Leadership

Tim Lewis

President & Managing Partner

Tim Lewis joined Optimus with 35+ years in the automotive industry. His experience has been in retail, income development, and reinsurance.

He began his career in retail with a large dealer group in Houston, TX. He then moved into the wholesale financial services sector focusing on income development while building reinsurance programs for dealer groups throughout the country. He has also served as the General/Executive Manager for a large consolidator. Most recently Lewis has developed and built his own company, while never losing focus on his retail roots of providing dealer-oriented products and training. His expertise in the legal and compliance field, building top-producing sales and management teams, and implementing profitable strategies bring a wealth of knowledge to Optimus and its dealer partners.

Mr. Lewis graduated from Baylor University in Waco, TX with a BBA in Marketing/Management. He resides in the DFW area with his wife. They love to spend time with family and friends. When not working, you can find the Lewis’ attending live music events and traveling the world.

Starla Wachsmann

Director of Operations

Starla Wachsmann is responsible for operations and risk management, DOWC, reinsurance, compliance, and more. She has over 20 years in the automotive industry beginning in risk management.

Mrs. Wachsmann graduated from the University of North Texas with a BAAS Technology & Performance Improvement. She met her husband in the historic Ft. Worth Stock Yards and have been married for 26 years. They have two boys and a small farm with many animals. She enjoys the outdoors, working out, and volunteering.

Joe Brennan

Director of Claims

Joe Brennan is our Director of Claims and manages all of our programs’ claim adjudications. He joined Optimus Warranty with over 20 years of diverse automotive leadership experience. He advanced through multiple roles in dealership and automotive warranty settings starting as a technician and progressing through multi-line Service Manager, Claims Manager, and Director/ Sr. Director of Claims Operations.

Joe graduated from Universal Technical Institute with a degree in Automotive Technology and followed up with Audi Academy Expert Technician Certification. He also obtained ASE Master Level certification. He also earned the Advanced Level Diagnostics and Service Consultant additions. His past 10+ years were spent growing and optimizing claims processes and expanding his overall automotive knowledge.

In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and dogs outdoors and is an avid car builder, racer, and modifier.

Bianca Williams

Compliance Manager

Bianca Williams is our Compliance Manager and she oversees all compliance issues. She joined us with over 21 years of collective management, in the produce, technology, and automotive industries.

Mrs. Williams thrives to create solutions to keep business moving with the proven ability to manage, develop, and mentor staff using her strong analytical and interpersonal skills. She was born in Pennsylvania but raised in Texas and believes in having a strong work ethic and a balanced home life.

Valerie Benish

Customer Service Manager

Valerie Benish has been in the automotive industry for over 15 years. She is our Customer Service Manager while also assisting with accounting and increasing client satisfaction.

Mrs. Benish is very detail oriented and takes great pride in her work while providing top-notch customer service. She enjoys spending time with friends and family when she isn’t working.