VENTURA,California – Brenda Allison, founder of two successful Ventura County insurance agencies and the Chief Executive Officer of Coast General Insurance Brokers, has been selected to receive the Women’s Economic Ventures’ Trailblazer Award.
The annual award celebrates inspirational businesswomen in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties who have succeeded in challenging gender norms in society through sheer passion, commitment, vision and grit. Trailblazers are active community members and philanthropists whose accomplishments serve as an uplifting example to other women entrepreneurs.
Allison is a business insurance specialist, helping business owners manage their everyday risks and overcome the unexpected. She’s the founder of two insurance agencies in Ventura County, including Allison Commercial Insurance Agency, Inc., which she merged into Coast General Insurance Brokers in 2007. Since then she has continued to acquire new businesses and expand her agency’s insurance services beyond Ventura County into San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties.
A recipient of numerous business-related awards, Allison holds a Bachelor of Science degree in urban and public affairs and a Master of Business Administration in marketing. She earned her Health Insurance Professional (HIP) designation in 2010 and her Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist (AFIS) designation in 2011.
Outside of her insurance work, Allison is a long-standing member of the Rotary Club of Ventura and significantly involved in numerous local educational and non-profit organizations. She serves as an executive board member and human resources committee chair for Casa Pacifica, serves on the Ventura County Credit Union supervisory committee, is the founder and past chairperson of Latinos In Business at the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce, and founder of the Cuban Culture Club of Ventura County.
As an award recipient, Allison will join the Women’s Economic Ventures’ Trailblazer Society, and serve as an ambassador for the organization at WEV events. Women’s Economic Ventures works across Santa Barbara and Ventura counties to empower women entrepreneurs by providing training, consultation and loans to help them start and grow their businesses.
“Women’s Economic Ventures is delighted to recognize Brenda Allison for her inspiring business and community leadership,” said WEV CEO Kathy Odel. “She has been a strong advocate for women in business and we invite the community to see Brenda accept her award virtually.”
Allison will be recognized at WEV’s Empowerment is Priceless fundraising event on October 15 at 9 a.m. Visit www.wevonline.org/eip for more information and to register.
About Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV), www.wevonline.org
Women’s Economic Ventures is a non-profit dedicated to creating an equitable and just society through the economic empowerment of women. WEV provides training, consulting and loans to help entrepreneurs start, grow and thrive in business. WEV serves Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. While WEV targets its services toward women, it helps men as well. Services are provided in both English and Spanish.
Since 1991, WEV has provided business training and consulting to more than 17,500 women and men throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. WEV has made over $5.5 million in business loans, and helped more than 4,500 local businesses start or expand. WEV-supported businesses generate more than $300 million in annual sales revenue and have created nearly 9,000 jobs. WEV is a U.S. Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Center, a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), and an SBA Microlender.
- For more information about Women’s Economic Ventures visit www.wevonline.org or call 805-456-2356.
- For more information about Brenda Allison and Coast General Insurance Brokers visit www.CoastGeneralinsurance.com, call 805-644-4740, or e-mail info@coastgeneralinsurance.com.
Coast General Insurance Brokers’ main office is located at 2775 N. Ventura Road, Suite 209, in Oxnard.