Our Team

Edward J. Mazur, CLU, ChFC has been in the financial services industry since January 8, 1973. As Founder and President of Professional Investors Life & Annuity he holds life, health, property and casualty licenses in several states. He served as President of the Connecticut Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors and is a founding member of the Your Family Bank branch of our company and Professional Investors College Planning.

Kara Mazur-Miller serves as Vice President of Professional Investors Life & Annuity. Formerly the Marketing Director of the Company, she comes with great credentials, having graduated from the University of Alabama magna cum laude with a degree in Marketing. Since graduation, she worked for CNH Capital in Racine, WI in their financial services/marketing area. Now having been with Professional Investors for over 10 years, she currently oversees all operations activity at PILA and is a founding member of the Your Family Bank branch of our company. In addition, she is very active with Medicare Advantage & Medicare Supplement plans as well as individual health insurance through Access Health CT. 

Some of her other notable achievements include being a 5-time National Racquetball Champion and 2-time National Collegiate Racquetball Champion, representing the University of Alabama. For a short time she also played on the Women’s Professional Tour.

In her down time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two boys. She also loves to run and cook for others. 

In his role as Vice President, Benefits Consultant, Darrel Miller works closely with employers to help maximize their employee benefit plan value. Darrel has worked in the employee benefit space for the last decade. Prior to joining Professional Investors, he spent several years specializing in employee benefits technology at a leading technology organization. In this role, Darrel advised clients on the best insurance technology solutions for their specific needs. He then transitioned into the consultant role as a benefits broker where he helped clients navigate the employee benefit insurance marketplace as well as related industries like benefits administration. He will continue working directly with employers to provide all-encompassing and cost effective benefit packages for their employees.

Darrel earned his BA from The University of Alabama and now resides in Connecticut with his wife and 2 sons. In his spare time, he enjoys time with his two English bulldogs, Fergie and Bruno. He also likes to golf and travel to new places.

Ed Barillaro, founder of The Money Coach LLC, has joined Professional Investors Life & Annuity as an established financial advisor. This expansion has allowed him to better service his existing clients by broadening what services he can offer and also providing them with a formal continuity plan for the long term. 

Ed has worked with hundreds of families and individuals to help them achieve financial security. Ed takes a very complicated subject and simplifies it. By using straight talk, not “industry jargon,”  he helps people understand how money works and uses that knowledge to eliminate wealth transfers that occur “unknowingly and unnecessarily” through no fault of their own.

Ed believes that the deck is stacked against the average person who is trying their best to provide for their family and just can’t seem to get ahead, so his passion for helping the underdog is what fuels his success.

Ed currently resides in Cheshire, Connecticut with his wife Alice. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and playing golf.

Mike O'Connor of OC Financial has joined Professional Investors Life & Annuity as a seasoned financial advisor and a LEAP (Lifetime Economic Acceleration Process) Licensed Advisor. This merge has allowed him to better service his existing clients by expanding his suite of services and providing them with a formal continuity plan for the long term.

For over 25 years, Mike has transformed countless lives. Many clients have been with him for over 20 years, trusting his expert financial advice and guidance. With a focus on guiding people to grow, protect and enjoy their wealth, he also helps people eliminate their debt. His passion is to help people achieve financial freedom while being there for them every step of the way. 

From the words of one of his many long-standing clients, "Mike has been our financial advisor for over 20 years. During this time, he has guided us in building a well-rounded portfolio using programs such as LEAP. Mike has been a trusted and attentive advisor throughout these many years.” - Bob and Jenn

In his spare time, one of Mike's favorite pastimes is spending time on the Lake with his family and friends.

Shawn Ferguson has joined Professional Investors Life & Annuity as a licensed broker for life, accident & health. He is also an authorized representative of Your Family Bank, a financial literacy program for paying off debt and increasing retirement savings.

Shawn brings with him great experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining the team in 2020, he spent the previous 10 years with Prudential  Financial and held various positions in both the Retirement and Annuity divisions of the company.

He is a graduate of Central Connecticut State University holding a bachelor’s degree in finance. In his spare time he enjoys playing golf, and spending time with friends and family.

Alexa Perry joined the team at Professional Investors Life & Annuity in January of 2015 as the Executive Assistant to Kara Miller. In 2022, she was promoted to Office Manager. 

Alexa’s key responsibilities include managing day-to-day operations and coordinating all of the administrative activities for the office. Additionally, she regularly interacts with clients, agents and companies to manage and fulfill their needs.

Alexa is a graduate from the University of Connecticut and holds a Bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology. Alexa is proud to be a member of the PILA team!