About Us

We Are Gilsbar

For more than half a century, Gilsbar has offered insurance service solutions and support for businesses and their employees. We are a family-owned and operated business with humble beginnings and a bright future. We remain committed to our founding values.

Our Core Values

We focus on our clients' interestes and always work:

  • With Integrity;
  • To create value;
  • With courage and a long-term view;
  • With all of our might and creativity;
  • Constantly striving for excellence;
  • To develop our people, processes, products and markets;
  • For a reasonable profit


Our History

Henry Miltenberger founded the company in 1959 as a partnership with the Louisiana State Bar Association (giving Gilsbar its name: Group Insurance Louisiana State Bar). This partnership launched a national insurance services provider. We are honored to continue to serve our very first customer, the LSBA, along with many other distinguished clients over the decades. We hope you will be one of them!



Our Philosophy

We believe in doing the right thing by those we serve. Our team of thought leaders approach each client proactively, with ingenuity and foresight. We build partnerships that truly matter.

60+

YEARS EXPERIENCE

22

AVG YEARS OF EMPOYEE TENURE

26

YEARS OF AVG CLIENT TENURE

100%

LOCALLY OWNED

Leadership

We are fearless leaders. We believe actions speak louder than words, and that servant leadership is the best kind. We strive to lead by example and work hard to build opportunities for our clients and our team members.


Ryan Haun

President, CEO

Ryan Haun
President & CEO Ryan joined Gilsbar in 2012 and during that time has directed business development, management and strategy for all aspects of the Property & Casualty and Group Benefits divisions. Additionally, he has contributed to all other aspects of corporate leadership and strategy during his tenure. The role of President and CEO transitioned to Mr. Haun in January 2021 as the culmination of a lengthy succession established by his predecessor. Prior to Gilsbar, he owned an insurance restoration company performing contracting work throughout the Southeast and Midwestern US. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Drafting and Design from Missouri State University.


Becky Pathoumthong

Vice President, CFO

Becky Pathoumthong
Vice President, CFOBecky joined Gilsbar in 2017 and is responsible for the financial and people side of the business, coordinating both finance and human resources to achieve company goals. With over 25 years of experience in the accounting sector, Ms. Pathoumthong worked at Arthur Andersen, Stryker Corporation, and Alfasigma USA, Inc. prior to joining Gilsbar. She is a member of the Society of Louisiana CPA’s and received her Bachelor of Science in management with a concentration in accounting from Tulane University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude.


Brian Esser

Senior Director of Compliance and Corporate Counsel

Brian Esser
Senior Director of Compliance and Corporate Counsel Brian brings a distinguished career as in-house counsel, having held senior legal roles across a variety of industries. He has consistently provided business-focused legal solutions while navigating complex legal, regulatory, and operational challenges for large, multi-brand organizations. Brian earned a B.S. in Accountancy from Creighton University and a J.D. from the University of Louisville. He currently resides in Metairie, LA, with his wife, Jessica, and their daughter, Cyla.


Rachel Welch

Senior Director of Sales & Marketing

Rachel Welch
Senior Director of Sales & Marketing With over 12 years of industry experience, Rachel oversees our group benefits and property & casualty sales teams, as well as Gilsbar’s corporate marketing strategies and client services. She enjoys helping people and businesses discover and understand insurance solutions that meet their needs. She received two Bachelor of Arts degrees in English Literature and Communication Studies from Bryan College. She currently resides in New Orleans, LA.

Go New Orleans Pelicans!


Megan Motichek

Director of Operations

Megan Motichek
Director of Operations As the Director of Operations, Megan oversees our renewal sales and operations teams. She has been in the business for over 15 years and focuses on cultivating a culture of excellence. She believes in service and is always searching for ways to exceed client expectations. Megan resides in Orange Beach, AL with her husband and two children.


Steve Lang

Director of P&C Program Sales & Development

Steve Lang
Director of P&C Program Sales & Development Steve joined Gilsbar in 2022. With over three decades of insurance industry experience working for carriers and administrators, Steve's ability to push progress and innovation to Gilsbar's products and services is second to none. Alongside his extensive program management, underwriting, product development and client management experience, Steve is also experienced in developing new business growth through targeted cross-sell, carrier stewardship, and affinity group needs. Through his guidance, Steve offers Gilsbar the tools it needs to be an industry leader now and into the future.


Stephen Messenger

Director of Finance

Stephen Messenger
Director of Finance Stephen has been with Gilsbar since 2017 and has over 15 years of experience in Audit, Corporate Accounting, Cost Accounting, Financial Planning, and Reporting & Analysis. As the Director of Finance, Stephen currently leads Gilsbar's Accounting and Finance team, where he has enhanced financial reporting and developed analyses to support the strategic finance goals of the company. Stephen holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Louisiana State University and is a Louisiana Certified Public Accountant (CPA). When he isn't keeping Gilsbar's finances in check, Stephen enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons in Covington, LA.


Diana Derbas

Director of Compliance & Vendor Management

Diana Derbas
Director of Compliance & Vendor Management Diana spearheads the development and direction of strategic project management operations to achieve Gilsbar’s goals. A native northerner, Diana's move to Louisiana opened doors for consultancy work, ultimately leading to her position as Senior Vice President of Human Resources in financial services prior to joining Gilsbar. With over three decades of business experience, she has consistently managed significant challenges, including major organizational changes and technical implementations. Her primary objective is to harness the strengths of Gilsbar's talented team members to drive the company's success. Diana holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications, specializing in Public Relations and Advertising, and has earned her Senior Professional in Human Resources certification.


Justin Wunder

Manager of Information Technology

Justin Wunder
Manager of Information Technology Justin has been with Gilsbar since 2016 and has over 8 years of experience in technology infrastructure and cyber liability. He works as Gilsbar’s Manager of Information Technology providing strategic oversight of corporate-wide information technology activities. Justin specializes in leadership, cybersecurity, cloud computing, user support, infrastructure and telecommunications. His IT experience began as a Microsoft Student Partner during his tenure at Louisiana Tech University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems in 2015. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three children in Robert, LA when he isn’t protecting Gilsbar from cyber threats or standing up for new technology solutions.

Join Our Team


Are you interested in a career at Gilsbar? Click below to learn more about our company, culture, benefits and job openings.

Contact Us

Contact Us

Physical Address:

2100 Covington Centre, Suite A 
Covington, LA 70433

Mailing Address: 

P.O. Box 998
Covington, LA 70434

Phone: 

985.892.3520
800.906.9654

Chat: 

Select the chat icon below to begin messaging with a representative. 

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An Insurance Company For Your Business

Better Business

Solutions

At Gilsbar we are finding new business solutions to old problems. As your strategic partner, we work with you to protect your business.

Business Insurance

Coverage for when you need it most.

It's your business. Protect it at all costs. Our business insurance coverage protects you and your assets when you need it the most.

Employee Benefits Consulting

Putting your employee benefits to work for you.

Employee Benefits done right should attract and retain strong talent, while not costing an arm and a leg. Sounds impossible? Let us show you how.

Why Choose Gilsbar

Trusted Partner

We keep our promises to our clients and work with integrity in all that we do. Expect nothing but straight answers from us.

Innovative Solutions

We are downright obsessed with insurance and are constantly cooking up new solutions unlike anything else in the market.

Client-Focused

Clients are the main event around Gilsbar. We never take our partnerships for granted. We look for ways to add value and offer solutions.

What Our Customers Think


Partner With

Us Today!

Take the first step and ask for insurance solutions that match your needs. It is quick and easy. Don’t worry – we won’t hound you. We know an online form is more of a swipe right than a marriage proposal.

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