Born and raised in Los Angeles, Mr. Hankey completed his BA and post-graduate work at the University of Southern California in 1965. Possessing a keen understanding of finance, by age 27 Mr. Hankey became Vice President of a major investment banking firm, which would later become part of USB Paine Weber.

With a family history in the automobile business, Mr. Hankey acquired Midway Ford in 1972 and the dealership’s business flourished. During the 1980s, the organization acquired additional dealerships to its growing portfolio and established a firm foothold in the financial services industry. Today, financial services comprise a major part of the organization’s success.

Mr. Hankey believes that focus and execution are the keys to success. “We strive to grow revenue every year by at least 20%,” he explains, “and keep our profit as a percentage of revenue above industry averages.”

With the advent of the Internet, Mr. Hankey has swiftly incorporated technology into every aspect of the Hankey Group of companies.

Amit Shah is the President for Knight Insurance Group and Chief Operating Officer for the Hankey group and serves on the Board of Directors on all the major companies of the Hankey Group. Mr. Shah’s primary responsibility is to grow the group’s net income by adopting best practices and taking a leadership role in building, implementing and overseeing all of the systems, processes, workflows and procedures across each of the companies and managing risk. Mr. Shah plays a critical role in helping to shape and guide the future growth and development of the group. Mr. Shah also helps run the HG 401k fund for the whole group.

Prior to working at the Hankey Group, Mr. Shah worked for Westlake Financial Services, a technology based finance company in the role of Senior Vice President of Servicing overseeing the Customer Service, Collections, Remarketing, Recovery, Bankruptcy and Consumer Litigation Departments. Mr. Shah offers a successful track record in driving process improvements, creating
efficiencies and motivating teams to create dynamic products that meet market demand and revenue targets. He demonstrates strong leadership and communication abilities combined with a personal commitment to inclusiveness and team empowerment.

Mr. Shah earned an Executive M.B.A. degree from the University of Southern California, a M.S. degree in Computer Engineering from Syracuse University and a B.E. degree in Electronics Engineering from Mumbai University.

Jackie Leung is the Chief Financial Officer for Knight Insurance Group. Ms. Leung joined Knight Insurance Group in April 2006. She is a CPA and member of the associate of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and California Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Ms. Leung is responsible for all accounting functions including financial reporting, payroll, budgeting, financial planning and enterprise risk management. Ms. Leung often collaborates with different teams to streamline and improve accounting and operational processes. She has a major in accounting and graduated from University of Southern California.

Mike Pepitone is the Senior Head of Property & Casualty Underwriting Practice in the Underwriting Department at Knight Insurance Group. He has held various commercial underwriting Practice Leadership positions at major Property & Casualty insurance companies during his 40 years in the insurance industry, including 12 years as Senior Risk Manager at a Reinsurance Group, followed by serving as Liaison for Government Affairs at a regional Property & Casualty Insurer, and later as Special Risk Manager at a Casualty Underwriting Group. He has expertise in casualty underwriting operations and extensive knowledge of Home Office Enterprise Underwriting Risk Management.

Scott Bartley is the Head of Property & Casualty Underwriting Practice at Knight Insurance Group. Scott has enjoyed a successful career of over 35 years in commercial underwriting, risk management, insurance purchasing, analytical thinking, strategic planning, decision making, and profit optimization, across the US & UK markets.

Throughout his career and in his current role Scott’s endeavor is to assist in conceptualization, development, and enhancement of underwriting strategies and procedures, foster long-term profitable relationships with producers and customers and direct all efforts towards generation of immediate & long-lasting results in any environment.

Renee has a background in civil litigation, having managed an active everchanging caseload for over 35 years. Although she has advised the Hankey Group of companies since 2017, presently, as General Counsel for Knight Insurance Group, she now tailors her skills on advising and managing legal and transactional strategies, regulatory and compliance matters, and administrative issues. As an integral part of the Company, she contributes to its further growth and development.

Before joining the Hankey Group, Renee was an integral part of developing business and strategizing business growth in her own law firm and before that, as a partner in a downtown Los Angeles law firm. Through her career, she has represented numerous insurance companies and their insureds in diverse types of lawsuits and claims, in both state and federal courts.

Renee holds a BA in Political Science from University of California, Irvine and a JD from Western State University College of Law. Her commitment to the practice of law has grown and expanded through the years allowing her to develop her “can-do” attitude.

Adi Samanta is the Risk Manager of the Group. Adi monitors program profitability, estimates actuarial reserves, reviews rate adequacy, and creates reports to track internal and external performance of adjuster and underwriters. Adi has also worked for Westlake Financial Services, a technology-based finance company as a Senior Risk Analyst where he ran statistical analysis to enhance the company’s underwriting algorithm and reduce charge-off rates. He also built analytical reports to analyze efficiency within the Flooring Department and implemented improvements to operational processes at Westlake. Prior to working at the Hankey group, Adi worked at Deloitte Consulting in the Strategy and Operations practice creating business plans and financial models for several media and technology companies.

Adi holds MBA from the University of Southern California and B.S. in Business and Economics from Purdue University.

Jason Zhao is a data-driven insurance professional with a solid background in Math, Modeling and Actuarial Science. Jason is a strong proponent of using data analytics for pricing and underwriting strategies. Jason joined Knight Insurance group in 2016 and has helped the company to build a data focused analytical team and develop various models and dashboards to oversee program performances. Jason holds a M.S from the University of Southern California with a major in Mathematical Finance.

Alex Soto is the Program Manager at Knight Insurance Group. Alex began her insurance career when she joined the company in 2013 as a Claims Representative. In 2021, she joined the Programs Department where she leads programs from inception to implementation, ensuring effective communication of requirements and objectives. Her proficiency in data analysis, reporting, and documentation, coupled with strong communication skills, has led to the development and implementation of efficient workflows. Whether collaborating with Legal, Compliance, or IT departments, Alex consistently demonstrates a commitment to excellence, enhancing overall program accessibility and efficiency. With a background encompassing roles as a Program Coordinator, Data Analyst, and Compliance Specialist, Alex brings a multifaceted skill set to every aspect of program management. Alex holds a B.A. from the University of California, San Diego.