet Cespedes
Millet joined our agency in 2021, and may be the first person who greets you when you call or visit. She skillfully and efficiently processes mortgage payments and policy updates, along with a myriad of other office tasks on a daily basis. She is a licensed agent, a fluent Spanish speaker, and has additional experience in health insurance billing and universal banking. Millet also ran her own small business making and selling custom apparel during the pandemic.
Wide-ranging experience and a comfort level with a variety of responsibilities makes Millet an invaluable asset to our office. She holds a B.A. in business administration from Montclair State University and currently resides in Nutley, N.J. Millet enjoys arts and crafts and making cooking videos in her spare time.
Rocco Genova
Rocco Genova
Rocco joined EIG as a part-time insurance agent in 2015, and specializes in providing both commercial and personal lines of insurance to his clients. He has a background in human resources, telecommunications, and recruiting–experience that underscores his public speaking and customer service skills.
Rocco is highly motivated, and focused on providing his customers with quality care and coverage. He lives in Woodbridge, N.J., and enjoys spending free time with his wife and four children.
Matthew Cherico
Matthew Cherico
Working from his home office in Arvada, Colorado, Matthew joined the agency in 2017. He excels in specialized customer service issues and is our go-to agent for complex billing needs and questions.
A New Jersey native, Matthew enjoys helping clients while having the opportunity to talk to new people each day. He also appreciates being part of a small, tight-knit group and praises his coworkers for being kind and supportive.
Matthew holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Montclair State University, and a master’s degree in English literature from Washington State University. With a varied career background that includes teaching and gardening, we feel fortunate to now have Matthew as part of our insurance team.
Matthew is single and enjoys cooking, reading, hiking, and watching movies in his spare time.
Patrick Barr
Patrick Barr
Despite being the newest member of our group, Patrick has quickly established himself as a successful agent, spending time quoting commercial policies, underwriting, and forming new and current client relationships.
Patrick enjoys the fundamental analysis of risk, which is the heart of the insurance industry. He also likes aiding clients and competing with other agencies to acquire new business.
Patrick holds a B.S. in finance from Fordham University where he was a four-year member of the football team. He also enjoys cheering on the Jets and Yankees. An interesting fact about Patrick: he plays the saxophone.
