Emerge News May 2022

Big things to share as we sprint our intentional expansion forward in 2022!

We have kicked off the year with a bang, and more and more agencies continue to find value in what we’re building. As we have been building, we are continually searching for solutions for agency issues and have made many investments over the last few years to help our agencies run optimally. A goal of ours is to allow agents to wipe their desks clean of “busy work” and give them back time in their day to focus on client relations and working on prospecting. These investments have helped us achieve our goals cumulating in some impressive new business wins.

L.B. Anderson Agency joined FMSI at the end of January. Located in Newhall, IA, L.B. Anderson Agency has been servicing their community’s insurance needs dating back to 1965. For 57 years, this agency has been a mainstay in Newhall. Founded by Luther Anderson, the agency’s current leadership is from Doug Anderson, marking yet another generational agency partnership between FMSI and a local agency. Congrats to Doug and the team for completing this acquisition!

Duane Kelch and the team at Castle, Dick, & Kelch Insurance (CDK) joined FMSI at the end of March. Located in Hampton, IA. CDK was founded by Clarence Castle and Charlie Dick back in the early 1960s. Later, in 1977, Duane bought into the agency and has owned it ever since. Joining us in this partnership is long- time local agent, Tom Birdsell. Tom has been with CDK for 15 years and will not only bring stability to this agency, but he will also help lead our new business growth objectives. FMSI is excited to have Tom as a partner. Cheers to CDK and the team!

“I’m excited to announce the partnership of Castle, Dick, & Kelch Insurance with First MainStreet Insurance,” shares CDK partner, Tom Birdsell. “By partnering with First MainStreet, CDK Insurance will be able to develop even stronger relationships with our clients. From unmatched service to coverages that fit your needs, CDK and FMSI will always be there for you!”

The third agency joining the FMSI platform is Seehusen Insurance. Led by Bruce Seehusen, this agency has been operating in Mechanicsville and Stanwood, IA, and joined us at the end of April. With more than a 50-year track record in their community, Seehusen Insurance comes to us with an excellent staff, great locations, and a nice customer list. We look forward to building what the Seehusen family started many years ago.

First MainStreet is looking to expand our footprint with the posting of a new position – Regional Director, Mergers and Acquisitions. While we are based primarily in Iowa, we would like to extend our offerings to additional states. No, I am not going anywhere, rather I will work in close connection with this individual to duplicate my efforts in additional states. FMSI is looking for someone that is entrepreneurially-minded, tenacious in their recruiting efforts, can make long-lasting relationships, and comes ready with a strong Rolodex of insurance agency owners. There is no legal or finance degree required, we are simply looking for someone that is well connected in the independent agency world. This position will be highly visible in our company and will come with the option to invest in new agencies along with our leadership team. If you’re interested in learning more, connect with me today!

Looking back on the last few months gives me a lot to be thankful for. While it gives our team a lot to do, it also gives us a lot of confidence to do even more! Speaking of that, we are not resting on our laurels here, in fact, we have many more partnerships we are onboarding as we speak. Look out 2022!

Want to hear from someone else on the topic? See below for a short video on our story.

Dan Driscoll
Director of Strategic Expansion and M&A

DDriscoll@truenorthcompanies.com
319-739-1444