College Park veteran and entrepreneur launches insurance agency

For a military vet who fought right in the heart of Baghdad during the Iraqi War, opening a new business in in the heart of Downtown Atlanta is a mission that is sure to find success.

College Park's Torey Bryant is taking his experience in both uniform and business suit and using it to launch Brightway, The Bryant Agency insurance office, which opened last week on Peachtree Street.

With nearly a decade working in the insurance and housing industry, the U.S. Army veteran built that career on a foundation in service to his country.

The North Carolina native spent eight years of his life serving in the U.S. Army and as a civilian IT specialist for the U.S. Air Force.

"The training taught me how to find many different ways to succeed in any situation, as well as gaining the knowledge of the ins and outs of most mainstream pieces of software to hit the IT market. Those two factors have truly helped me build my career," Bryant said in a statement.

A Sergeant in the Army during the U.S. Army's "1st Cavalry" Division deployment to Iraq in 2004, Bryant spent a full year working in logistics in the most volatile place on Earth at the time.

"We spent much of my year in Iraq in the Green Zone, doing a tough job in right in the middle of the war," Bryant said. The Green Zone was the tightly guarded area in Iraq's capital city that served as the headquarters for Iraqi military divisions.

It would be nearly a decade later when his four years as a civilian working for the Air Force took him into Afghanistan.

"We were doing basic technology set-up and infrastructure work," Bryant added. "From stateside work in Warner Robins to the Middle East, the IT world of the military really trained me for just about anything, technologically speaking. And with insurance in 2023, so much depends on technology and being able to give customers the best options available when it comes to online and in-person service."

Nearly 7,000 miles away and 20 years later, Bryant's new Brightway agency has opened its doors at Peachtree Center.

The 44-year-old insurance and mortgage pro holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Maryland (2009) and a master's degree in information technology from Colorado Tech University (2012.) Residing in College Park, Bryant and his wife, Amber, have five children.

Brightway, The Bryant Agency offers customized Home, Flood, Auto, Boat, Condo, Renters, Personal Articles, RV, Motorcycle, Umbrella, Commercial and Life insurance policies from numerous insurance companies.

Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday by appointment. Visit them at their office at 235 Peachtree Street, Suite 361, in Downtown Atlanta, online at BrightwayBryant.com or call 404-595-2101.

Brightway's corporate office staff provides expertise and support in areas including customer service, technology, accounting, marketing, distribution and business analytics. In addition, Brightway handles carrier relations and appointments, as well as support with personnel hiring, licensing, onboarding, training and retention.

The company's signature after-the-sale service empowers agency owners, like Torey, to focus on new business sales and provide customers the personalized service they deserve.