Community, commitment, and integrity at the crossroads

By Mike Adams Big Z Media

It’s been said that “Every day is a crossroads. Every day is a chance to change your life and our world for the better.” That has certainly been true in the journey of Chris Erwin, State Farm Agent in East Alton.

Chris is a native of the Riverbend area. Born and raised in Godfrey, he attended Marquette High School where he was a catcher for the Explorers baseball team. He went on to attend college at SIU Edwardsville where he continued his baseball career.

In his senior year at SIUE, Chris was drafted by the Texas Rangers as a catcher and spent the next year in their minor league organization on the field with such greats as Pudge Rodriguez and Carlos Peña. During that year

Chris got a first-hand look at the difference between major and minor league talent.

Chris returned to school at Western Illinois University to pursue a master’s degree in sport management and while there committed to being the head coach for the local high school baseball team. That’s when he faced a major crossroads in life. The Texas Rangers called Chris back. After weighing his options, looking at his own level of skill, and considering the commitments he had already made to the local high school athletes, Erwin declined the offer to return to the Rangers Minor League organization. It was a big decision for a young man then in his early 20s but that decision is indicative of a life of integrity and service.

Erwin graduated with his master’s and spent some time with a St. Louis based sports marketing company. He then went on from there to pursue his dream of being a college baseball coach. Chris spent the next 7 years coaching college baseball in Texas, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Indiana, and Ohio.

It was during a time when his dad was battling cancer that Chris chose to leave coaching college ball and returned home to the Riverbend area.

Since that time Chris has had many changes in his career. He spent some time in the steel industry and in the horticulture industry and has now found a successful career with State Farm Insurance. His life has been a series of crossroads and decisions but no matter what road he has chosen, hard work, dedication and a commitment to serve others have been his driving motivations.

“It’s never about the product, but always about the people.” said Erwin in a recent interview. It has been that commitment to people that has led Chris and his agency to be deeply involved in serving the community whether it is helping individuals, a local school, or a civic organization.

Chris’s love for sports and commitment to helping students in our community pursue their dreams has inspired him to team with Big Z Media to create the Chris Erwin State Farm Scholar Athlete program. Each week one male and one female high school athlete is chosen as the athlete of the week, culminating in two $1,000 college scholarships to the male and female athlete of the year.

He has also continued his connection with the sport he loves by coaching the Father McGivney Catholic High School baseball team.

Personal relationships, great service and availability are the keys to Chris’s continued success and the driving force behind everything he does.

To connect with Chris Erwin State Farm Insurance you can contact their office at 618-259-1357 or stop by the office at 970 E Airline Dr Ste B, in East Alton. 3