COMPANY PROFILE

About Pinnacle Surety

Pinnacle Surety was founded in 1994 in Costa Mesa, CA. Pinnacle is a professional surety bond agency which is committed to long term successful relationships with both our clients and our surety company’s. We take pride that our entire focus is on surety bonds, unlike other multi-line agencies. 

Our success is derived from getting to know our clients on a deeper level so we can better represent them to the surety company. The bonding industry is constantly changing in many different ways, making the relationship with a surety agent very important, one we take seriously.

Eric Lowey, President & Founder

After a successful career in sales and marketing, Mr. Lowey founded Pinnacle in 1994. Since that time Pinnacle has established appointments with over 20 insurance companies and is known as a “surety bond only agency” specializing in contract bonds.

Mr. Lowey has established a team of professionals and Pinnacle has gone on to become a serious competitor in the surety bond market. In Eric’s spare time, he enjoys his family, flying his plane and playing golf.

Mark Richardson, Vice President & Principal

Mr. Richardson brings a unique skill level to the Pinnacle team. While he has been with Pinnacle since 1995, his previous experience brings added value to the team and our clients. Prior to joining Pinnacle, Mr. Richardson spent the previous ten years gaining knowledge from the following industries: equipment leasing/finance, mortgage banking/ brokerage, land development, and the acquisition of shopping centers. 

As a surety bond specialist, he is able to help our clients meet their goals by aligning them with the appropriate surety, joint venture partner and/or establishing professional relationships with Attorneys, Bankers & CPAs which specialize in the construction industry. In Mark’s spare time, he enjoys his family, playing golf, horseback riding and skeet & trap shooting.

Shawn T. Blume, Vice President & Producer

Mr. Blume is a 1985 graduate of the University of Southern California. He majored in Business Administration with an emphasis in finance at USC, and completed UCLA’s Accounting Certificate Program in 1989. Shawn has extensive experience helping contractors improve their surety bond programs. He has worked in the Southern California surety industry since graduating. Shawn worked as a surety bond underwriter for the Chubb Corporation and the Reliance Group, here in Southern California, from 1985-1994. He has been a surety bond agent since 1994.

Shawn, over the years, has developed and maintained quality relationships with numerous regional and national surety companies and their underwriters. Shawn holds Power of Attorney with most surety companies that have a presence in Southern California. Shawn is a member of the National Association of Surety Bond Producers and Surety Underwriters Association of Southern California.

Stephanie Pham – General Manager

Ms. Pham has been with Pinnacle since February of 2001. Ms. Pham has a “Can Do” attitude and enjoys working with and for our clients. As all of the Pinnacle Team, she has a strong work ethic. She is detailed oriented and has outstanding organizational skills. Ms. Pham has converted our office to a paperless system. She is responsible for bonds issued through the Small Business Administration’s Surety Bond Program.

For the past 7 years, Pinnacle has been one of Top Producer of Surety Bonds (in our region) and has won an award for this performance. Ms. Pham was a vital part of that achievement.  In Stephanie’s spare time, she enjoys sewing, cooking, and traveling.

Barbara Copeland - Accounting

Mrs. Copeland joined Pinnacle in 2004. Prior to Pinnacle she was in the bookkeeping department for an independent laboratory company located on the campus at U.C. Irvine, in which she performed the duty of full charge bookkeeper for 1.5 years. Prior to UCI, Mrs. Copeland spent eight years as a full charge bookkeeper for a manufacturing firm.

The nature of her position requires organization and an attention to detail. She is extremely conscientious about customer service and enjoys people.

Irene Luong- Bond Flow Assistant

Mrs. Luong joined Pinnacle in October of 2009. Prior to joining the Pinnacle Team, she was with Marriot International, Inc. for seven years. While at Marriott she held several positions eventually managing a team responsible for customer service.

Mrs. Luong works directly with Pinnacle’s GM making sure that Pinnacle’s clients receive their bonds in a timely manner.

Jennifer “Jen” Grenrood – Business Development Associate

Jen joined Pinnacle in July of 2008. Jen has worked on both the agency and company side of the surety industry. Her background provides her exceptional insight to implementing Pinnacle’s marketing plan. Jen originally began her career in the surety industry in 1987. She has worked as branch manger for a national insurance company, an executive assistant for top surety bond producers and ran the loss recovery department for a medium sized Southern California auto repair facility.

Jen recently relocated to Idaho. She is responsible for Pinnacle’s business development and growth in the Pacific Western States. Her territory includes CA, ID, MT, OR, WA & WY In Jen’s spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, snow skiing with her son, hiking, traveling and meeting new people.