An 85 Year Journey
This year, our agency celebrates its 85th year in business. That spans 8 decades and 3 generations. As the youngest of the third generation, I have only recently come to fully appreciate what an achievement it is. In an age when most start-ups fizzle out within a few months and personal interaction is a thing of the past, our family-owned business turns 85.
The journey of most businesses is a rollercoaster of highs and lows, expansion and contraction, ebbs and flows. Ours has been no different.
My grandfather began building our company one policy at a time out of the basement of his Cleveland home. His mindset was simple: help the people he cared about protect the things important to them. He believed if he acted in the client’s best interest and cared for them like family, his company would flourish.
My grandfather would always say, “The most important aspect of our profession is client service.” Those words are the foundation our company has been built on.
My Dad took over after my grandfather became ill and, through hard work and a number of acquisitions, he expanded the agency, adding a team around him to help strengthen that foundation.
I often reflect about the journey of our business and how much work and sacrifice went into getting us to this point. I think about how fortunate my brother and I are to have been blessed with an opportunity to continue its legacy. I think about the 4th generation. I think about my grandfather’s vision and how important those words are – now maybe more than ever.
As we celebrate this year, what I am most proud of is we have never lost focus on what is most valuable: our clients.