About Us
ABOUT US
Looking for an insurance agent in Wilson, NC? We are here ready to help! Since 1985, the Wilson office has been supporting its clients. In 2023, our office (formerly John Hackney Insurance), joined Alera Group. Our team specializes in a variety of solutions, including:
- Auto, Home, RV Coverage and more
- Professional and Financial Solutions
- Property and Casualty Solutions
- Long-term Care Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Health Insurance – If you're an individual or family who does not currently have insurance through a group employer plan, we offer individual health plans. If you own a business, we can assist with comparing group coverages offerings.
Meet Our Team
Layton Brown
Producer
Layton was born and raised in Raleigh, NC. After graduating from Woodberry Forest School in Virginia in 2010, he returned home to attend NC State University, graduating in 2014. After graduation, Layton worked in several roles with a heavy construction equipment distributor for seven years, where he gained valuable experience and knowledge of commercial construction.
He entered the world of insurance in 2022, and joined the John Hackney Agency in early 2024 as a licensed Property and Casualty agent.
Outside of the office, Layton enjoys spending time with his family and friends, as well as hunting, fishing, playing golf, and being on North Carolina’s Crystal Coast whenever he can be.
Selena Bennett
Personal Lines Department Manager
Ask any group of high school students if they want to be a veterinarian and many would raise their hands. Ask if they would want to be an insurance agent and no one would move a muscle and what a mistake because the insurance business is such a great business. Like most children, Selena dreamed of a life working with animals as a vet, but by a wonderful accident she ended up in the insurance business and what a great thing that is for John Hackney Agency, Selena and her clients.
She started in the business by helping a friend in an agency and in 2000 started to work at John Hackney Agency where she learned and sharpened her insurance skills. It’s been a great career and one she has loved. She has worked in the personal lines field since 1997 and knows everything about homeowners, auto, boat, umbrella, mobile home, fire, inland marine, condo, apartment and motorcycle insurance you’d want to know.
Born and raised in Wilson county, she graduated from Fike High School, attended Barton College and has lived in Wilson all her life. She has a lot of family still living in Wilson including her daughter, Brittany, who is married to Thomas Poythress and their sons, Bennett and Knox.
Selena is the agency health nut, she is a certified group fitness instructor that spends a lot of time focusing on wellness, exercise and diet. She enjoys exercising, traveling, painting, reading, and most of all, spending time with her grandsons.
Selena has her CISR professional designation and can help you with any of your personal insurance needs.
Tanya Strickland
Personal Lines Account Manager
Tanya Strickland started her career at John Hackney Agency in 2016. She brings many skills as a Personal Lines Account Manager as she continues to expand her knowledge by working toward her CISR designation. She enjoys working with her customers to help meet all of their insurance needs protecting their loved ones and their possessions.
She married Johnny Strickland in 1988. While Tanya loves the insurance business, she considers family her greatest love and accomplishment. She enjoys camping, cooking, travel, and photography, and volunteers for the Ronald McDonald House as often as possible.
She specializes in personal lines insurance accounts and will be happy to help you with your home, auto, condo, apartment, boat, RV, motorcycle, umbrella and jewelry insurance.
Brittany Baker
Personal Lines Account Manager
As the newest member of the John Hackney Agency team, Brittany hails from a Nash County musical family that many Eastern North Carolinians already know – the southern gospel group, Oak Grove Boys. While she may be too shy to perform onstage with her outgoing family, she’s not too shy to help you with any of your insurance needs.
Brittany lives in Elm City with her husband Chase Baker and their daughters Cheyenne and Audrey. Most of their time is spent outdoors either on a river fishing or around a soccer field as Cheyenne is an avid soccer player. Brittany enjoys crafting, scrapbooking and cooking especially her grandmother’s signature blueberry cobbler and chocolate fudge sheet cake. Family nights are another favorite way to spend her free time with all her family when they get together for some country cooking, old-fashioned games and, of course, music. Brittany has a soft spot for animals and helped her grandfather, Junior Winstead, raise and train beagles. She enjoys fishing and just about anything outdoors.
Resources
Claims Management. When a claim happens, we want to help you as promptly as possible. Please feel free to stop by or call one of our offices to report a claim or let us help you with any questions you might have. If it’s after hours and you need to talk to someone immediately, you can contact the carrier directly for 24-hour claims service.
To report a claim: You can call us, stop by our office or call the company to report a claim. If you choose to contact the company, have your policy number on hand before calling.
To make a direct bill payment or manage your billing: Most of our companies have 24 hour payment services. Remember to have your policy number and your bank account or credit card information on hand before you make the call. You can also stop by our office where we’ll be happy to assist you with your direct bill payments.
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Wealth Services
State of the Markets
Join us as we unveil the factors that drive the nation's financial pulse and how they may impact your personal finances.
October 22, 2025 at 12:00 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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Employee Benefits
Navigating Medicare: Educational Webinar
The knowledgeable team at Alera Group is here to help you navigate your Medicare options to ensure you feel confident in your post-65 healthcare coverage.
November 12, 2025 at 12:00 pm CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Property and Casualty
Alera Group’s 2025 Property and Casualty Market Update
Alera Group’s 2025 Property and Casualty Market Update, designed as a bridge between Alera Group’s annual Market Outlooks — provides insight into pricing, coverage availability, market capacity and underwriting trends for the balance of 2025.
August 1, 2025
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Property and Casualty
Severe Weather Is Getting Worse. Is Your Business Interruption Insurance Keeping Up?
The increasing frequency and severity of weather- and climate-related events such as catastrophic storms, floods and wildfires make business continuity planning more important than ever. Part of your plan should include reviewing your organization's Business Interruption Insurance coverage.
May 5, 2025
Find out more Property and Casualty
International Roadcheck Is May 13-15. Is Your Commercial Transportation Fleet Ready?
For 72 hours next month, commercial motor vehicles and drivers throughout North America will be subject to what the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) calls a “high-visibility, high-volume” inspection and regulatory compliance enforcement initiative.
The annual event, known as the International Roadcheck, will take place at weigh and inspection stations, temporary sites and locations selected by mobile patrols from May 13-15 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
April 14, 2025
Find out more Property and Casualty
Improving Transportation Fleet Safety Through Gamification
The COVID-19 pandemic pushed companies to find creative ways to engage employees as isolation hit an all-time high. Many turned to gamification — the application game mechanics such as points, badges and leaderboards to everyday tasks — to reconnect with staff and improve retention, especially around key initiatives like safety. It’s a concept so suitable for the transportation industry, it could have been conceived with truckers and other commercial auto drivers in mind.
April 7, 2025
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