Jeff started working at Harris in 2005 and was promoted to Vice President in 2018.  Prior to his insurance career, he was an entrepreneur owning two independent dollar stores and a florist. He served three terms on his hometown city council and one term as mayor. While mayor, he earned the bronze award for leadership from the Kentucky League of Cities and was the youngest mayor in Kentucky at the time he held office. After completing business school in 1996 with his master’s degree (M.B.A., B.B.A., A.A.S., A.A.), he taught business courses at the local community college for four years.

Jeff is licensed in property and casualty as well as life and health. He earned his Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) in 2005, his Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation in 2007, and his Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) designation in 2011. In the spring and summer of 2023, he completed the IA-MBA.  The IA-MBA is a months-long, mini capstone master’s of business administration program designed exclusively for principals of independent insurance agencies.  He and his sister, Tenna, completed the program at the same time. In the fall of 2023, he earned the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation, becoming the first agent at Harris to hold the credential.  In May of 2024, he earned the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation again, becoming the first agent in the history of Harris Insurance to hold this designation. The CPCU is considered the premier professional designation in the property and casualty insurance industry and traces it’s origins to the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. In January of 2025, Jeff completed the requirements of the Associate in Insurance Services (AIS) designation and then in February of 2025, he completed the Associate in Claims (AIC). He holds multiple additional certifications, such as in flood insurance, long term care insurance, marketing, and others.  He has also served as a board member of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) of Kentucky and was chairman of the state PIA education committee for three years.

Jeff is a nationally certified CISR instructor for the National Alliance for Insurance Education and is accredited to teach all lines of personal insurance throughout the country.  He primarily specializes in personal lines but works across all lines the agency represents.

As a hobby, he has taught percussion as a paraprofessional instructor for multiple schools across southeastern Kentucky but primarily for ten years at his alma mater, Cumberland High School.  After CHS was closed due to consolidation, he began working with Harlan Independent High School, where he taught percussion for another ten years before re-retiring in order to spend more time at Harris and with his family.  His drumlines and students have won multiple awards, honors and accolades over the years, placing as best percussion in their class more than 70 times and as overall grand champion or reserve grand champion percussion 14 times in competitions throughout the state.

He is a native of Harlan County and is married to Dr. Lee Harrison, President of Southeast Community and Technical College. They reside in Cumberland with their son, Blake. Jeff can often be found still drumming on his desk and plotting ways to pester Roy, Faye, and Tenna with practical jokes.