ASHTABULA — In 1974, Sam DiSalvatore began his insurance agency in a corner of a bedroom in his home.
Thirty-five years later, DiSalvatore Insurance Agency, 1010 W. Prospect, is a successful and highly respected family-owned business.
In March 2008, DiSalvatore Insurance Agency won the Quality Agency Award, the most prestigious award granted by the Erie Insurance Group, of Erie, Pa.
Sam began his insurance business by selling Erie Insurance products, and after his retirement in 1996, he passed the business on to his children Mark DiSalvatore and Marian Miklacic.
“We were around Dad’s business our whole life,” said Marian Miklacic, who joined her father in 1993. “From Dad’s point of view, it has been very rewarding to watch the business grow from the bedroom to the basement, to a small office on Main Avenue, and then to our present building that Dad built in 1987. The business has grown even more than he imagined, which is nice to hear.”
DiSalvatore Insurance Agency provides customers with home, auto, commercial and life insurance through the Erie Insurance Group and many other popular companies, like Progressive, Miklacic said.
“Erie is a very competitive and sound company. They maintain a philosophy of excellent protection with as near-perfect service as is humanly possible, at the lowest possible cost,” she said. “Their rates have always been steady.”
Mark DiSalvatore joined his father in the insurance business in 1992.
“Growing up around the business, I knew my Dad was happy and enjoyed what we was doing. We were proud of him and the fact he was helping a lot of people and they respected him,” Mark DiSalvatore said. “For me, it was the timing. I wasn’t sure where I was going, and Dad was getting ready to retire. I came back to work in the office for a while, and it just snowballed. It turned into a win-win situation for my parents and me.”
Even during tough economic times, DiSalvatore Insurance continues to flourish.
“Dad always said people will give up dining out or entertainment, but they will not cut back on their insurance. So, we reward them with the best rates and customer service we can,” Miklacic said.
Miklacic feels helping people to protect their assets is very rewarding, so she continues today what her father began.
“I would not want to start from scratch today. My brother and I are very grateful that we could continue with the nice base our Dad built,” she said. “Some of our customers have been with us for more than 30 years, and we have many second-generation customers, as well.”
In fact, word-of-mouth referrals have been DiSalvatore Insurance’s best advertising medium over the years. As part of their celebration of 35 years, they are rewarding customers with $10 Giant Eagle gift cards for every referral.
“It is nice to work with family: nice that your efforts are contributing to your family members and that you can trust family to cover for you when needed,” Mark DiSalvatore said.
“My sister and I took the ball, and we ran with it. But it was really my parent’s baby and their sweat and tears,” he said.
For further information, telephone DiSalvatore Insurance Agency (440 997-3611) or check the company’s Web site (www.disalvatoreins.com).
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February 2, 2009
DiSalvatore Insurance Agency celebrates 35 years
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