James Southard earned his bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Hofstra University and then began his career in the private accounting industry. James continued his education and earned his Master of Science degree in Accounting while working full time for a company consisting of three prestigious imported furniture brands. Throughout his tenure, he proved efficient and diligent in handling showrooms across the United States and dealers in every state, including Canada. He oversaw extensive projects with Apple in California, NBC in New York and Salvatore Ferragamo, Neiman Marcus in Atlanta, San Antonio, and Florida.
James realized that his project experience and accounting background could be utilized to help residents and businesses in his community dealing with property damage claims. His persistence and dedication to details is paramount when communicating with insurance carriers so that clients can be properly compensated and made whole again. Clients enjoy his personable demeanor and willingness to make their transition from the loss as seamless as possible.
James is a crucial member of the team as he assists United in everything from on-site inventories to handling business interruption claims, meetings with adjusters, experts, and insureds. His involvement with on-site inventories ranges from fire at a Manhattan restaurant; power outage at a Bronx Supermarket; fire at a Brooklyn brownstone; water losses from Queens to Hamptons; wind/tree into a residential home on North Shore of Long Island; Hurricane and Flood losses in Manhattan condo units.
Typically, the type of business interruption claims he handles include: Bronx supermarkets; Brooklyn school supply store; Manhattan and Brooklyn hotels; Queens and Suffolk liquor stores; Suffolk auto body shop; Manhattan, Nassau, Suffolk restaurants; Queens laundromat; apartment and SRO (single resident occupancy) building; loss of rental income for landlords throughout the five boroughs, Long Island; Manhattan fabric seller; Manhattan dermatologist; gas stations; eyeglass seller/doctor’s office.
James currently resides in Long Island and during his free time enjoys intramural sports (hockey, football, softball) and supporting his community with volunteer events and local fundraisers.
