23 minute read
Hall of Fame Inductees
2021 Hall of Fame Inductee Bill Asimakopoulos
Watch Bill's Hall of Fame video I started in the automotive industry and never thought about an insurance career. That door opened for me in early 1999 with a COUNTRY recruiting postcard and interview with Wayne Ruter, the Agency Manager at that time. I went through the hiring process and was onboarded in November 1999 by Agency Manager Jeffrey Orman. I was successful by identifying markets and using a consistent, systematic sales process. Identify markets you want to work with. Then, grow and become a subject matter expert in them. Learn the nuts and bolts of the markets you work in, so you can offer the best solutions to clients. Clients’ needs and expectations come first. When I have appointments, I focus on the primary purpose of the appointment. Is it fact finding, rapport building or something else? It’s important to think about the service you’ll offer as a rep and bring information and recommendations to clients that truly have an impact on them. I share the bottom-line benefits with clients and don’t overload them with fluff.
We are fortunate to have great synergy between agency and the Home Offices. We both look out for our clients’ best interests at all times and look for ways to impact clients in a positive way. In my career with COUNTRY, it’s been very reassuring that we deliver on the promises we commit to. We all win when we work as a team.
Being inducted into the Hall of Fame means COUNTRY and I put the client first, and the rest fell into place.
Advice to Representatives
• Trust carries the load when it comes to decision-making and is key to a healthy business relationship.
• Relationship means it’s a joint effort toward something rewarding for both the client and you.
• Bring EQ to every meeting. People often buy based on an emotional experience.
Advice to Representatives
• Make daily decisions with the future in focus. Tracking/ measuring how you spend your time is the most important measure to predict future success. Measure only what you can control.
• Maximize face-to-face time with your clients. This is your most productive use of time.
• Focus on being the best version of yourself in all areas of your life, and career success will follow.
2021 Hall of Fame Inductee Mark Derrico
Representative | Phoenix Metro Agency | Market 2
One of my toughest sales was convincing the COUNTRY recruiter and agency manager, to hire me many years ago after I graduated from Illinois State University and moved to the Phoenix metro area. They took a chance on a young kid who had little to show on a resume. I believed in, and always had clarity about, the opportunity with COUNTRY to build a business and ultimately a wonderful life.
I’ve always tried to surround myself with people who have a winning attitude, strong character and who see the value of a team. Rep Mark Pinter started a couple months after me and Rep Pat Fisher about five years later – we have about 50 All Americans between us. We’ve been together a long time and are dedicated to each other and our clients. We’ve worked hand in hand to grow a team with four reps and five amazing staff members. My success is 100% because of the success of the team.
Over the years, I’ve gotten better at gathering the necessary information to quickly make good, smart business decisions. I’ve also learned I’m better with help. So, hire when you find a great person, not when you need someone. Great people will always bring value to your business.
Many reps are seen as a hero who brings the check needed for families that have trusted us to protect them. I’ve been a part of rebuilding homes, families and lives after a disability or death. I’ve helped many clients plan retirement with confidence fulfilling the dreams they imagined decades before. I’ve enjoyed making a difference with my clients that isn’t transactional. Delivering flowers or cards when a family member passed away, sending a gift when a child was born, spending extra time with a client who needed someone to talk to. When I am at my best as a rep, clients walk away feeling like family.
It amazes me 20 years have flown by, but then I look in the mirror and my gray hair reminds me. It’s humbling to achieve this award and share it with so many I’ve looked up to. I am looking forward to Mark and Pat joining me in the Hall of Fame in the years to come.
What’s next? I’ll get up tomorrow and do what our team has done for 20 years, put my best foot forward to make a difference in clients’ lives. I have a young family and quite a few years left in my tank. I love what I do and enjoy making a difference in our community.
Watch Mark's Hall of Fame video
2021 Hall of Fame Inductee Matt Duffy
Representative | Heartland Agency | Market 5
Watch Matt's Hall of Fame video After graduating from college in December 2000, I thought I might be a claims rep, or something along those lines. Instead, the legendary Agency Manager, Fred Keppner, convinced me to be an agent, and here I am today. I didn’t picture this career for myself, or ever doing what my dad, Martin Duffy, did. I especially couldn’t have envisioned us being the first active father and son in the Hall of Fame. We’re very different people. He’s the most outgoing, vocal, fun, human being that I know. And that’s the point. You don’t have to be the same to be successful. The Hall of Fame is made up of different personalities from all walks of life, and I’m proud to have made it. Since qualifying for my first All American at COUNTRY, I never wanted to miss a trip. The locations and opportunities on those trips, and getting to experience them with my family, drove me to accomplish that goal every year. My dad and I are competitive against each other and with each other. That has helped us both to succeed.
Getting paid to do what we do is very special. I’ve had many moments with clients that have confirmed I’m where I should be. There is an emotional side of this business, and I’ve often cried with my clients. When you build relationships that turn into friendships, and then have to deal with death and tragedy, it’s tough. It’s at those moments that we shine, and our clients know they’re taken care of. I lost two close friends in high school whose families struggled financially. So, life insurance, and making sure plans are in place, are not hard for me to talk about with my clients. All of my big cases came from conversations outside of the office. If I’m at a birthday party or a sporting event, for example, I’m always looking for opportunities. I’ve volunteered for school boards, at church and in other arenas to make myself known in the community. You have to create a community presence, and you can’t do that sitting behind a desk. I want to thank my team and everyone who helped me get to where I am today. When I attended my first Hall of Fame event in 2002, I was in awe. No matter the career, getting to a milestone like this is humbling. To be in the Hall with my dad and other mentors like Mike Huschen, Denny Prentice, and Randy Riekena is a dream come true.
Advice to Representatives
• Never turn off the switch.
Every moment of every day you have to be actively engaged in prospecting. This differentiates the producers from the non-producers.
Find your method to be active and engaged.
• Find a mentor. I’ve had some of the best mentors at COUNTRY, some structured, but most completely organic. Great mentors celebrate wins and help you get through tough days. Mine have always been there for me.
• Get involved in your community so people get to know you, the good work you do, and how you can help them plan for their future.
Advice to Agency Managers
Advice to Representatives
• Surround yourself with great people, people that are better at your job than you are.
Attract, hire and retain good people, and growth will follow. • Embrace change. It’s natural and going to happen. Seek to understand the change and help others through it.
Everything will be OK.
• Create ways to stay active and market yourself, be great at prospecting. There are so many peaks and valleys in this business. If you stay active you will have more peaks than valleys and you can control that.
• Surround yourself with positive people and keep a positive mindset. Negativity will not grow your business.
2021 Hall of Fame Inductee Michael Kernaghan
Agency Manager | Mid Illini Agency | Market 5
When I walked into new agent school as a scratch agent, I didn’t have a book of business to reach out to current clients. When other agents in my class heard that, they sort of groaned and thought, “good luck.” I realized I had to turn this into an advantage in controlling my own destiny and prospecting new clients. I didn’t have anything handed to me and had to grow my business on my own to succeed, which was very motivating. What we do at COUNTRY is a tremendous responsibility to our clients. We have the ability to do what doctors, accountants, ministers and others can’t do. When a family is at its worst, financially we can make sure things are going to be OK with the planning and solutions we offer. I saw this firsthand when my girlfriend, Tammi had a recent house fire while we were on the last All Star trip. It was a total loss and a tragedy no one should ever have to experience. I saw the COUNTRY process come to life and knew everything was going to be OK. There’s a reason COUNTRY won the J.D. Power award, and because of that dedication to clients, she recently moved into her brand new home.
Unfortunately, the “ifs” in life happen, and we’re there in those moments. It’s important to be involved in our communities, so people know we’re here. There are so many opportunities. For example, Operation Helping Heroes, luncheons for teachers, participating in things like a local Alzheimer’s walk or sponsoring local teams. Get involved, so your community knows you before those “ifs” happen. I remember my first National Sales Congress in 1998, sitting in the audience in awe of the people inducted into the Hall of Fame. This honor is very humbling and surreal. I never dreamed I’d be in the same category, and here I am. To me this is more of a Mid Illini Agency Hall of Fame award, since I earned 18 of my 20 All Americans as an agency manager. Thank you to all of the amazing financial representatives and Home Office employees I have had the privilege to work with over the years, this is a great honor I could not have achieved without all of you.
Watch Michael's Hall of Fame video
2021 Hall of Fame Inductee Tony Laesch
Watch Tony's Hall of Fame video My first career after college was as a rep with COUNTRY. After earning two All Americans, twenty seemed like an eternity. As my career as a rep and then a manager progressed, earning All American is one of my goals each year. Looking at every day as an opportunity, surrounding myself with successful people, and pushing forward through adversity resulted in reaching Hall of Fame. No matter what number you are on, create a plan that positions you to earn All American each year.
The Illinois Valley team has surrounded me with everything I needed to reach this pinnacle. They have taught me, challenged me, and been there as my work family. Like any family, we stand beside each other through adversity, we challenge each other, and we celebrate our successes. At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about who you’ve lifted up and who you’ve made better. My team has made me better.
We have some ‘unconventional’ marketing meetings throughout the year. One of my favorites is the fish fry at our cabin. This meeting begins at dawn for the seasoned fisherman and concludes with a bountiful fish fry that tends to appeal to everyone. While there are lots of fish stories, this is where our team comes together—marketing plans bounce around like a fish out of water and we all take away a new idea or two. You'd be amazed at how much you can pick up through relaxed conversations, not just sitting around an office or boardroom. When you do come out to the cabin, the cell service is sketchy, so you are forced to unplug. It’s a good way to clear your head and spend time with others. There is life outside work, and good balance keeps it all in check.
Advice to Agency Managers
Advice to Representatives
• It’s a people business, take time to build your team personally and get to know your reps outside of the office • Help your reps develop and focus on their goals
• Surround your team with successful people and build a strong culture
• View everyday as an opportunity
• Clear your head, stay positive and avoid excuses
Advice to Representatives
• Develop a trustworthy office environment so you can make
“windshield time” for clients • Surround yourself with other successful reps and mentors
2021 Hall of Fame Inductee Andy Meeuwsen
Representative | Cascades East Agency | Market 1
Developing a strong work ethic is critical in this business. Fortunately, I learned this lesson early on. Growing up on a dairy farm, it was my job to milk those stupid cows twice a day, every day, until the age of 18. Looking back, I am forever grateful to my parents for giving me that ethic—to go to work and do the work every day just because the work “needs to get done.” The good news is, in this industry, working hard has its privileges. For new reps, earning the chance to go on an All American Trip can be life-changing. I have closed the discotheque dancefloor with my wife in Barcelona. I’ve stumbled upon and attended a local Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. I have spent all day climbing through forests and discovering waterfalls in the Swiss Alps. And it was all the result of a little hard work.
It’s been important for me to have a lot of “windshield time,” an opportunity to get out and see my clients in person. Some of this drive to connect comes from my own father, who said that if an agent ever wanted his business, they would need to come talk to him at his kitchen table. Getting this facetime with clients requires a strong, trustworthy office team that is well-informed, responsible, and able to keep the business running smoothly while you’re out of the office. It has also been valuable to have veteran reps and managers to guide and motivate me throughout my career. It is a great honor to be chiseled onto the “Oregon Hall of Fame Mount Rushmore” alongside some COUNTRY Financial greats like Jim King, Sean Connor, and Michael Rogers. Successful mentors provide invaluable advice from their own experiences, and their successes provides motivation when considering “what’s possible” within your own career.
Watch Andy's Hall of Fame video
2021 Hall of Fame Inductee Jim Olson
Watch Jim's Hall of Fame video Like getting to the final table in a poker tournament, being successful in my business has required a lot of patience. While at the table, you need to lay some groundwork and let things develop over several hands. When selling insurance products, we don’t always close right away. Sometimes we have to wait, and some cases take longer than others. The Home Office or your managers may have particular systems and processes they want you to follow. When you’re holding cards on the green felt, you need to know the rules and the players to do well. But, once you’ve done that, it’s all about the artistry of moving with the change. Processes take longer than we think, and there are often curveballs along the way. You need to learn “when to hold ’em and when to fold ‘em.” One of my strong suits (pun intended) is that I’m a good listener. I listen to my clients, and they tell me what they want. Some reps want to sell clients whatever they like to sell. I listen for their “tells” and sell them what they need. And, in that way, it’s not like selling at all. You’re just building relationships, listening for needs, and trying to take care of those needs. Finally, setting and committing to goals is important. It’s my goal every year to make All American. That’s my goal. I haven’t made it every year, but it’s still my goal and I work hard to make it happen. All American isn’t everything, but it is a measuring stick that I’m doing enough to provide for my family. Throughout the year I stare at that goal, continue to take care of the fundamentals, meet with clients regularly, and it usually takes care of itself.
Advice to Representatives
• Have patience with your prospects and meet with clients regularly
• Listen for client needs and try to take care of those needs
• Set goals that are meaningful to you and commit to them
Advice to Representatives
• Be a counselor for your clients, not a salesperson. Listen to them talk about their lives and then suggest the solutions that would be best for them.
• It’s important to have balance in your life and stay focused on what’s really important.
• Success is achieved by seeing past our short sightedness.
2021 Hall of Fame Inductee Chuck Quick
The best moments of my career have centered around working with other reps and my clients. I enjoy mentoring reps and helping them grow. My personal success is not that important to me. It’s about being a good team player and serving my team, whether it’s my agency or my group of clients. I always try to make myself available to others. When another rep or one of my clients needs help or hits a bump in the road, I want to be there for them. I spend a lot of time thinking about how I can contribute more to my clients and my agency. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it. If that means I get a little personal success along the way, so be it. My first experience with COUNTRY didn’t go quite as planned. I applied to become an agent in 1974 with the Champaign Agency and was turned down. So, I met with the COUNTRY CEO at the time and told him I know I’m going to be a success, and I can either be successful for your organization or another one. He quickly said, “you need to be here”, so I got the job!
Being a rep has allowed me time to meet with clients, be with my family and mentor my sons. Having that flexibility has been great and is really important to me. It also gave me time to be involved in my community, whether it’s through coaching sports or volunteering. It’s part of what has kept me with COUNTRY for 47 years.
I try to meet with my clients as much as I can. I don’t try to sell them anything. I just listen to what they have to say and offer them the right coverages and solutions based on their needs. These client reviews make a difference in their lives. When they see they’re heading in the right direction with their financial planning and family protection, it gives them peace of mind.
Becoming a Hall of Fame member is an honor. I know I’m joining a very successful team of COUNTRY team members.
Watch Chuck's Hall of Fame video
2021 Hall of Fame Inductee Keith Wilken
Watch Keith's Hall of Fame video The area I serve is the same one I grew up in, and I’ve been here most of my life. It’s a close-knit community that includes plenty of people who are close friends and relatives. People trust me, and they know I’ll be there for them. As a rep, I’m able to provide them with a valuable service because COUNTRY offers so many great products. Clinton County is a big farm community, and we have a lot of products that meet their needs. It gives people peace of mind knowing we are here for them.
Early in my career, I experienced some devasting situations. Three clients, including one who was a close friend, died suddenly. I delivered the death claim checks to their families. That experience made me realize how important this job is to help families recover financially. I knew then I made the right career choice.
My personal motto is the golden rule of life – treat people how you want to be treated. That’s how I’ve tried to live my life, and it’s how I treat my clients. The first person I need to sell on our products is myself. If I believe in it, I can recommend it to my clients. Making the Hall of Fame is amazing. It’s like joining a new band of brothers and sisters. Initially, it wasn’t a goal of mine because I didn’t think it was achievable. But after becoming an All American and being around other All Americans, I decided to make it a personal goal. Because if I made the Hall of Fame, I would be taking care of my client’s needs along the way. So not only was it a personal goal, but I was always doing the right thing for my clients.
The thing I’m most proud of is knowing I’ve been there for my clients and family all these years. They know I have their best interest at heart and can trust me.
Advice to Representatives
• Never stop learning. One of the first thing I did as a rep was take a CFP class. It took two years to finish but gave me confidence, and knowledge, that helped me along the way.
• Get involved with the communities you serve. The local fire departments and nurses I’ve supported through
Operation Helping Heroes always appreciate the gesture.
• Treat your clients the way you’d want to be treated. Always put their needs first. • Take care of your family first. If you protect your family’s future, you will make a great advisor to your clients.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Advice to Representatives
• “See the people” – develop systems that allow you to go out and see clients and prospects regularly
• Be honest with clients and follow-up on your promises
2021 Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award Fred Witte
Reaching 40 All Americans in 42 years has been an incredible experience. The key for me has been perseverance. It’s hanging in there and being willing to make one or two more calls every day, keeping after it all the time. It’s a self-discipline that comes from managing yourself and having bills to pay.
I started my COUNTRY career in June of 1979, when I was 24 years old. Those first five years of a rep’s career are key because you have to get your feet on the ground. I began to develop a clientele and made the All American trip three out of the first five years. It’s important to have systems in place that allow you to go out to see clients and prospects regularly. My friend and longtime rep Jim Fraser used to say, “See the people, everything revolves around seeing people.” If you keep in touch with clients, you will soon figure out who your best clients are. Folks come to my office and say things like, “Fred, I’ve got $100,000 in my checking account. What should I do with it?” And that’s a really good feeling because those are the clients that really trust you.
Inevitably, there are times when things don’t go your way. Whenever I have a down time, I immediately pick up the phone and start calling long-time clients that I have a good rapport with. It helps to remember that, during his baseball career, Baby Ruth hit 714 home runs. But he also struck out a lot. So, don’t be afraid to get out there and swing! Building a career is not just about sales. It’s the personal interactions that get you pumped up and excited. The fun part is not looking at a computer screen or, in the old days, doing paperwork. It’s interacting with the clients. Of all the changes I’ve seen in 42 years, what hasn’t changed is the need to be honest and straightforward with your clients, and always follow-up on your promises. “Reaching 40 All Americans in 42 years has been an incredible experience. The key for me has been perseverance. It’s hanging in there and being willing to make one or two more calls every day, keeping after it all the time.”
Watch Fred's Lifetime Achievement video
