About Us
We take pride in the fact that we’ve always been trailblazers within the risk management industry. Based in Lubbock, we have the freedom to choose our own path. For us, that means working very closely with our clients to craft personalized solutions instead of seeing them just as insurance policies.
The fact is, we put a higher value on relationships than anything else. Our focus is on protecting the people and businesses we serve from risk so they can rest easy knowing they’re well covered against losses – both today and tomorrow.
More than anything, we want to be valued partners who work hard to earn the trust and confidence of our clients every day. It’s about keeping their best interests at heart. It’s about demonstrating a higher level of caring.
Now that you know a little more about us, we look forward to getting to know you. Let's connect! If you’d like to work with a real partner devoted to protecting everything you’ve worked so hard to build, we may be just the answer you’re looking for.
Risk Evaluation
This is where we identify and assess your specific risks along with the costs of addressing them. Our extensive risk mitigation strategies include:
- Risk Avoidance
- Risk Reduction/Control
- Risk Transfer
- Risk Acceptance/Assumption
Sanford & Tatum also recommends prevention plans that incorporate risk avoidance protocols. In an effort to control your costs, we show you how to steer clear of hazards, activities and exposures that could impact your assets. Coupled with updates about industry education and news, we are constantly working to earn your business and protect your future.
Proactive Solutions
By tapping into our substantial knowledge base, we bring you extensive expertise in placing and purchasing coverage across multiple industries and products, including:
- Agriculture
- Aviation
- Oil & Gas
- Construction
- Transportation
- Professional Services
- Technology
- Manufacturing
- Healthcare
- Medical Malpractice
- Employee Benefits
We leverage this experience to bring you an array of personalized solutions. Employing both short- and long-term strategies, we put together a comprehensive plan tailored to your level of risk tolerance. Then we use our carrier clout as a Heritage Risk Management Company to negotiate the right option for your business while controlling your costs. Finally, our cross-functional team proactively manages your plan on an ongoing basis to suggest adjustments so your coverage adapts to changes in your business. We ensure that our risk management solutions meet your needs in several key areas:
- Insurance Claims
- Government Compliance
- Benefits Planning
- Benefits Management
- Carrier Advocacy
- Renewal Cost Management
Along the way, we offer our knowledge and support to ensure you’re receiving the best value for your insurance needs while helping you to retain valuable employees. Sanford & Tatum is committed to being the partner you can count on to watch over everything important to you.
Empowerment
We provide a range of supplemental support services designed to save your business both time and money. Our commitment goes far beyond protecting assets, managing risk or retaining employees. After all, we don’t simply want you to be covered. We want you to thrive.
Through our dedicated Stewardship Department, we can assist you in areas outside the typical boundaries of insurance. Our team of professionals provides you with complimentary resources designed to make you even more successful. This includes access to industry leaders, HR experts and other specialists.
Beyond a policy, we believe in offering you a total integrated risk management solution. By staying close to your business and continually looking after your needs, we hope to be your trusted risk management partner well into the future.
EDUCATION
For human resource administration and managers, we gather and provide access to industry leaders and subject matter experts to keep you abreast of current hot topics focused on industry issues and trends as well as best practices. Our goal is to be your safety net, helping you stay on top of ever-changing requirements and standards in order to control and avoid risk.
We regularly host educational seminars, webinars and training in-house which are tailored by industry. Our programs cover a wide array of timely issues related to supervisor training, employee training and management, state and federal compliance requirements, safety, crisis management and more, including:
- Active shooter
- Harassment
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Cyber liability
- Workplace privacy
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Disaster recovery
HR SUPPORT
Our HR administration and automation support services assist you in communicating with and serving your employees even better so you can focus on your business. Through our online portal, you can access templates, manuals and special services designed to provide you with expertise on-demand while saving you both time and money.
You can tap into valuable resources including:
- Compliance, labor and loss control consultation services
- Reporting
- Industry-specific handouts, safety publications and employee communications
- Training outlines, handbooks and more
LOSS CONTROL
We tailor proactive solutions geared to lower your risk profile, so you get the best value on your coverage. Then we continually work to reduce your risk and avoid consequences going forward to ensure that you’re always prepared.
Our loss control program helps you navigate key issues and requirements with a full complement of safety services including:
- Regulatory compliance
- Certifications
- Onsite loss control
- Disaster recovery
- Safety manuals
Meet Our Team
Diannah Tatum, CIC
Co-Managing Partner
Diannah Tatum, Co-Managing Partner of Heritage Risk Management joined the agency in 1978 and has mastered every function of the insurance industry. Since being named an Officer and Manager of Commercial Lines Operation in October 1985, she has been instrumental in the significant growth of the agency. This growth has been so substantial that the agency has received IIABA’s Best Practices Award every year since 2013. Diannah was promoted to her current position in January 2002. In addition to agency operations, she takes an active role in managing the agency’s largest accounts, many of which include medical offices and hospitals.
Throughout Diannah’s career, she has been a leader within the community. Among her honors, a few stand out:
• Spirit of Philanthropy Honoree – 2009
• YWCA Women of Excellence in Business Award – 2012
• Chair of Lubbock Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors – 2017
• Chair-Elect of Goodwill Industries of Northwest Texas – 2021
Goal oriented, self-motivated and always seeking additional knowledge, Diannah has earned a Certificate of General Insurance from the Insurance Institute of America, as well as the Certified Insurance Counselor designation. She is a Licensed Risk Manager.
Diannah was integral in the creation of the Texas Medical Safety Group program through Texas Mutual. The program allows those in the medical industry to potentially earn a dividend based on their group’s performance, comes with a premium discount and provides industry-specific safety plans and eLearning courses. Diannah serves as an agent and administrator of the program.
Jeff Neely III, CPCU, CIC
Co-Managing Partner
As Co-Managing Partner of Heritage Risk Management, Jeff has more than three decades of experience in the insurance business and has been part of our team since 1980. He was born and raised in Amarillo, Texas, and obtained a finance degree from Texas Tech University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Jeff was former President of the Amarillo chapter of the Independent Insurance Agents and was awarded the Professional Insurance Person Award in 1999-2000. Jeff attends Hillside Christian Church, is a member of the Downtown Rotary Club, serves on the City of Amarillo Construction & Advisory Board and is the Secretary of the Board for the K&S Group. Jeff has been an avid tennis player since his days at Tascosa High School, is a licensed pilot and member of the Buffalo Flying Club, and plays the guitar for the local band Noah Jenda.
Stephenie L. Owen, CPA
VP of Finance
Stephenie is the VP of Finance of Heritage Risk Management. She is a member of the Texas Society of CPAs and serves on the Internal Affairs Committee within the Turn Center Board of Directors. Other than a three-year stint in Dallas, Stephenie has lived in Amarillo her entire life. Outside the office, her primary interest is her young daughter and her husband that share Stephenie’s interest in camping and spending time in the mountains.
Mark Williams
VP of Operations
Mark Williams is the VP of Operations of Heritage Risk Management. He joined Sanford & Tatum in 2013 as Controller. A native of Lubbock, Mark graduated from Texas Tech University in 2000 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. Following graduation, he began his career as General and Operations Manager for a local document management company where he was instrumental in their growth. In 2010, Mark was hired as the Business & Safety Manager of a local manufacturing company. During this time, he was also Administrator of the company’s employee benefits and business insurance plans. Upon the creation of Heritage Risk Management in 2016, Mark served on the Executive Committee, and played a vital role in the design and construction of the new Sanford & Tatum 98th Street location. Mark is a member and volunteer of the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce.
Resources
Employee Navigator Group Benefits
Insurance Claims & Payments
Payment and claim information is available below for the insurance companies we represent. If you are having trouble reaching your insurance company or have questions, please feel free to contact us directly.
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Employee Benefits
Preparing for Open Enrollment: How to Engage and Educate Your Employees on Their Total Benefits Package
In this session, our experts will share guidance on setting yourself up for success during Open Enrollment.
August 21, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
Q3 2025 Quarterly Compliance Webinar
Alera Group's quarterly employee benefits compliance roundup will help you stay current on the latest national regulatory developments impacting employers.
September 9, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
Q4 2025 Quarterly Compliance Webinar
Alera Group's quarterly employee benefits compliance roundup will help you stay current on the latest national regulatory developments impacting employers.
November 4, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Employee Benefits
Legal Alert: IRS Issues Affordability Percentage Adjustment for 2026
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released Rev. Proc. 2025-25, which contains the inflation adjusted amounts for 2026 used to determine whether employer-sponsored coverage is “affordable” for purposes of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) employer shared responsibility provisions and premium tax credit program.
July 23, 2025
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Legal Alert: Enforcement of the HIPAA Reproductive Health Care Privacy Rule Vacated Nationwide
On June 18, 2025, a federal district court in Texas vacated a significant portion of the HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy (“Final Rule”), which was implemented on April 24, 2024, on a nationwide basis. The Final Rule, which was implemented in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (effectively overturning Roe v. Wade), was intended to protect the ability of individuals to receive reproductive health care when the care is provided lawfully under the circumstances without risk of an individual’s identity or health information being disclosed for purposes of state criminal, civil or administrative investigations (or for imposing liability related to lawfully providing or obtaining reproductive healthcare).
July 21, 2025
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Legal Alert: Employee Benefits Provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
On July 3, 2025, Congress passed a reconciliation bill (the “Reconciliation Act”) previously named the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but subsequently redesignated “An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14.”
July 8, 2025
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Benchmarking: How Do Your Organization’s Employee Benefits Offerings Stack Up?
For the sixth consecutive year, Alera Group is offering a valuable piece of market intelligence: our Healthcare and Employee Benefits Benchmarking Report. We’ll introduce the 2025 edition on its release date, June 26, with a one-hour webinar beginning at 1 p.m. CT.
June 5, 2025
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