Our Team

Photo of Rick Paulsen

Rick Paulsen

Founder and Financial Services Professional

CA Insurance Lic. #0640814

Rick began his career with New York Life Insurance Company as an agent in 1983. Rick considers himself a businessman who sells life insurance. His emphasis is on working with families, professional athletes, affluent individuals, and business owners on business, estate, and charitable planning objectives.

He is in the New York Life Cabinet Hall of Fame and has qualified for Chairman’s Council (the highest level of production) for 38 consecutive years. Rick is the 2015 New York Life Council President and currently has over 1.5 Billion of life insurance in force. Also, he made time his Council President year to be the Agents Advisory Council National President! Rick is very proud that three of his employees have worked for “Team Paulsen” for over 30 years each!

Rick is a graduate of the University of the Pacific, where he earned a basketball scholarship and captained the team his junior and senior years. He was inducted into University of Pacific and Stockton’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

Rick has received numerous awards in his community for his philanthropic endeavors, coaching of youth sports, and community service. He has been on the Boards of the University of Pacific School of Business, Pacific Athletic Foundation, and Dameron Community Hospital. As a gift chairman, Rick has raised over $10 Million in his community for local charities.

Rick was recently listed for the 2nd consecutive year in the 2022 Forbes Top Financial Security Professionals* (#22 in the United States and #1 in Northern California) This recognition was based on several criteria considered by an independent research firm.

Rick is married to Nancy and they have two sons; Max who started his career at New York Life in 2020; and Grant who graduated from the University of Southern California and is living in New York City.

His goal is “to have a great day, EVERYDAY!!!”

Photo of Max Paulsen

Max Paulsen

Financial Services Professional

CA Insurance License #4030395

Max joined New York Life as an agent in the Spring of 2020, and represents the third generation of a business that evolved from family roots.

Max previously interned for the New York Life Stockton General Office, as well as the Commercial Real Estate Investment Division of New York Life in New York City. He accomplished Executive Council^ in just his first four months with the Company, and again in 2021 and 2022. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of San Joaquin County and is the President of the Good Guys Open charity golf tournament carrying on tradition his father started in 1983.

Max is a graduate of University of Colorado – Boulder, and he enjoys golf, pick-up Basketball, traveling and Buffs football.

Max is a Registered Representative of and offers securities products & services through NYLIFE Securities LLC, (Member FINRA/SIPC), A Licensed Insurance Agency and a New York Life Company.

Joanie Bello

Executive Assistant

Joanie joined Rick in 1988 and assists him with all of the functions associated with the underwriting process of new applications and ongoing customer service. Joanie’s many years of experience in the life insurance industry and her knowledge of the medical requirements, scheduling of exams, and constant follow up with status reports of all policies makes her the perfect liaison to assist Rick with the processing of new business in a quick and efficient manner.

Shari Castles-Lange

Chief of Staff

Shari joined Rick in May of 1993 and works closely with Rick as his Chief of Staff, assisting him with his seminar coordination and travel, marketing, community involvement and fundraising, client meeting preparation, office technology, and the office administration. Shari worked in the New York Life General Office for Rick’s dad (Max Paulsen) for six years while in high school and college, and worked for 13 years at local CPA firm before returning to the “Team Paulsen Family”. She was born and raised in Stockton, where her parents, two adult children and three grandchildren all continue to live in the community they love!

Susie Ellis

Bookkeeper

Susie joined Rick in 1987 and worked as his administrative assistant. In 1998 she opened her own bookkeeping business and Rick was her first client! Susie is still an integral part of Team Paulsen and continues to do all the bookkeeping for the office. Susie and her husband Mark live in Stockton and their daughter Madison is married and lives in Napa Valley.

*Data provided by SHOOK®Research, LLC.Data as of 12/31/21. Source: Forbes.com(July, 2022). Neither SHOOK nor Forbes receives any compensation in exchange for placement on its Top Financial Security Professional (FSP) rankings (including the Best-In-State Financial Security Professional rankings), which are determined independently (see methodology). FSP refers to professionals who are properly licensed to sell life insurance and annuities. FSPs may also hold other credentials and licenses which would allow them to offer investments and securities products through those licenses. Ranking algorithm is based on qualitative measures learned through telephone, virtual and in-person interviews to measure best practices, client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management, sales figures and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and these professionals rarely have audited performance reports. Individuals must carefully choose the right FSP for their own situation and perform their own due diligence. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help individuals choose the right FSP and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

^Council is an annual company recognition program based on agent production from July 1- June 30.