About Chris Akers

I was born in 1965 in Radford Virginia at the beginning of the GenX generation, and I grew up in a small town nearby called Dublin, where family left their doors unlocked, and visited extended families’ homes every weekend. Many times on a family get together, it would become a weekend thing, and I started to learn to cook from my mom, aunt and granny.

Growing up, my first love was baseball, and the Atlanta Braves. I played baseball until high school and played freshman football (but had to quit after breaking my wrist in a basketball game). I also lettered in chess, ran indoor, outdoor track, and cross country, and graduated from Pulaski County High School with a major in Culinary Arts in the class of 1983.

I enlisted in the United States Army as a Radio Teletype Operator. I obtained my NATO Secret Security clearance in 1984, and rapidly rose to the position of a team chief. I served in Europe during the Cold War, and had many deployments, multiple achievements and several US and NATO awards.

Upon returning to the United States, I found my excellent achievements in the use of the military equipment was not as current as what was being used in the civilian markets (the equipment had to be able to withstand the abuse it would receive in a tank, etc). Dejected, I tried several different areas of employment, looking for my passion…

At 27, I decided to return to the scholastic arena, and go to college. I chose The Art Institute of Atlanta, and obtained a degree in Culinary Arts. Upon my graduation, I returned to my hometown area of Roanoke, VA, where I met the beautiful mother of my two sons, Christopher “Trey” Akers II, and Chris Akers III. (There is a story there…ask me about it sometime!)

I loved the restaurant business, but it took its toll on me…80+ hours a week was not as much fun at 40 as it was as at 20, for me or my bride. In 2006, I quit the restaurant industry and got into sales – cars, specifically. I discovered that I hated selling. I could hardly give a car away…because I did not believe in what I was doing.

Then a company called and asked me to come in for an interview in the insurance business…and in 2007, I knew where I could make a difference. I worked for Banker’s life and Casualty for a year, and then went to work for a local broker. After working with the broker for a year, I chose to step back from the insurance industry for a year and worked as a recruiter for a college.

It seemed that the insurance business kept calling my name though, and I again found myself working for another local insurance broker here in Knoxville. My only problem, was that I was being ‘forced’ to SELL products that were in the brokers’ best interests, not market products that were best suited for the needs of the client.

In 2010, I decided to go out and do it on my own. I obtained contracts direct with as many companies as possible, and continued to grow.

In 2015, I opened an office on Merchant Drive called The Akers Solution. Why that name? Because I can offer you options, therefore a solution to your insurance needs. I am NOT ‘selling’ now, but helping you solve YOUR insurance needs.

I enjoy many different activities…painting, target shooting (guns and bows), golf (but don’t tell me how bad I am at it), camping, keeping bees, chickens, rabbits, and growing a hydroponic garden. But my BEST days are when I get to share time with my sons!