The Farris "Family"

Farris Family
From left to right: Jean, Melissa, Tim, Kevin, Rick, Lori, Tasha, and Mike.
We at the Farris Insurance Agency, take pride in our ability to take care of you, our customer.  With over one hundred and fifty years of combined insurance, service, and risk management experience, we are equipped to evaluate your personal and your business insurance needs.  We can help you to determine what coverages will best help you protect your business and personal assets.  You can feel secure in knowing that we will help you if and when that need for protection arises.

Our History

PictureKevin, Samuel, Charlie, Tim and Rick at Christmas 2014.
 In 1972 Charlie Farris started the Farris Insurance Agency in a single wide trailer.  In the 44 years since, this family business has grown into a 3,700 square foot office which helps to service thousands of customers in 15 states.  Charlie's three sons (Kevin, Rick and Tim) manage the agency and serve as licensed agents. These three brothers, along with four other agents -- Mike (Charlie's grandson), Tasha, Lori and Melissa -- continue to grow the agency into a local powerhouse which services Personal, Commercial, and specialty accounts of all sizes.

Meet our Agents

Kevin Farris

Kevin Started in the agency in 1981.  As a licensed agent, Kevin has over 35 years of Insurance industry experience, ranging from sales, to marketing, to customer service.  He holds licenses in Property & Casualty, Life, Accident and Health, Medicare Supplements and Long Term Care. In 1991, Kevin wrote the agency's first Collector Vehicle policy.  In that time, Kevin has spearheaded the agency's efforts to become one of the largest Collector Vehicle agencies in the country with our "Classic Cars and Hot Rods" program.  He is an active member of Faith Community Church, in Connelly Springs, NC and also involves himself in other various community organizations. Kevin is married with one adult son (Mike Farris) and resides in Rutherford College.  Kevin enjoys spending time with his family, especially his two grandsons.

Rick Farris

Rick joined Charlie and his brother Kevin at the agency in January 1985, after graduating from the Appalachian State University Risk Management program and immediately earned his license in Property and Casualty.  Rick is proficient all aspects of the agency's business, ranging from Personal Lines, Commercial Lines, Bonds, and Customer Service.  Along with sales and service, Rick is the agency's bookkeeper and financial manager.  Rick is an active member at the Morganton First Church of God, and lives in Valdese with his wife Rhonda.  Rick has three adults sons, and enjoys traveling, spending time with his family and riding jetskis.
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Tim Farris

Tim joined his father and two older brothers in the agency in 1989, earning his CISR designation in 2005.  Beginning in 2000, Tim began to narrow his focus in the agency to the Commercial Lines and Collector Vehicle programs, and has done so ever since.  In those 16 years, Tim has attended hundreds of Collector Car shows in eight states.  Tim, along with his brother Kevin, have grown the Farris Insurance brand of "Classic Cars and Hot Rods" into one of the premier Collector Car agencies in the country.  Currently, Farris Insurance is one of the largest producers of Grundy Worldwide Insurance in the country.  Tim is married and resides with his wife in Valdese, NC.  Tim has three daughters, and has just recently become a grandfather for the first time!
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Tasha Perkins

When Tasha was hired in 1999, little did we know that she would become the longest serving, non-Farris employee.  Tasha started out answering the phones, and in the years since, has become our Personal Lines Manager.  In 2000, Tasha got her Property and Casualty license and in 2006 she earned her Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designation.  Tasha has expertise in all aspects of the Personal Lines, including but not limited to Auto, Home, Personal Umbrella, Classic/Collector Vehicles, Motorcycles, Travel Trailers and Boats and is a skilled Customer Service Representative as well.  In 2003, Tasha married her husband, and now has two daughters.  She enjoys camping and spending time with her family on the weekends.
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Mike Farris

After graduating from Presbyterian College (Clinton, SC) in 2003, Mike worked five years at a residential treatment facility in Pittsboro, NC before moving back to Burke County.  In 2009, Mike joined his father and two uncles in the family business, working mainly in Personal Lines and Customer Service.  Mike earned his CISR designation in 2012 and in 2016, he developed the Bright Brewing Insurance Program in an attempt to fill a need in the emerging Craft Beer Market.  In doing so, Mike has turned his focus more towards the Commercial Lines, along with his two uncles.  In 2012, Mike married his wife Jana, and has two young sons, Samuel and Isaac.  A craft beer enthusiast, Mike enjoys all styles and is an avid home brewer.  In his spare time, Mike loves spending time with his family, playing with his sons, fishing, camping and watching sports.

Lori Collins

Lori Collins started her insurance career in 1999, and joined the Farris Insurance Agency in 2012.  Lori specializes in our Collector Car program, and in the past year has helped grow our Collector Vehicle business by leaps and bounds, often traveling to car shows in surrounding states and meeting our customers.  Lori also has years of experience in  Commercial lines, Personal lines and Life Insurance as well.  Lori is married with three children and four grandchildren.  Lori is a lover of the outdoors, and enjoys hiking, camping, boating and the Carolina Panthers

Melissa Price

​Melissa started her insurance career in 1979 and joined the Farris Insurance Agency, Inc. in 2015.  Melissa is also a product of a family insurance agency, learning the ropes at the business her father started, Walker Insurance Agency in Taylorsville, NC.  Her specialties include, Church Insurance, Personal Lines -- such as Home, Auto, Personal Umbrella, Specialty Vehicles -- as well as Commercial Lines, and Life Insurance.  Melissa has two children (Felicity & Nathan) and four (yes, FOUR) dogs; three resuce Labs (Sally, Tucker & Holly) and one Chihuaha (Skipper).  Melissa resides in Taylorsville, NC and loves spending time with her family and friends.  She is an active member of Cross Point Church in Taylorsville.

Jean Shepherd​

Jean has over 25 years in the insurance industry and brings a wealth of knowledge, as the newest addition to the Farris Insurance family when she started with us in November of 2019.  Jean's specialties include all lines of personal insurance, including Auto, Home, Umbrella, Inland Marine and specialty lines (i.e. motorcycles, motor homes, travel trailers, etc.).  Jean enjoys meeting new people, cooking and watching the NFL's Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders.  She has one son and one grand-daughter, and lives in Morganton with her cats, Fiona, Portia and Muffin.