Local Independent Advocates

by Kelly Boyer Sagert

John Lennon and Paul McCartney... Steven Spielberg and George Lucas... The pairing of chocolate and peanut butter in Reese's Peanut Butter Cups...

The reality is that partnerships can be powerful—and one modern-day version of this concept is right here in Lorain.

Chris Hibsman of KLT Insurance and Fred Kerestury of WestPoint Wealth Management, LLC are both experienced, talented professionals, and they’ve both realized how they’re even more effective together than they are apart.

And, while they work through the nuts and bolts of creating a more formal partnership, you can add more ingredients to this intriguing mix: their mutual love of the city of Lorain, their appreciation for the city’s resurgence, and their excitement about even greater possibilities for Lorain’s future.

“When I first came to Lorain in 2014,” Chris says, “I had a Nationwide Insurance office on 5th and Broadway, and I was building a nice client base with great people. I was warned on my first day, though, to stay away from the area after dark.”

Chris Hibsman of KLT Insurance—Lorain, Ohio

photo by Jen Navarro

Fast-forwarding by a few years, Chris is now an independent businessman (KLT, by the way, stands for “Know, Like, Trust”), and now people are attracted to the nightlife in the downtown area.

“It’s exactly where you want to be now,” he says, “whether it’sfor a drink or dinner or for a weekend concert. It’s such abeautiful area and it’s exciting to be part of its growth.”

Chris remembers eating lunch at Union Town Provisions with Fred this summer, seeing people walk down the street.

“I compared that to when I’d look out my picture window fromwork during 2014 and 2015,” he says, “and there was seldomanyone walking by. Now, all is so alive!”

Fred, also an independent business owner, applauds what he sees going on downtown, as well. Originally from Pittsburgh, he says it’s in his DNA to appreciate, cheer on, and contribute to the comeback of a steel town.

Fred Kerestury of WestPoint Wealth Management—Lorain, Ohio

photo by Jen Navarro

“I love the awesome, salt of the earth people who live in Lorain,” he says, “along with its genuine diversity and unique coolness and its natural

He feels that Lorain can be unfairly overlooked, though, which is one of the reasons why he wanted to provide financial advisory services to its residents, offering them benefits that the customers in big cities can enjoy.

“All was very serendipitous,” Fred says when discussing the budding partnership between the two men. “We’ve known each other for a long time and both of us were deciding to go the independent route at just about the same time. Timing couldn’t have been better since, philosophically, we see many things eye to eye, including the premier experiences we want our clients to have.”

Chris Hibsman of KLT Insurance and Fred Kerestury of WestPoint Wealth Management—Lorain, Ohio

Both men put a strong emphasis on building relationships with their clients and, as independent business owners, they don’t have to spend their time answering to corporate offices located in big cities somewhere else—and often out of state. Instead, they can focus on the client who is sitting right across the table from them, able to avoid layers of red tape, which is enormously beneficial to everyone involved.

Both men use sound, repeatable processes that can be applicable in all situations, and as Fred says, ideal for everyone “who values intentionality, strategy, and good advice. That’s what we’re here for. Chuck Noll famously said, ‘The process is the purpose.’ In other words, if you want results, it’s an ongoing process."

“Business,” Chris adds, “is built on ongoing relationships and referrals.”

Benefits for clients include the following:

Fred and Chris each provide premier services, highly knowledgable about what they do—and, as Chris pointed out, they're better than ever before.

They're always in their clients' corner, working for them, serving as their advocates.

They'll treat you in the way they want to be treated.

They'll provide a good fit for a client's needs with no pressure from a big city home office to do otherwise.

Questions? Call! No problem!

Experts like Fred and Chris can help their customers put the pieces of their financial puzzle together.

“People don’t always realize,” Fred shares, “how sophisticated of a situation they’re in, which means they may not know which tools are best. You can’t use a hammer for every situation because not everything is a nail—and the same is true with financial and insurance advice.”

Neither Chris nor Fred see what they do as salesrelated. Rather, they look for ways to connect with people, building a trusting relationship before discussing what avenues make sense to protect families and grow wealth.

Chris can help with the following types of insurance: home, auto, business/commercial, life, and recreational vehicles.

As for Fred, he can assess financial needs and goals and recommend strategies, whether you’re going to college, buying a house, having a baby, or planning for retirement.

In short, Fred and Chris are local businesspeople who can make decisions locally to benefit—you guessed it—local people.

Advisory Services offered through WestPoint Wealth Management, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor

WestPoint Wealth Management and KLT Insurance are not in any way related entities or affiliated in any manner.