Meet The Barbour Group Team
President
karen@thebarbourgroup.com
(301) 343-8932
Dynamic. Groundbreaking. A force in the market. An influencer with a track-record of performance excellence, surety knowledge expert and hands-on builder of a powerful collaborative network of business ties. These are the hallmarks of a career underscored by a fierce commitment to enabling the competitive positioning and growth of client companies - and of a leader willing to go to Capitol Hill to drive legislation for the benefit of start-ups, small businesses and Fortune 1000 firms alike. She is the first bonding agent to win Maryland Small Business Person of the Year by the US Small Business Administration and the first to be inducted into the Ernst & Young Entrepreneurial Winning Women Program (ey.com)
Karen Barbour, founder and president of The Barbour Group, LLC is a veteran of the surety bonding industry, starting her career in surety as a home office bond underwriter in 1985, where she is well known as an innovator and expert within the industry.
Karen Barbour Leadership Resume 2019
Surety Bond Administrator
The Barbour Group, LLC welcomes Zion Lopez to the team as our Surety Bond Administrator. Zion is steadfast and business focused with true passion for the surety industry. A son of contractor, Zion sees customer service as multi-dimensional, as he understand the trials and tribulations of construction and the sense of urgency required to meet the high demands of client needs. Zion started with the Barbour Group in September of 2020 and has met the rigors of his new job. He is also the son of Vanessa Lopez, our Director of Underwriting. We are happy to have another high-quality dedicated Lopez family member supporting the clients of The Barbour Group.
Surety Bond Producer
The Barbour Group, LLC welcomes Josh Lopez, Surety Bond Producer, to our team. Josh has over ten years experience in construction, including tenant fit out for commercial and federal construction and residential home improvement work. Josh was second in charge, working in his father’s company who had coveted contracts with all the Panera Bread Companies from Maryland to New Jersey over the last 16 years. Understanding project cash flow is top priority with Josh. His studies in economics and business administration while at Salisbury University, coupled with his construction expertise, brings passion and a level of understanding of construction that make for a recipe of success for his career in surety. Josh will be instrumental in growing the Hensel Phelps Head Start Bond Program, an exclusive and propriety bond program between Hensel Phelps and The Barbour Group, LLC. He will also be of great assistance in growing the Alliance for Hispanic Commercial Contractors, an affiliated company, given his talents in speaking Spanish and his understanding of Hispanic culture.