Jim Summers is the president of Senior Market Sales, Inc. (SMS), a leading independent marketing organization in the insurance and financial services industry.  Under Jim’s leadership, SMS has grown to serve more than 60,000 independent agents and advisors, providing access to health and wealth solutions, technology, and support that help agents better serve the growing retirement market. Jim has served on many industry committees and was honored as the Underwriter of the Year by the Nebraska Association of Health Underwriters in 2013. Born and raised in Kansas City, Jim graduated from Rockhurst College with a degree in marketing. He served for over a decade as a key organizer of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Kansas City. “The best parade was the year my uncle Ben Teevan, born in Ireland, was the grand marshal of the parade,” he says. Jim’s mother was the first child in her family born in the U.S.. They hailed from County Cavan. His father’s family, from County Cork, moved to a small farm community in Missouri. Jim and his wife Deb, live in Omaha, Nebraska. They have three married children and two grandchildren.