Meet Our Team

At Keener Insurance Solutions, we've built our team with individuals who have the highest standards for client communication and servicing. No matter who you interact with at Keener Insurance Solutions, you'll have the best experience possible.

Get Familiar With The Keener Insurance Solutions Team

Michael bio

Michael Keener, CIC

Owner
Office Number: 262-293-9144 Ext. 101
Cell Phone Number: 414-737-8292
Fax: 262-293-9254

My career insurance began in 2004 when my dreams of becoming a professional golfer had to come to an end. I wanted a rewarding career which gave me the opportunity to help serve as many people as I could at the highest level.  I was approached by an agency owner who thought I would be a good fit and I jumped at the opportunity. Over the past 20 years I have blessed to help hundreds of families and businesses protect their assets, work through complex claims and be there for them when they need us the most. My relationship with my clients has always been focused on being a true trusted partner, insurance expert and advocate for their needs. They are more than clients to me. These are my friends, neighbors and business owners in my community. I think of them as family.  My goal is to make insurance more engaging for the consumer so they can make more informed decisions. 

 

When I’m not helping clients, I’m running my 9 and 11 year old girls to and from basketball, volleyball and cheer practice. My wife Sandy is an Assistant Nurse Manager at Froedtert in the CVICU. Her passion for helping others has always been an inspiration to me personally and professionally. When I’m not traveling or spending time with the family, I can typically be found out on one of our many wonderful local golf courses.

Meet Michael
Austin Bio

Austin Durham

VP of Business Development
Office Number: 262-293-9144
Fax: 262-293-9254

Austin, a graduate of Ripon College, joined Keener Insurance Solutions in January, 2024 after spending over 22 years in Sales leadership roles at Kemper Insurance. At Kemper, Austin was the Wisconsin Sales Executive for 11 years managing nearly 300 agency locations throughout the state, including working with Michael Keener and KIS from day one. Austin is a respected insurance expert in Wisconsin with a focus at KIS related to agency operations, carrier relationships, team-building and management, as well as sales. When he’s not wearing multiple hats at KIS, Austin loves following University of Oregon athletics and playing softball. He is an avid reader of history, travel and geography He has lived in 10 states and visited 49. He and his wife Jackie enjoy watching their three daughters participate in numerous sports and activities and traveling around the country.   

Meet Austin
Claire bio

Claire Rogers

Director of Marketing
Office Number: 262-293-9144
Fax: 262-293-9254

Since the summer of 2022, Claire has been developing and implementing robust social media strategies and marketing initiatives for Keener Insurance Solutions (KIS) to increase brand visibility and drive engagement. Claire is a 2023 graduate from UW-Superior with a bachelor's degree in Communications and Marketing and has been freelancing part-time with KIS for almost 2 years. She has also been working with Green Onion Creative, a digital marketing agency based in Milwaukee, as a Marketing Coordinator for the past 2 years. Through these experiences over the years, she has built a skillset and community to become the well-rounded digital marketer that she is. With a keen eye for detail, a strategic mindset, and the ability to coordinate with team members to deliver marketing objectives that get measurable results, she plays an important role in our agency's success. 

Meet Claire
Joe bio

Joe Pavon

Risk Manager
Office Number: 262-293-9144 Ext. 105
Fax: 262-293-9254

Joe Pavon is a highly motivated educator of all things insurance with a very savvy technical side. He is willing do business the way that YOU want to do business. In his office, at your house, over the phone, text, email, zoom, or dinner and drinks. He wants to see you be successful with your own business, your community and in your personal life. His number one concern is making sure that his clients obtain the absolute best insurance coverage at an extremely competitive price and educating them along the way. He knows that your time is very important, and so is his, so he tries to make the process as simple and seamless as possible. He looks forward to servicing your account for many years to come. Have an Insurance question or need some advice? ASK JOE!!

Meet Joe
Jesus bio

Jesus Sandoval

Risk Manager
Office Number: 262-293-9144
Fax: 262-293-9254

Jesus joined Keener Insurance Solutions in October 2023. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a degree in Marketing with an emphasis on Sales. Jesus began his insurance career as a college intern with Acuity Insurance before accepting a full-time position as a Claims Representative. At Acuity, Jesus handled 1st and 3rd party auto, property and general liability claims. Jesus’s claims experience helped him build a foundation of “real life” insurance expertise he provides to his customers on a daily basis. Jesus enjoys spending time with his loved ones and enjoys everything sports.  

Meet Jesus
Mike bio

Mike Shimon

Risk Manager
Office Number: 262-293-9144
Fax: 262-293-9254

Mike Shimon joined Keener Insurance Solutions as a Risk Manager in February and has over a decade of experience as a life insurance agent serving families with a specialty in pre-planning. Mike’s primary focus is to help serve people anywhere in the great state of Wisconsin and believes an honest and sincere approach is the only way to build a lasting and trusted relationship. Mike and his wife Amy have four children; Owen, Eleanor, Anderson and Olvia. He enjoys coaching his kids in soccer and basketball and enjoys golf, road biking, mountain biking and spending time outdoors hiking with his family.  

Meet Mike
Keener-Insurance-Solutions-Account-Manager-Cynthia

Cynthia Gomez

Account Manager
Office Number: 262-293-9144 Ext. 104
Fax: 262-293-9254

Cynthia Gomez has been an Account Manager at Keener Insurance Solutions since July 2020. She is originally from El Salvador and has university studies in Public Affairs and Communications. She has enriched her academic background with courses at Fresno City College, Mohawk College, and most recently, she completed the Pathway Connect Certificate from Brigham Young University. With over 15 years of experience, Cynthia has played pivotal customer service roles in bilingual environments, for renowned companies like Cannon and Nissan North America. Her strengths lie in a detail-oriented approach, adept multi-case handling, and effective task prioritization. Beyond her professional achievements, Cynthia is a spiritual and family-focused individual who finds joy in beach outings and road trips, reflecting her adventurous spirit.  She is always willing to help others and is ready to serve our clients at the highest level possible.

Meet Cynthia
Keener-Insurance-Solutions-Account-Manager-Cherry

Cherry Cabal

Customer Service Specialist
Office Number: 262-293-9144 Ext. 103
Fax: 262-293-9254

Cherry looks forward to providing the very best customer service to our clients.  She is detail orientated and has a passion and desire to help others.  She has a bachelors degree in nursing and years of experience working for UPS in a call center.  Cherry looks forward to processing any policy changes you may have along with processing claims and answering billing questions.  She will also be on the front lines of personal lines quoting and remarketing accounts for our current clients as it becomes necessary over time.  She is very talented and will be utilized in many different ways.  *Cherry is not a licensed insurance agent so if something comes up that is outside of her authority, you will be live transferred to a licensed agent for more assistance.

Meet Cherry
Arianne-Sarmiento-Account-Manager-Keener-Insurance-Solutions-

Arianne Sarmiento

Account Manager
Office Number: 262-293-9144 Ext. 109
Fax: 262-293-9254

Arianne started her career as a Customer Service Representative in 2010, gaining skills in customer service and handling inquiries and complaints. With expertise in handling escalated situations, efficiently managing various administrative tasks, and meticulous attention to detail, she has strong problem-solving abilities and is dedicated to continuously improving service quality. Outside of work, Arianne is a proud mom who loves to cook and eat out with her family. She enjoys every moment of being a mom to her little boy!

Meet Arianne
Joanne

Joanne Balgue

Account Manager
Office Number: 262-293-9144
Fax: 262-293-9254

Joanne joined KIS in September, 2024 after nearly 11 years of experience supporting high level executives at UPS GBS. Her strong organizational and decision-making skills enable her to manage multiple tasks with precision and attention to detail. She also brings valuable experience in managing a Healthcare Customer Service Team and addressing escalations, consistently delivering exceptional service in fast-paced environments, particularly when working with clients. In her free time, Joanne enjoys cooking for her family and spending quality time with her daughter.

Meet Joanne
Beverly

Beverly Pineda

Account Manager
Office Number: 262-293-9144
Fax: 262-293-9254

With a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and over 18 years of experience in customer service, Beverly (Bevs) is passionate about ensuring customers are more than satisfied. Her expertise in handling escalations, facilitating training sessions, and providing personalized coaching to team members makes her an invaluable addition to the KIS team and she takes great pride in contributing to the agency’s success. Outside of work, Bevs loves spending quality time with her family, watching movies, and cooking.

Meet Beverly

WE'RE CREATIVE

WE'RE PASSIONATE

WE'RE THE SOLUTION