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Medicare Agent in Fort Worth, TX
Trying to pick a health insurance plan can be a chore for anyone. For many people, just mentioning the word "open enrollment" sends shivers down the spine. It seems like there's always a nagging feeling that you're wasting money, choosing a plan with poor in-network care, or both. One would think that health insurance gets easier as you approach retirement age, but the truth is that picking an initial Medicare coverage plan can be daunting.
Unfortunately, the confusing process of signing up for Medicare causes many seniors to forego healthcare coverage altogether. After all, Medicare enrollment can involve several federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration (or SSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (or CMS).
At Senior Medicare Insurance Services, our passion is guiding seniors through the confusion of Medicare. That way, they can enjoy retirement with peace of mind knowing they are protected and ready for life after 65. We work with dozens of insurance companies, giving our clients the chance to choose a plan that best fits their lifestyle.
We choose to design our senior insurance plans with a focus on optimal benefits structure, lower costs, and personalized service. Some independent insurance agencies see their aging customers as nothing more than a financial transaction waiting to happen. In contrast, we treat each of our clients with respect and dignity as we help them navigate the confusing waters of Medicare. Combined with individualized service, we help older Americans make well-informed decisions about insurance. Whether you're in need of senior Medicare Supplement Plan insurance in Fort Worth, TX or simply have questions about signing up for Medicare, our team is here to help.
- Helping Seniors Make Better-Informed Medicare Decisions
- What is Medicare?
- The amount of money you pay for your health care depends on several factors, including
- Senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Fort Worth, TX
- Important Information About Senior Supplement Plan Insurance
- Medicare Agent in Fort Worth, TX
- How Medicare Advantage Plans Work
- Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance Rules
- Paying for Your Medicare Agent
- The Senior Medicare Insurance Services Commitment
What is Medicare?
If you're approaching the golden years of your life, it's important you understand what Medicare is if you don't already.
Medicare is a federal health insurance program reserved for people older than 65 who have worked full-time for at least ten years. The Medicare program is paid for by a combination of worker payroll tax, premiums paid by Medicare enrollees, and the U.S. government.
There are four parts of Medicare:
This type of Medicare is free for most U.S. citizens. Medicare Part A helps older adults pay for care in a nursing facility, hospital visits, and some forms of in-home senior care.
This tier costs around $100 per month. It covers different outpatient services like lab tests, preventative care, doctor's visits, mental health care, clinical trials, and some forms of surgery.
This type of Medicare is most often called Medicare Advantage. This tier of Medicare allows seniors to choose health plans provided by insurance companies like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. Individuals who use Medicare Advantage commonly use Medicare supplement plan insurance to help pay for health care costs that Original Medicare won't cover, like coinsurance, deductibles, and copayments.
Sometimes called "PDPs," these plans add drug coverage to standard Medicare, some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS), some Medicare Cost Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans (MSA).
The amount of money you pay for your health care depends on several factors, including:
- What kind of care you need, and how often it is needed.
- The type of Medicare coverage you choose.
- Whether there are alternative insurance policies that will help fill gaps in your coverage
- Whether a doctor agrees to charge you the same amount that Medicare will cover for a medical service
At Senior Medicare Insurance Services, we offer a number of health insurance solutions for seniors. Two of our most used services include Medicare Advantage plan insurance and Medicare supplement plan insurance.
Senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Fort Worth, TX
Sometimes called Medigap, the purpose of Medicare Supplement Insurance is to help fill in "gaps" that might not be covered by Original Medicare. You can think of a Medigap policy as a supplement for your Original Medicare benefits.
Private companies like Senior Medicare Insurance Services sell this type of insurance right here in South Carolina. While Original Medicare will pay for much of the cost associated with health care services you need, it may not cover all of your expenses. Generally, Medigap policies do not cover costs stemming from eyeglasses, private-duty nurses, dental care, hearing aids, or long-term care.
Depending on the Medicare Supplement Plan that you choose, it may cover out-of-the-country medical services when you travel abroad. Assuming you have Original Medicare coverage, your policy will cover its share of Medicare-approved health care costs. Once your Original Medicare coverage reaches its limit, your Medigap policy will pay its share of the fees.
Our Medigap policies are drafted to meet your specific needs, and can help cover remaining health care costs such as:
Deductibles
Copayments
Coinsurance
Important Information About Senior Supplement Plan Insurance
To dispel some confusion, you should know that a Medigap policy is not the same as a Medicare Advantage Plan. The latter helps you receive Medicare benefits, while the former supplements the benefits you obtain through your Original Medicare plan. As you begin to explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans, keep the following important information in mind:
As you begin to explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans, keep the following important information in mind:
- To qualify for a Medigap policy, you must first have Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.
- Payments on your Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan will be made to the private insurance company that you choose, like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. These payments are made every month and are paid in addition to the monthly payment you make for Medicare Part B.
- If you are the holder of a Medicare Advantage Plan, it is illegal for an insurance company to sell you a senior Medicare Supplement Policy. If you plan on switching back to an Original Medicare plan, you may be able to purchase a Medigap policy.
- If you have health problems as you age, your standardized Medigap policy is guaranteed to be renewable. So long as you pay your monthly premium, your insurance provider cannot cancel your policy.
- Medigap policies only cover one person. If you have a spouse or family member that would like coverage, they must purchase a separate policy.
- You may only buy a Senior Medicare Supplement Plan from an insurance agent that is licensed to sell them in your state. Senior Medicare Insurance Services has been licensed to sell Medigap policies in South Carolina for years. We have helped countless seniors get the Medicare coverage they need and continue to do so to this day.
- In the past, Medigap policies were able to cover costs related to prescription drugs. As of January 1st, 2006, prescription drug coverage is not available on Medicare Supplement Plans. The best way to get coverage for your prescription drugs is to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, often called Part D. Contact our office today to learn more about paying premiums on Medigap and Medicare plans.
For many people, the best time to buy senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Fort Worth, TX is during the 7 months Medigap Open Enrollment Period. This period starts the day you turn 65 years old, so long as you hold Medical Insurance (Medicare Part B). Generally, during the enrollment period, you get more policy choices and better pricing. Once the enrollment period is over, you may not be able to purchase a Medigap policy. Contact Senior Medicare Insurance Services today to determine if you qualify for a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan.
Medicare Agent in Fort Worth, TX
A Medicare Advantage Plan is a kind of Medicare health coverage designed to provide seniors with all their Part A and Part B Medicare benefits. Many Medicare Advantage Plans will often include coverage of the following:
- Preferred Provider Organizations
- Special Needs Plans
- Private Fee-for-Service
- Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans
- Health Maintenance Organizations
In addition, most Medicare Advantage Plans give seniors coverage for their prescription drug needs. When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan through Senior Medicare Insurance Services, your Medicare benefits are covered through your plan and will not be paid for by traditional Medicare.
How Medicare Advantage Plans Work
Sometimes called "MA Plans" or "Part C," Medicare Advantage Plans are considered an "all in one" solution to Original Medicare. Senior Medicare Advantage Plans are only offered by private companies that are approved, like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. Seniors who enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan are still on Medicare. However, these individuals enjoy bundled plans that give seniors the benefits of hospital insurance (Medicare Part A), medical insurance (Medicare Part B), and sometimes drug coverage (Part D).
Medicare Advantage Plans are very popular because they cover all Medicare services and make life a little easier for seniors who have trouble understanding the nuances of Medicare.
When you contact Senior Medicare Insurance Services to choose your Medicare Advantage Plan, ask your agent about Medicare prescription drug coverage. Unless you already have drug coverage (Part D), you should seriously consider Part D coverage to help reduce costs associated with prescription drugs. You may also want to consider a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan to help fill gaps in coverage that Original Medicare will not cover.
Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance Rules
Medicare works by paying a set amount of money to the companies that offer Medicare Agent in Fort Worth, TX. That money is used to pay for the care services that you need. Because Medicare Advantage Plans are different, you should expect out-of-pocket costs to vary depending on the plan you choose.
Different plans have different rules for how you receive services, such as:
If you must go to facilities, suppliers, or doctors that belong to your Advantage Plan for non-urgent and non-emergency care.-
Whether you must get a referral to see a specialized doctor
Companies that offer Medicare Advantage Plans must follow strict rules, which are set by Medicare and can change every year.
Paying for Your Medicare Agent
How much you pay for your Medicare Advantage Plan varies and depends on a few different factors. In most cases, if you need a kind of medical service, you will need to rely on the doctors and providers in your plan's service area and network to pay the lowest amounts. In some cases, if you choose to use a service outside of your plan's network of coverage, you may have to pay out-of-pocket.
We encourage you to contact our office today to learn more about Medicare Advantage Plans, how they work, what your options are, and how often you will have to pay out-of-pocket, if at all.
The Senior Medicare Insurance Services Commitment
Since our company was founded, we have led the insurance industry by providing our clients with the most valuable, helpful insurance solutions available. We are fully committed to our current and prospective clients by:
Choosing to focus on personalized, one-on-one service. When you work with our team, know that we will always design your health insurance plan with your best interests in mind.-
Listening to your specific needs. -
Responding to all inquiries and questions promptly and with a friendly attitude. -
Providing you with the best customer service in the senior health insurance industry, whether you have questions or are ready to move forward with a Medicare plan.
Our mission is to help give seniors the best Medicare assistance available so that they may understand the Medicare process and make an informed health coverage decision. We have the knowledge, skills, and experience to assist anyone interested in Medicare. Our personal goal is to become a lifetime resource for our clients and give them greater confidence in choosing their insurance plans.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 8 organizations which offer 57 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
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Latest News in Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth-founded pasta brand sold to Central Texas food company
Eric E. Garcia October 4https://fortworthreport.org/2026/10/04/fort-worth-founded-pasta-brand-sold-to-central-texas-food-company/
A historic pasta brand founded in Fort Worth is heating up with its sale to a Central Texas-based global food distributor and manufacturer.O.B. Macaroni Co., which started in 1899 as the Fort Worth Macaroni Co., was sold Thursday to the McLane Group, a private Temple company that has grown into one of the largest distributors in the world thanks to founder and chairman Drayton McLane Jr.’s former partnership with Walmart.The acquisition of Texas’ oldest pasta company includes the Q&Q Pasta brand, founded in 1910...
A historic pasta brand founded in Fort Worth is heating up with its sale to a Central Texas-based global food distributor and manufacturer.
O.B. Macaroni Co., which started in 1899 as the Fort Worth Macaroni Co., was sold Thursday to the McLane Group, a private Temple company that has grown into one of the largest distributors in the world thanks to founder and chairman Drayton McLane Jr.’s former partnership with Walmart.
The acquisition of Texas’ oldest pasta company includes the Q&Q Pasta brand, founded in 1910. Originally called Quality and Quantity Pasta, the brand once owned by O.B. Macaroni is widely sold at grocers such as H-E-B and Kroger. Its vermicelli pasta is often used to make fideo, a Mexican noodle dish. Terms of the sale were not publicly disclosed by McLane Group.
Officials said they plan to honor and preserve the pasta brands that have served loyal customers for more than a century.
“McLane Group is excited about the opportunities ahead and looks forward to carrying these Texas brands into their next chapter,” officials said in a statement.
Frank J. Case III, president of Q&Q Pasta, said McLane Group will maintain the quality of the pasta products.
“We are pleased to become stewards of these historic Texas brands,” Case said in a statement. “Our goal is to respect what has made O.B. Macaroni and Q&Q special for so many years and to remain true to their roots as we look toward the future.”
For 115 years, O.B. Macaroni Co. operated out of a renovated and modernized stagecoach hotel at 108 South Freeway near downtown Fort Worth. The company added “Our Best” to its name to reflect the significance of its products.
The company left the 1860 landmark building — recognizable for its triangular shape — in 2015 for a modern Fort Worth facility to complement its production facilities in Austin and LaPlace, Louisiana. The O.B. Macaroni site has been repurposed to house local food suppliers as well as a wedding venue.
Founded by Fort Worth businessmen Giovanni Bastista Laneri and Louis Bicocchi, the pasta business grew swiftly as it used its location adjacent to railroad tracks to ship products across the southwest United States, according to a company history.
McLane Group was launched as a holding company in 1992 by the former owner of the Houston Astros after McLane Company Inc., also based in Temple, was sold to Walmart in 1990. That company is now a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
McLane Group operates companies that include international food distribution, IT services, software development, and high school and college sports media. McLane Classic Foods, located in Burleson, started in 1992 and produces kettle-cooked food products for its restaurant partners.
Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
At the Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .
Between Waco And Fort Worth Is Texas' Lakeside Park With Camping, Fishing, And Boating
Danno Wisehttps://www.islands.com/2274419/cedar-creek-park-between-waco-fort-worth-lakeside-park-camping-fishing-boating/
Texas is a big state with several geographic regions, each with their own distinct landscapes and natural features. North Central Texas, known as the Prairies and Lakes Region, is among the most picturesque in the state. As the name implies, this area features dozens of freshwater lakes. Roughly in the center of the Prairies and Lakes Region, between Waco and Fort Worth, Lake Whitney showcases the area's natural beauty. The clear, blue water is contrasted by rugged limestone cliffs, rolling hills, coves, and towering trees...
Texas is a big state with several geographic regions, each with their own distinct landscapes and natural features. North Central Texas, known as the Prairies and Lakes Region, is among the most picturesque in the state. As the name implies, this area features dozens of freshwater lakes. Roughly in the center of the Prairies and Lakes Region, between Waco and Fort Worth, Lake Whitney showcases the area's natural beauty. The clear, blue water is contrasted by rugged limestone cliffs, rolling hills, coves, and towering trees. Nestled along the eastern shore of the lake, Cedar Creek Park provides visitor with camping, fishing, and boating opportunities on this incredibly scenic reservoir.
Cedar Creek Park is located in the charming town of Whitney in the northern part of Texas Hill Country. It is little wonder that this 23,500-acre lake on the Brazos River is a popular spot for water sports, picnicking, and sleeping under the stars. Cedar Creek Park is the perfect location for visitors looking to enjoy a laid-back afternoon or an adventurous weekend getaway on the lake.
Lake fishing and boating at Cedar Creek Park
Lake Whitney is known as an outstanding angling destination for a variety of freshwater gamefish species. The lake is home to a healthy population of largemouth, striped, and white bass, along with catfish, crappie, and sunfish. Lake Whitney is actually considered among the premier places to fish for striped bass in Texas. The diverse array of possible target species makes Lake Whitney a true year-round fishery. Within Cedar Creek Park, anglers are able to launch boats from the two-lane boat ramp. There is also ample shore fishing access within the park for both day visitors and overnight guests.
The free ramp at Cedar Creek Park is a popular launching spot for boaters and water sports enthusiasts. All types of boats, including paddle craft, jet skis, sailboats, and high-speed ski boats, are welcome on Lake Whitney. Outside of some no-wake areas near the shoreline, there are no speed restrictions. Coupled with the vast open water, Lake Whitney is truly ideal for water skiing, wake boarding, and jet skiing. The mid-lake portion near Cedar Creek Park is particularly well suited for these water sports. While there are no official speed limits, boaters should always be mindful of their surroundings and navigate the waters safely.
Those who prefer to explore the lake at a more relaxed pace can launch canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards from shore. While motorized boat rentals are not available at Cedar Creek Park, those who do not have a vessel of their own can head to Sunset Point Rentals at the south end of the lake. For added convenience, Lake Whitney on Wheels delivers kayaks and paddle board rentals directly to you.
Camping at Cedar Creek Park on Lake Whitney
Although Cedar Creek Park has day-use access, visitors don't necessarily have to leave when the sun goes down. There are a total of 20 camping and picnic sites throughout the park, which can be used for the day or overnight. Each site has a fire ring and covered picnic table. Water and electric hookups are not available, but there is a restroom facility in the park, as well as numerous faucets for potable water. The park is owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and overnight camping is free. However, these sites are first come, first served. If you hope to claim a campsite, it's best to arrive early, especially on weekends.
Getting to Cedar Creek Park is relatively easy from just about any direction. Lake Whitney is about an hour's drive north of Waco, the artsy gem known as the "Heart of Texas." Visitors arriving from the other direction can get to the park in just over an hour from Fort Worth, an often overlooked Texas city that brims with cowboy charm. The nearest commercial airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), is about an hour-and-a-half away. Those who want to do some hiking can hit the trails at Lake Whitney State Park, located 20 minutes south of Cedar Creek Park on the eastern shore of the lake.
Manufacturing Day Gives North Texas Students a Hand With Career Paths
John Henryhttps://fortworthinc.com/innovators/manufacturing-day-gives-north-texas-students-a-hand-with-car/
Samarth Ramadugu, a product of another time, had likely never heard of The Addams Family, but the bionic hand he and his teammates had on display at Manufacturing Day sure reminded me of that rascally Thing, who had a mind of his own, as well as great comedic timing.Samarth had a simple goal for the hand: Give everybody a handshake before they left.They first had to get some kinks worked out.The Frisco Wakeland High School student and his teammates had spent the previous night preparing the device, which uses tendons to ...
Samarth Ramadugu, a product of another time, had likely never heard of The Addams Family, but the bionic hand he and his teammates had on display at Manufacturing Day sure reminded me of that rascally Thing, who had a mind of his own, as well as great comedic timing.
Samarth had a simple goal for the hand: Give everybody a handshake before they left.
They first had to get some kinks worked out.
The Frisco Wakeland High School student and his teammates had spent the previous night preparing the device, which uses tendons to mimic a human hand. They were still troubleshooting it as visitors stopped by.
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It was a small demonstration of the larger mission behind Friday’s event, which is designed to introduce and nurture North Texas students to the work of making things, solving problems, and understanding the technology increasingly central to manufacturing.
Put on by the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center and co-sponsored by TechFW, Manufacturing Day in the White Settlement school district, featured more than 40 interactive stations and live demonstrations, with companies, including Lockheed Martin, participating. Students explored robotics, automation, engineering challenges, and manufacturing processes.
“This is all about connecting future workforce to current possibilities,” said Britt Rosenberg, business development officer with the TMAC.
Rosenberg noted the year-over-year growth from the first gathering in 2025, estimating attendance had reached about 1,800 students, up from 500 last year. Moreover, more than 30 organizations participated, compared with about 12 a year earlier.
U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth) was there. He said this kind of exposure is good for students and manufacturers alike. The demonstrations would prove useful for students thinking through their next steps after high school and college while preparing them for an industry that keeps changing.
Manufacturers need less brawn, Veasey said, and more prospective employees who understand technology and its pace of change.
“Technology changes so rapidly, too,” Veasey said. “So, it’ll, I think, give them an advantage when the job that is really important right now no longer exists four years from now.”
Veasey recalled visiting the Miller Brewery plant in south Fort Worth, where the general manager showed him a robotic device performing a heavy lifting task that once required three men.
“And then they didn’t lay anybody off,” Veasey said. “They just moved those other two people to other sections of the assembly line.”
The technology, he said, also presented the brewery to diversify its pool of potential employees.
The event also offered a glimpse of what its organizers hope to build beyond a single day.
Rosenberg said they want to work with White Settlement ISD and other partners to develop a manufacturing innovation, technology, and workforce training center at the unused campus site.
The concept remains merely a goal.
“Nothing solidified, but I will go on the record. That’s my hope,” Rosenberg said.
For Samarth, the learning already extends beyond robotics. His Frisco-based group is student-led, with members handling finances as well as building robots. Mentors provide guidance, but students carry the responsibility.
At Manufacturing Day, that meant explaining their work to visitors while trying to solve the problem in front of them.
The handshakes would have to wait until the hand worked.
To borrow the philosophy of one of our area’s great thinkers once upon a time: That’s the way innovation go.
Former Texas Health Resources executive named to lead Blue Zones
Press Releasehttps://fortworthreport.org/2026/10/06/former-texas-health-resources-executive-named-to-lead-blue-zones/
Blue Zones, the global leader in longevity research and helping people live longer, healthier lives, announced today the appointment of Brett McClung as Chief Executive Officer and President. McClung brings more than two decades of executive healthcare leadership, a proven record of organizational transformation, and a deep personal connection to the Blue Zones purpose.McClung previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Florida, where he led one of the nation’s largest health sys...
Blue Zones, the global leader in longevity research and helping people live longer, healthier lives, announced today the appointment of Brett McClung as Chief Executive Officer and President. McClung brings more than two decades of executive healthcare leadership, a proven record of organizational transformation, and a deep personal connection to the Blue Zones purpose.
McClung previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Florida, where he led one of the nation’s largest health systems and championed bringing Blue Zones Project® to the Jacksonville community. Prior to Baptist Health, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Leader of Texas Health Resources, where he was an executive sponsor of Blue Zones Project in Fort Worth.
After his tenure leading Baptist Health, McClung was selected as a Fellow of Stanford University’s Distinguished Careers Institute (DCI), where he explored the transformation of healthcare and the opportunity to move the nation from a predominantly downstream model of treating disease toward an upstream approach focused on preventing illness and creating the conditions for people to thrive.
The experience represented an important evolution in McClung’s career—from leading large, complex health systems to pursuing his longstanding passion for improving health at the community level and helping people live longer, healthier lives. He deliberately broadened his lens across the healthcare ecosystem through advisory work and engagements with venture-backed healthcare companies spanning artificial intelligence, ambulatory care, clinical trials, and digital health. These experiences deepened his understanding of how technology, innovation, new care models, and community design can come together to create healthier communities and improve longevity.
His commitment to this work also extends to his experience as an American Marshall Fellow, when he studied comparative health systems, examining how different countries organize, finance, and deliver healthcare and the lessons those models offer for improving population health.
He succeeds Ben Leedle, Blue Zones co-founder and former CEO, who remains with the company driving strategic growth and partnerships. Following Leedle’s transition last May after nine years as President and CEO, the organization was guided by Scott Marcus, who served as interim president. Blue Zones extends its sincere gratitude to Marcus, who continues in his primary position as CEO of Blue Zones Kitchen, for his operational leadership leading up to this permanent transition.
Leedle commented, “The next chapter of this company will demand new energy, different leadership rhythms, and a continued willingness to evolve. Having worked with Brett as the lead sponsor and champion on major Blue Zones Project implementations, I know he has the vision, commitment, skills, and experience to lead us to new heights.”
“I have spent my career trying to close the gap between the health people have today and the health they are capable of achieving,” McClung said. “Blue Zones has demonstrated that when communities and organizations work together to make the healthy choice the easy choice, we can create meaningful and lasting change. I am excited to help take that mission to an even greater scale.”
Blue Zones will continue to serve its current communities and partners without interruption, and the company’s ongoing research, led by founder Dan Buettner, is unchanged.
“When you look at the places where people live the longest, healthiest, and happiest lives, it always comes down to environment that makes the healthy choice easy or unavoidable,” said Dan Buettner, founder of Blue Zones. “As our client and partner on two of our largest Blue Zones Projects, McClung profoundly understands not only how to make communities healthier, but how to leverage our strategy to provide financial returns to healthcare systems.”
About Blue Zones
Blue Zones employs evidence-based ways to help people live better, longer. The company’s work is rooted in explorations and research done by founder and National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner in blue zones regions around the world, where people live extraordinarily long and/or happy lives. The original research and findings were released in Buettner’s bestselling books including The Blue Zones Solution, The Blue Zones of Happiness, Blue Zones Kitchen, Blue Zones Challenge, and Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer — all published by National Geographic books. A hit docuseries, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones, was released on Netflix in 2023. Using original Blue Zones research, Blue Zones works with cities, counties, and organizations to make healthy choices easier through permanent and semi-permanent changes to our human-made surroundings. Participating communities have experienced double-digit drops in obesity and tobacco use and have saved millions of dollars in healthcare costs. For more information, visit www.bluezones.com.
North Texas nonprofit helps veterans find jobs, offers lifelong mentorship
Marissa Greenehttps://fortworthreport.org/2026/10/05/north-texas-nonprofit-helps-veterans-find-jobs-offers-lifelong-mentorship/
Rickey Sanchez remembers the challenges he faced in 2021 trying to find a job before his 20-year service in the Army came to a close.The first sergeant in the recruiting command wanted to participate in U.S. Army programs that helped soldiers with professional development and transitioning from the military to civilian life. However, Sanchez was a top performer in his command and only had about a six-month window to prepare.“I wasn’t afforded that opportunity because they wanted to keep me on numbers, and so I alway...
Rickey Sanchez remembers the challenges he faced in 2021 trying to find a job before his 20-year service in the Army came to a close.
The first sergeant in the recruiting command wanted to participate in U.S. Army programs that helped soldiers with professional development and transitioning from the military to civilian life. However, Sanchez was a top performer in his command and only had about a six-month window to prepare.
“I wasn’t afforded that opportunity because they wanted to keep me on numbers, and so I always heard that you want to start transitioning two years before you exit,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez applied to roles but wasn’t getting any offers. He remembers struggling with the interviews. In the military, when a soldier is asked a question, the rule is to respond and move on, Sanchez said. In civilian life, people will typically answer the question by telling a story.
In September 2021, Sanchez reached out to Danny Rojas for help. The fellow Army veteran and his wife, Thania, began to work with Sanchez on his resume and interview prep, having him do mock interviews before the real thing. By December, Sanchez was offered a technical recruiter role for CitiBank.
Sanchez’s experience securing a job with help from the Rojases made him the first client of TailoredVets. The organization, co-founded by Danny and Thania Rojas, offers veterans career coaching and mentorship, which can begin before the service members leave the military and can continue for as long as needed.
The idea behind TailoredVets was drawn from Danny’s experience transitioning from an infantryman and recruiting leader to a civilian career.
“Coming out of the military, he started looking for employment, like a lot of veterans are, and he faced a lot of challenges that a lot of veterans face coming out of the military,” Thania said.
Veterans may feel the need to take the first job that is offered or keep the role for just six months, Thania said. Other times, financial challenges are an issue. When Danny accepted his first civilian job, he also took a 50% pay cut, she added.
“Danny, being the person that he is, he started building his own network, connecting with other mentors and previously transitioned veterans, and he found his own footing,” Thania said.
By using his resources, Danny was able to land senior positions at larger companies. Then, he wanted to see how he could help other veterans do the same.
Danny and Thania began doing video calls with veterans, offering resume assistance and conducting mock interviews. At first, it was just something the couple did during the weekends. Over time, the clients began securing jobs with the couple’s help.
“Our goal was never to turn, you know, this into something, but we started placing people, and a lot of them were (with) really large companies,” Thania said.
A year after working with CitiBank, Sanchez moved up to a senior technical recruiting role at Wells Fargo. He has been with the company since.
TailoredVets became a nonprofit this year, Thania said. The organization works with groups of 10-15 veterans. Selected veterans participate in an introductory call centered on the type of market they are looking to work in. The cohort meets with leaders of the nonprofit once or twice a week to work on their resume, social media profile and scheduling interviews, she said.
The organization has a partnership with a local barber and sponsors haircuts for veterans. It also offers them a gift card to purchase clothes leading up to an interview, Thania said.
TailoredVets long-term goal? For the organization to be a place where veterans can continue coming back for help.
“It doesn’t stop when you land a job,” Thania said, adding that service members will have to then navigate corporate politics, performance improvement plans and key performance indicators, or KPIs. “Let’s do this as a lifelong mentorship.”
Marissa Greene is the faith and fellowships editor at the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at .
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .
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