EDITOR’S NOTE: Sometimes, for various reasons, The Business Times isn’t able to print everything it wanted to present in a story. When that happens and we feel the need to provide what the original story was missing, we’ll bring you “More to the Story.”

In the Jan. 7-14, 2026, edition’s story about Active Insurance Solutions’ former owner Randy Pifer retiring after 40 years at the agency, we had lots of extra items to go in an Info Box, but we couldn’t shoehorn them in. So, here they are now:

If it ain’t broke … you know what to do

CJ Rhyne bought Active Insurance Solutions from Randy Pifer in December 2024 and took the reins of the business Jan. 1, 2025 with Pifer still on hand to help him with the transition.

Rhyne expressed gratitude to Pifer for grooming him to take over a successful business, and he addressed his approach to owning Active Insurance Solutions by invoking an old adage: If something’s not broke, don’t fix it.

“I know this business is good,” he said. “Randy’s done an awesome job of communicating with clients, and they trust him immensely, and that’s what I’m trying to continue.”

Golf and insurance go hand in hand?

Rhyne, a former general manager at The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa, knew he always wanted to own a business.

“I just didn’t know what it was going to be or what would present itself,” he said.

Where selling health insurance ultimately made sense is it’s about helping people, and that led Rhyne to a golf analogy.

“I like helping people,” he said. “That’s why I got into the golf industry, because golf’s hard, and people really, really loved it when you could make them hit the ball somewhat like they see on TV and just help them in general with stuff.

“So, I knew I liked that, and (health insurance) is the same exact line. It’s just bigger stakes. I mean, we’re talking about people’s lives now. ”

Just a phone call away

Pifer said he’ll lend a helping hand with Medicare policies this year, and if Rhyne needs him for anything in the coming years, Pifer will answer the call.

“I’m always going to be there to support him,” Pifer said. “I don’t care what year it is, if he needs help with something, I’m glad to commit.

“I do intend to stay licensed, just in case, you know, who knows what will happen? I’m always going to be attached to this office. I mean, this thing is my right arm, my left arm, my right leg, my left leg. Golly.”

The gift of gab

Pifer worked a few other jobs before getting into insurance sales, including a year as an electrician apprentice. That ended with the oil-shale bust in Grand Junction – long story for another time – and Pifer’s first job in insurance, which was not quite a year with AFLAC. Then came his job with Employee Benefits Consulting, which eventually became Active Insurance Solutions.

Pifer acknowledges he loves to talk, and that was a good thing for a guy in sales.

“You know, I was the class clown back in high school, so I had relationships,” said Pifer, a Pennsylvania native who grew up in Big Run, a small town four miles from Punxsutawney (yes, the place famous for its Groundhog Day celebration). “We graduated with probably 320 people, and I probably knew 280 of them personally. Because I’m just that guy, you know?

“I was just outgoing and wanted to be friends with people, and having the gift of gab is a critical component, particularly in sales. You know, you either can communicate or you can’t.”