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Julie Betts Brandao ’84
Believes in Influential Giving
Julie Betts Brandao ’84 still has a photograph from her seventh grade Cat-Rat pairing. She proudly displays her GPS diploma in her office, and she even wore her May Day dress to a Halloween party a few years ago. To say her roots at GPS run deep is an understatement. Brandao’s two sisters, Katherine Betts ’76 and Summer Betts Booker ’80, and two daughters are also Bruisers. Because of this rich heritage, countless fond memories, and lifelong friendships, Brandao gives back.
“GPS has always been a part of my family, and I was taught early on that you give back to things that mean something to your heart,” she says. Her parents set the example by generously giving their time and treasure to nonprofits in the community. “The gifts you make not only improve your community, they also connect you to it. You are rewarded when you give. It all comes back.”
For her contributions to GPS, she feels she has received one of her greatest gifts—the confidence she sees in her two daughters, Katie ’17 and Emma ’21. Katie is currently a Morehead-Cain Scholar at UNC Chapel Hill pursuing a double major in art history and computer science, a passion cultivated in AP Science with Jill Pala Pieritz ’97 and AP Art History with Cathie Ault Kasch ’72.
Emma is also interested in STEM and is a member of the Computer Science Club as well as Mock Trial at GPS. Her true passion is GPS fine arts, participating in the fall plays and spring musicals since the ninth grade.
“My children are very independent and I give credit to GPS for that,” Brandao says. “They have no problem expressing their opinions. To me that is so powerful for a woman these days. They also don’t fear for the future. They are well prepared.”
That same trademark GPS confidence contributed to Brandao’s becoming the first and only female partner in her firm, Huffaker & Trimble Insurance. She transitioned to vice president when the firm was bought by BB&T Insurance Services in 2005 (now known as McGriff Insurance Services).
And while an all-girls environment shaped her formative years, she is quick to credit her male mentors for helping her grow both professionally and personally. In fact, she never would have entered the insurance business had Bob Huffaker and Roger Smith not recognized her potential.
“I had just moved back to town and was working for Junior Achievement,” she recalls. “I was pitching Bob for a sponsorship, but after my presentation he asked if I’d ever thought about getting into the insurance business, and immediately introduced me to Roger.”
Huffaker and Smith’s instincts were correct. Hired in 1991 to help build the firm’s personal insurance department, Brandao eventually took over the department. Her very first customer is still with her today. Throughout the years she has served on numerous carrier panels and councils in her industry, recognized in 2016 as “Top Encompass Advocate.”
In addition to bringing out her innate sales and leadership abilities, her male co-workers also influenced her giving. She recalls (former Chattanooga resident) Ted King’s approaching her at age 26 for a leadership gift to the United Way. The fact that he believed she was capable of a larger gift made a lasting impression.
Brandao continues to walk out the example set by her parents, Cliff and Sally Betts, and her mentors by contributing to various causes that strengthen her beloved city. She currently serves on the boards for the CHI Memorial Foundation, WTCI, Siskin Children’s Institute, and the Calsted Foundation. She’s a former trustee of another alma mater, The Bright School, and was part of American Heart Association’s Circle of Red in 2011 and 2017. GPS honored her as a 2013 Woman of Distinction and the recipient of the Margaret Rawlings Lupton Award of Excellence in 2014.
Over the years Brandao has supported a multitude of organizations, both financially and through various volunteer roles. Some of these include Chattanooga Downtown Rotary, Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute, American Heart Association, and American Cancer Society. Her number one philanthropic priority is her church, St. Paul’s Episcopal, where she currently co-chairs the stewardship committee. But GPS remains high on her list. Since graduating from Vanderbilt University 31 years ago, Brandao has not missed a year of giving to GPS, noting it is not the amount that matters as much as the action.
“I think it’s important for women to understand they can be influential givers,” she says. “When you step out of your comfort zone and do more than you think you can, or give more than you think you can, the rewards are greater than you can imagine. It might be hard but ultimately so worth it.”
