Who We Are

Established in 1997, Mid Valley General Agency is recognized as one of the premier Managing General Agencies (MGA) on the west coast.

The company is focused on the enhancement of the lives of our staff, customers, and surrounding communities. Being locally owned helps us remain flexible and we like to treat our employees and customers as part of the family.

Our Philosophy

Our philosophy is pretty simple:

  • Smile and laugh
  • Be kind
  • Do your best
  • Work hard
  • Have fun

It’s that simple.

So how does this help you?

When you call, you get a person. Not just any person, one of us. A MVGA staff member dedicated to making your day easier. Someone that wants to help solve a problem or to just listen if that’s what you need. The only time you get voicemail in our agency is when we’re either closed or in an all staff meeting. We want to talk to you and we think you prefer to talk to us too.

Our staff is dedicated to finding solutions for you and your clients. This dedication drives us to research and provide comprehensive insurance coverages for each client. We’re not a one size fits all type of shop. Every day, no matter the size of the account, we’re working with you to discover the best possible insurance coverage for your clients. We feel privileged to do this and we’re proud to offer these coverages through some of the strongest carriers in the world.

We have the expertise, drive, and carriers to get your clients covered. We understand that you have a choice in MGA’s. We just believe that you will be better off when working with us.

Our History

Mid Valley General Agency LLC (MVGA) opened its doors in July 1997, however its roots began well before that. Prior to its beginning, the founders of MVGA (Herm Deiss, Deborah Budik, and Jerry Bishop) all worked for an insurance company (Valley Insurance Company) in Albany, OR. Herm was the manager of the excess and surplus (E&S) lines department, Deborah was a commercial lines underwriter in the E&S department, and Jerry was the manager of the commercial lines division.

In late 1996 or early 1997 the company (Valley) decided that they wanted to sell the E&S book of business and they approached Herm at that time. Herm began preparations to purchase the book of business and found it necessary to bring on two partners. He asked both Deborah and Jerry to join the new entity and both readily agreed. With the formation of the LLC in place and the book of business secured, Herm opened an office in Salem, Oregon. The original staff included the three partners along with two support staff which had worked in the E&S department at Valley.

At the beginning of 2001, Cameron Deiss joined the firm as a commercial underwriter. He joined a staff that had grown from the original 5 to 8. MVGA saw dramatic growth over the next few years in both premium volume and staff. In 2004, Cameron purchased a minority share of the business from Herm.

While the contractor insurance marketplace, subsequent housing crisis and the great recession which began in 2007, was predicted to some extent within MVGA, the effects were still felt. The insurance industry as a whole saw many layoffs along with a great number of merger and acquisitions. MVGA had done a good job of insulating themselves from the disaster with the types of business underwritten and their long-standing carrier and agency relationships. The prior planning meant there were no layoff and the agency continued to be locally owned and operated by the four members.

2011 saw the retirement of Jerry and consequently, a purchase of his shares in the LLC. Jerry had directed the marketing efforts of MVGA since its inception, so there we some large shoes to fill. Luckily MVGA found and obtained a marketing rep based out of Portland that had spent his entire 35-year marketing career with large national insurance companies and was very well known to agents throughout the region.

During the beginning of 2013, Cameron began discussing purchasing all or part of Herm’s shares and in November of that year, a transaction was completed that gave Cameron majority ownership in MVGA.

January of 2014 was an exciting time for MVGA as a new agency management software (AIM) was implemented. The software greatly enhanced MVGA’s operations and it continues to expand its efficiencies and customer service levels.

October of 2014 brought sad news to MVGA and the insurance industry in the northwest as MVGA’s founder Herm Deiss passed away. He had long established himself as an expert in the insurance industry and was recognized on many occasions for this and for his charitable work throughout the state. The remaining shares from Herm’s ownership were purchased in early 2015 by the LLC, leaving two remaining members, Cameron Deiss and Deborah Budik.

MVGA was determined to find better ways to do business and as such, purchased and implemented a more robust document management system (ImageRight) in 2016. This program tied into the AIM system has taken MVGA to new heights in efficiencies and thus, customer service.

In March of 2017, MVGA moved to a newly purchased and renovated building in Salem, Oregon. The new location is more centrally located and is better suited to the needs of the staff and customers. MVGA is excited to continue its growth in its new home!

As a locally owned and operated company, MVGA strives to enhance the lives of its staff, provide profitable growth for its carriers, deliver quality products and services to its customers, and to improve the general wellbeing of the communities we work in.

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