Meet Our Team
Jon W. Sostad
Agency ManagerI grew up in Holdrege, NE and attended Hastings College as well as the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where I studied Marketing and Commercial Art. In addition, I also attended Drake University to develop my expertise in insurance. I began my career in the industry in 1987, primarily focusing on personal lines and have since broadened to more commercial accounts. My favorite accounts to work with are contractors and dealerships—I love them!
The most rewarding part of my job is building relationships with my clients—making a lasting impression on them and the community I love. Nothing brings me greater satisfaction than knowing I am helping people protect the things they love most in life. The only thing better has been seeing my children become honest, hardworking, young adults.
When I’m not in the office working with clients, I like to take short trips out of town to spend time with friends and family. Another pleasure of mine is cooking. I like to make delicious food for my friends and family to enjoy—as long as I’m not the one cleaning up! Family has always been something that is very important to me. That’s why I strive to make our clients feel like they are a part of the Insurance Connection family!
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Geylin Mendez-Prado
Agent / Commercial Specialist / Office ManagerI grew up in nearby Lexington, Nebraska. I attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management. When it comes to insurance, I have been licensed in property and casualty insurance since June 2015. My specialty is commercial insurance!
Since I’m a people person, the best part about working in the industry is getting to know each of our clients on a personal level. I enjoy working with people in person the most—I work with urgency and great detail to provide the best service possible! Besides being an insurance agent, my other full-time job is being a mother and wife for my beautiful family. When I’m not in the office, you can find me cooking a meal in my kitchen, dancing, or both! I also like to ride motorcycles and go camping with my family. I spend my free time volunteering for the Make-A-Wish foundation—I’ve even been a Wish Grantor for the past two years!
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Alejandra Faudoa
Agent/Customer Service RepresentativeI grew up in Lexington, NE and graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Spanish Translation and Interpretation. I began my insurance career in May 2019. My specialty is Personal Lines and Farm.
I have worked in customer service for the past 16 years which has made it simple for me to work in this industry. It has helped me be customer focused and listen to customer’s concerns and be a voice for them. When I’m not in the office you can find me either camping, at a Colorado Rockies game, watching the Denver Broncos at home or in the bleachers or at a pumpkin patch.
Seth Svoboda
AgentI grew up in Kearney, NE, and graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney with a degree in Business Management. After graduating, I spent a year working in consumer lending before transitioning to insurance. I have worked in the insurance industry for the last 13 years and was a Manager in Claims Operations prior to joining Insurance Connection. During my time in claims, I obtained several designations, including Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriting (CPCU), an Associates in Personal Insurance (API), and an Associates in Claims (AIC).
My time in claims was very rewarding to help people in their time of need and stress. It was also valuable as an agent because I know firsthand how the claim process is supposed to go and I learned the benefit of having the right coverage in place before a loss happens. Unfortunately, I also saw what can happen if someone does not carry the coverages they need to protect themselves. Helping people during tough times is what inspired me to move out of operations and into agency so I can help prevent a tough situation before it happens. I love working with clients to get the right coverage to protect themselves, their business, and their families when a loss happens.
My wife and I are both from Kearney, and we love having our boys grow up in this great community. When not at work, we enjoy spending our time at kids’ activities, playing golf, and supporting the local sports teams.
Gabriela Myers
Agent/Customer Service RepresentativeI grew up in Lexington, Nebraska, and currently live in Omaha, Nebraska. I graduated from the University of Nebraska Kearney with a degree in business administration and a health science minor. Regarding my job, I have almost five years of experience in the commercial insurance industry.
When not at work, I love to hike, camp, and spend time with family. I love to spend my weekend with my daughter, husband, and dog!
Lorena Ortega
Agent/BookkeeperI grew up in Lexington, NE most of my life. I did move to Mexico for a couple of years during my 4th and 5th grades. School there was crazy – the ruler smack was very real. Regarding my experience in the industry, I got my property & casualty license in 2020 and have been working in personal lines ever since. What I most enjoy about my job is learning something new every day and using that knowledge to ensure a pleasant customer experience.
Some fun facts about me: I love the gym and fitness classes – it’s therapy for me. My guilty pleasure is TV – Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime – I watch it all, especially while doing chores. I love spending the weekends chilling with my husband and cat, Taco.