2 minute read
From the Boardroom
FROM THE BOARDROOM
MITCH TARRAS Director, PIA of Wisconsin
A FAMILY TRADITION
I can’t sing it like Hank Williams Jr. can, but it’s a phrase that I think about a lot as a second-generation insurance agent. A lot of us in this industry, especially in the independent agency world, are following in our parent’s or even grandparent’s footsteps. We grew up at mom or dad’s office, met the clients we now service today, as kids. I have fond memories of getting to visit my mom’s office at AC Larsen insurance agency in West Bend and thinking “Wow! This looks like a super boring job.” But the older I became I started to see the awesome perks of the job too. My mom could always work from home when we were sick and she would get the occasional Brewers and Bucks game tickets from her boss. It was the perfect job that someone with kids could balance and make a darn good living doing it. Even after seeing all of that I always said it just wasn’t for me.
Fast forward a few years and I was working as a full-time computer tech, attending college full-time and had a 1-year-old son. Something had to change. My mother, whom a lot of you out there know, was going to purchase an agency and wanted me to work for her. No nights, no weekends and a possible career for the rest of my working life. I gave it a shot. The man she bought the agency from had taken it over from his father, who started it in the 1920’s. All of these family connections started to make me feel like this was something I could pass on to my boys, at some point. That was when I decided this was the career I wanted for the foreseeable future.
In 2013, we were contemplating joining forces with BWO Insurance Agency. We spoke with Tom Budzisz, visited their home office (I like to call it the Mothership) and met Don Osborne. His office wall was covered with pictures of his children and grandchildren. Right then and there it hit me, “this isn’t just some sales job, this is one big family.” I think meeting with Don that day was one of the biggest deciding factors. We wanted to be associated with people who valued family.
My first clients, from 10 years ago, now have children buying houses and cars. Being able to insure multiple generations is very rewarding because that means they have placed their trust in us not only to protect them, but their children as well. Our industry can get a bad name because it is technically labeled a “sales job”. But I think I speak for just about all of us when I say it’s about helping people in a tough situation, not just cross-selling them that extra policy.
My oldest son is now 12 years old and has been coming into the office for over a decade. I would imagine he had that glazed over look in his eyes a few years back when he saw me sitting at a desk and typing. Recently he has mentioned the possibility of taking over for me (if the NBA doesn’t work out) when I retire. Nothing would make me more proud.
