Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance COO promoted to chief exec

Former Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance Chief Operating Officer Trevor Crist this month was promoted to the company's top post.

Crist started July 8 as CEO of the $37 million company, succeeding principal Luke Nixon, who has stayed on with the agency to primarily focus on its subsidiary programs. Nixon, son of late founder Jerry Nixon, is now responsible for growing the agency's Ed. “Insurance Made Simple” program, an online platform focusing on small businesses operating in seven states; WestStar, an affiliate agency program through which the company brings on independent agents; and Gas-Pro, an insurance program targeted at propane distributor associations, Crist said.

"This is obviously an extremely humbling opportunity being that I'm not of any relation," Crist said.

Crist, who has been with Nixon & Lindstrom for 11 years and was COO for three years, said his role is direct oversight of the company, as it works to expand its reach from a southwest Missouri regional agency to a Midwest regional company.

The company will not seek to fill the COO post, said Crist, who was the first to fill that position.