Dale began his insurance career in 196, as an adjuster trainee in Miami, Dade, Florida. Based on performance, he was promoted to his employer's legal department, where he worked with company and outside defense attorneys to prepare cases for trial. In this position, he also attended trials and provided courtroom feedback to home office personnel. He was later promoted to a claim management position, where he trained and supervised outside adjusters.

In 1979, Dale joined the Memphis, Tennessee office of Home Insurance Co., as a claims supervisor. He was promoted to Claims Manager in 1980. During his tenure in this position, the Memphis Claims office achieved the highest claim audit ratings in Home Insurance Company's 26 southeast claim offices. Based on achievements, he was appointed to serve on a home office corporate task force to study ways to control claim cost. He was also appointed to serve, as a field representative, on Home Insurance Company's corporate claim audit team.

After 24 years in the corporate claims environment, Dale fulfilled his lifelong ambition of self-employment when, in 1991, he purchased ownership interest in Hatch, Jones & Associates, an independent adjusting firm in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1995, he and John Braniff worked together to establish a branch office of Hatch, Jones & Associates, in Nashville, Tennessee. Dale sold his interest in the Memphis office in 2000 and moved to Nashville to devote his time to the Nashville office. He and John separated from the Hatch, Jones organization in 2001 to become Spikes, Braniff & Associates.

In his 40 years in the insurance industry, Dale has managed offices ranging from 10 to 65 employees. He has attended numerous claims and management courses and seminars.

John Braniff

John began his career in 1977 with GAB Business Services in Kingsport, Tennessee. In 1980 he was promoted to manager of the office and served in that capacity until 1982. After a brief stint as an account executive in a small independent property & casualty agency, he began work as a multi-line adjuster in the Nashville office of St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company. In 1986 he was promoted to supervisor where he was responsible for all property claims handled within the state of Tennessee and supervised a portion of the general and auto liability claims. He remained in that position until 1995 when he opened the Nashville office of Hatch, Jones & Associates, an established multi-line independent adjusting firm based in Memphis, Tennessee. That firm eventually evolved into Spikes, Braniff & Associates, Inc.

John is a proud graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a B.S. in Business Administration, with Honors. Professional training and designations include American Education Institute Property Claim Law Associate (PCLA); GAB Basic, Intermediate Property, and Managers Schools; CPCU 1, 3; Vale National Training Centers Building Damage Estimating; Accredited Advisor In Insurance (IIA AAI designation); and numerous seminars covering topics such as Negotiation, Performance Management, Productivity Management.

Jarett, a Nashville native, joins Spikes, Braniff & Associates after spending the past 10 years in New Orleans, Louisiana. In New Orleans, Jarett spent 3 years working in the fields of marketing and promotions. His last 3 years in New Orleans were spent teaching communication and drama at a New Orleans area high school.

He is a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans and has a B.S. in Drama/ Communications.

Pat has been employed with Spikes, Braniff and Associates since 2001. A native Nashvillian, she has over 36 years of office experience. Her extensive office background includes accounting, data processing, legal work, and various clerical duties.

Pat holds a Paralegal Certification from the Nashville Career College.