GAIDS Employee Profiles

Don O. Weide

Past President

It is with deep regret that we inform you that the co-founder of GAIDS and its founding President passed away in September, 2011. As evidenced in his Bio below, Don was an exceptional professional and mentor for everyone at GAIDS and the insurance industry as a whole. Don O. Weide, age 93, born in Porterville, California, was president of one of the larger and older (65 years) senior health insurance agencies in California. Don was a registered Professional Health and Disability Underwriter (RHU) with 50+ years experience in this field. Don served in the US Marine Corps from 1940 to 1947 primarily in the South Pacific, and was a Major in the USMCR (ret.) reserve. Don’s agency, known as General Agency Insurance Development Services (GAIDS), has produced over 250 million of individual health insurance premiums since its inception and he had been a member of the LPRT Management/Eagles Club as well as a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) for over 31 years. Don had authored numerous articles on Long-term care and Medicare and conducted many seminars on these subjects. He had been a force in opposing several bills in the California legislature that were not in the best interest of seniors or producers. He never retired from his lifetime profession. License# 112469

Phone: (310) 657-0100
Fax: (310) 652-0305
Email: donweide@gaids.com

Janet Weide

President

Janet Weide has now assumed the duties of President since the death of her husband, Don O. Weide. Mrs. Weide aspires to guide GAIDS with the same values and principles that Don incorporated for so many sucessful years. Janet has dutifully sheppared the company these many years alongside Don. Both have put a lot of 'blood, sweat and tears'into GAIDS. Many times staying until 12midnight in order to insure that the agents and policyholders were getting the quality of service they deserved.

Phone: (310) 657-0100
Fax: (310) 652-0305
Email: janetweide@gaids.com

Brad Calaway

Controller

Brad Calaway started with the Agency in 1990. He is involved with overseeing the financial well-being of the company as well as managing its information systems. During his tenure he has received his insurance license and subsequently earned the Registered Health Underwriter designation. He is now involved in all facets of the Agency. License #0D93827.

Phone: (310) 657-0100
Fax: (310) 652-0305
Email: bbcrhu@gaids.com

Janis Shibata

Agency Director

Janis is our newcomer. She has been with GAIDS since 2001. She is extremely experienced in underwriting and insurance back office operations. She is very knowledgeable about the industry and, being a Certified Financial Planner, she has better insight than most. You can be sure that your applications will be throughly checked and validated before submission to the Carriers. In that way you can be confident that your application has the highest chance of being issued. License #0C60457.

Phone: (310) 657-0100
Fax: (310) 652-0305
Email: janis@gaids.com

Shirley Abramson

Executive Secretary and Licensing

Shirley has been with GAIDS for over 30 years. She is the Executive Secretary to the President, Don O. Weide. She is also in charge of coordinating the licensing and appointments of agents. She interacts with her counterparts at the Carriers to facillitate an efficient process for the agents.

Phone: (310) 657-0100
Fax: (310) 652-0305
Email: shirley@gaids.com

The Clock of Life

The clock of life is wound but once,

And no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop

At late or early hour.

To lose one's wealth is sad indeed,
To lose one's health is more,
To lose one's soul is such a loss
That no man can restore.

The present only is our own,
So Live, Love, toil with a will

Place no faith in 'Tomorrow'

For the clock may then be still.

Robert H. Smith