Meet the Team

A native Angelino and 32-year Malibu resident, Bart is an expert in all things Los Angeles. He has proudly been a Farmers Agent since 1985 and has spent his years attaining the highest honors in the company. He is a 5x Presidents Council Agent, and has represented Farmers on the Zurich Insurance Advisory Council and at the Million Dollar Round Table. For over twenty years, Bart had a career in civil service as an Los Angeles County Fireman. He resides in Malibu with his wife, Wendy, and his German Shepard, Jasso. Above all, they enjoy spending time with their three children and four grandsons. Bart is an avid cyclist, enjoys Pinot Noir and loves supporting local charities including the Lighthouse Women & Children Emergency Shelter and the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu.

As a co-owner of B.W. Baker, Wendy is involved in many aspects of the business, including office management, human resources, and accounting. The dynamic couple have been married for over 33 years, and have three children, two sons-in-law, and four grandsons. Wendy holds a Property & Casualty license and a Life & Health license. Her interest include tennis, cycling, spinning, hiking, reading, traveling and playing Mah Jongg. She regularly volunteers at the Lighthouse Women & Children Emergency Shelter in Oxnard, and donates annually to the Lighthouse Shelter, the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a leader in breast cancer research.

Maria serves as the Personal Lines Manager at B.W. Baker. When she began with B.W. Baker in January of 1996, she had no insurance experience, but over the last 16 years with the company, she has attained immeasurable knowledge and has helped build the Personal Lines Department to its present position as an award-winning department. Because of their high production, the Personal Lines Department has served as a pilot office for Farmers Insurance when developing new innovations. She credits her success with the company to striving to maintain excellent and long-standing customer service. Prior to joining us, Maria was in management with Bank of America, and her smiling face has been a staple of the Malibu business community for over 25 years. In her free time, Maria enjoys spending time with her family, including her five grandchildren.

Michelle manages all aspects of our commercial insurance operations including marketing, underwriting and client services. She came to us in 2002 with an extensive background in the medical field and soon found her passion to be all things business insurance related. Michelle is highly praised for her strong work ethic, her dedication and the exceptional service she gives our insureds. Michelle spends her free time with her husband of 22 years and family. She is athletic and participates annually in the Nautical Malibu Triathlon with the B.W. Baker office, and is a diehard Los Angeles Lakers fanatic. Michelle’s hobbies include reading, biking, cooking, shopping and most of all spending time with her five beautiful grandchildren.

Nelly joined B.W. Baker in 2005 as an assistant and quickly became a Personal Lines Producer. Her priorities in contributing to our award-winning Personal Lines department growth include her customer-focused mindset, honesty and dependability. Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, she enjoys learning about new cultures and expanding her horizons by visiting family and friends around the world. Nelly remains active in her community, and enjoys outdoor activities under the beautiful Southern California sun.

Vanessa assists B.W. Baker owner Bart with Life and Health policies. Her previous work experience in the varied industries of fashion, infertility, public relations and insurance have stood her in good stead in her present position. As Contact Manager, much of her working day consists of communicating with existing clients for comprehensive Insurance Reviews. Vanessa has lived in Malibu since she was ten years old, and graduated in 2002 from Malibu High, after which she studied at the University of California at Santa Barbara. She enjoys activities such as rock climbing, hiking, tennis, target shooting and surfing with long-time boyfriend Kevin, and shares a home in Port Hueneme with Kevin, Kitty the cat and Rasta the puppy.

Virginia has been with B.W. Baker for nearly six years as an assistant in the Personal Lines Department. Born and raised in Oxnard, California, she is currently a newlywed, thus her life has recently been transformed. Very active in her church, Virginia is also a person who loves to shop, travel and take in a good movie. She is a sports lover at heart, especially when it comes to basketball, and her favorite team is the Los Angeles Lakers.

Though Michael is new to the insurance field, he is a quick learner, always looking to improve as a licensed Personal Lines representative. His background is in hospitality, which meshes nicely with his duties at B.W. Baker, and he enjoys the diversity offered in his present position. Born in the Northwest, he ventured to California and has adopted the lifestyle, enjoying hiking, music, fitness, golf, soccer, meditation and art. He loves to travel and is eager to visit India and Japan. For the past two years, Michael has spent much of his time volunteering at Giving Children Hope.

Flo is the newest member of the team, having received her license at the tender age of eighteen. She put in time with State Farm Insurance and then worked for ten years for Farmers, honing her skills. She specializes in commercial insurance, and is presently a member of Michelle’s team in the Commercial Department. Flo married her high school sweetheart and they had their first child in May of 2011. Flo lives in Moorpark, where she enjoys hiking and playing on a co-ed softball team with her husband. She also loves to travel, volunteer at church and spend time with friends and family.

Kim has been with B.W. Baker for four years, and is our friendly liaison between the office and the customer. Though she takes this position seriously, she brings a sense of humor and a positive, warm attitude that is so necessary to customer care, our number one priority. Kim considers B.W. Baker clients part of the family. She hails from the East Coast, where she spent time playing basketball with her dad. These days, Kim loves to shop for antiques and collectible 45 records, and she always makes time for her friends, who are important to her. Kim often spends weekends visiting her daughter and playing with her new granddaughter.

Kyle joined the team in June of 2011. His responsibilities at B.W. Baker include high-value client management and website maintenance. Though Kyle was raised in Oak Park, California, he spent two years in Midlothian, Virginia, then returned to his California roots to attend Pepperdine University in Malibu, where he graduated with a B.S. in International Business and a marketing minor. He also studied abroad in London, United Kingdom and traveled throughout Europe on the weekends. Kyle dreams of owning a vineyard with an onsite microbrewery and becoming a successful entrepreneur. His interests include hiking, technology, problem-solving, and anything hands-on.