Who we are

While each of us in the office has a different role, we always work as a team. All of us are committed to guide you through the maze that is health insurance and employee benefits, and we will do that by providing you with the highest level of advice and service you can receive anywhere. As our client, you are ‘on the team’ and together we will help you negotiate a very complex and important part of your life. We will fight with you every step of the way and together, we will build a successful long-term working relationship that will help you grow and prosper.

John Helms

  • John is an insurance broker and the owner of John Helms & Associates in Walnut Creek, Calif.  His role at the firm includes advising clients, sales and marketing, and day to day operations. He started JH&A in 1995 in Lafayette, CA. Today he provides over 140 firms of varying sizes with employee benefits that covers more than 1500 individuals.

    In 2015-2016 John was the President of the Golden Gate Association of Health Underwriters.

    Going way back, John graduated from California State University, Chico, with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance in 1985. He started his professional career in 1986 as an agent with the Equitable Life Insurance Company in San Francisco and in 1990 he worked as a wholesaler for SAFECO Life Insurance Company in San Ramon California.

    John was raised in Northern California and lives with his family in Lafayette.

Margaret Irias

  • Margaret is in charge of running the office and customer service. Her diligence and attention to detail are what keeps the operation running smoothly and our clients happy. A large part of her job is helping with critical tasks such as enrollments, terminations, and changes and she communicates with our customers and carriers to make sure that it is done right. A wearer of many hats, she is also our individual and family plan specialist in the office and works one-on-one with clients from quoting and enrollment to servicing of their plan should any concerns arise. She has excellent interpersonal skills and a natural compassion that makes her perfect for the role and combined with her skill with computers and technology, she is a very valuable asset to our firm.

    Outside the office, Margaret enjoys spending time outdoors and staying active. She is an East Bay native having grown up in Walnut Creek and now lives with her family in Rocklin, California.

Trish Hewison

  • For 11 years Trish was the office manager handling most of the day to day operation. She can still do just about everything but now plays a more specialized role. Beginning about 10 years ago she became semi-retired and now comes in 2 days a week. We are very lucky to still have her.

    Today her primary role today is helping our clients with the more complex or prolonged customer service issues including claims, billing, and troubleshooting. She is incredibly valuable at backing up the team so we are never shorthanded and always does so using her knowledge, experience, and personal touch.

    Trish is an avid cyclist with a love of the outdoors including hiking, camping, and traveling.

Jenny Helms

  • Jenny is the ‘Executive Assistant’ for the office.  She fills in for everyone when we hit overflow, allowing us to manage the customer service ebbs and flows.  She handles many of the ‘back office’ tasks such as working with vendors, database maintenance, and general and sundry paperwork. 

    Mrs. Helms has a great skill set.  Her medical background gives her a fantastic perspective on insurance.  She is smart, meticulous and pays close attention to details. 

    Jenny is a fantastic cook.  She likes walking Monty, our pet poodle, working on our house, and raising a freshman who goes to De La Salle.     

We try not to be all things to all people so if you are in need of services outside of the realm of our expertise we will make every effort to put you in contact with companies and professionals that specialize in what you are looking for. Over the years, we have developed a close network of insurance carriers, agents, general agents, financial planners, estate planners, insurance brokers, attorneys, and accountants. Our goal is to make sure that you and your business receives proper attention.

Ready to talk?

Call or email us to set up a confidential no-cost consultation on how we can help your business.