Christopher A. Zaal
Founding Member / President
Chris Zaal has been in the financial services and insurance industry for over 26 years. In 1980 he started his career with Penn Corp Financial Incorporated in Silver Springs, Maryland, working as an independent sales agent. In 1981, Chris became a participating partner and moved to Oklahoma City to open a branch office. The Oklahoma office became one of the top three offices for Penn Corp Financial. In 1986, Chris was promoted to regional manager of Oklahoma and Texas, within two years this office became the number one office for Penn Corp Financial. In October of 1992, Chris formed Z&Z International Inc, combining two marketing groups soon there after – the first being Southwest Financial Group (SWFG), and the second American Teacher Retirement Services. Both focusing on developing new books of business and satisfying the clients well being.
Currently, Z&Z International Incorporated has close to 16,000 clients on the books and over 86 agents working around the country generating 22 million dollars a year in gross sales. Chris’ personal life shows just as much success as his business life. Chris and Kathy have been married since June of 1980 and have two sons, Blake and Chase. Blake recently graduated from Louisiana State University with a marketing and business degree and is one of American Teacher Retirement Services top producers. Chase is a freshman at Collin County Community College and works part time in the company office. Chris is very active in the McKinney community – attending Rotary Club Meetings, and volunteering for the McKinney Partners in Education program. Chris also mentors a young man that was displaced from Hurricane Katrina.
Chris received the 2003 National Leadership Award from the Republican Party. He sat as Vice President on the board of Woodland Bridge Homeowners Association for two years, also acting as treasurer for the Stonebridge Area Action Committee from 2001 to 2003. On a lighter note, Chris coached competitive basketball for 14 years. He enjoys a wide variety of sports – working out at the gym several days a week, tennis, boating, skiing and especially taking his Harley Davidson Fat Boy out on the weekends.