My brother Cory and I were raised in the small Central Illinois town of Groveland located between Pekin and Peoria. Early on in our lives, we came to appreciate the importance of friends, family, and faith. My parents were always closely involved in our church, school, and sports activities teaching my brother and me that we may not always be 100% successful at something, but we could always be the hardest working.
My father worked for Caterpillar for over 20 years in Peoria, Illinois until his untimely passing in 1992 due to brain cancer. He was diagnosed with what is known as a glioblastoma. This type of brain cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer and he passed away within 6 months of his diagnosis. He died on his birthday June 4th at the age of 41. Losing him while still a student at Illinois Wesleyan University opened my eyes to the importance of preparing for the unexpected. Jim McLeod did not want to leave this world that soon but he planned very well for us through life and health insurance so that my mother, brother, and I would not lose anything more than just him. His love for us and his tremendous preparation allowed me to finish my college education and obtain my Bachelor's degree from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1993. I immediately went on to receive an MBA in Marketing from Illinois State University in 1995. I was extremely humbled and blessed to be able to do both.
I have always had a passion for helping others and it had a great deal to do with watching those around me help and care for my father during his battle with cancer. So many wonderful people in the medical profession. Doctors and nurses, friends of our family and from the church, and even those we barely knew were giving of their time and support. It was inspiring to witness and made me want to do the same for others in some fashion. It really led me to researching the State Farm Agency opportunity and how I could have an impact on so many lives each and every day.
My insurance career began in 1996 with Country Insurance in Bloomington, Illinois. In the fall of 1996 I was hired on to State Farm claims in Schaumburg, Illinois. After working in the Chicago suburbs for 2 years, I took an opportunity to relocate to Bloomington, Illinois when State Farm established its Claim Central Division. Working in the claims arena really opened my eyes to why State Farm is and continues to be the industry leader. We truly do treat our policyholders like family and try to make the claim process as easy as possible while helping them recover from sometimes catastrophic events. In 1999, I moved on to State Farm's Corporate Headquarters in Bloomington as a market analyst in State Farm's Agency Marketing Department. In that position, I learned to help State Farm Agents with how they market their agencies and themselves. This position enlightened me to the prospect of an agency career and how it would give me the chance to help even more of our customers every single day.
On December 1, 2000, I opened my agency doors in Naperville, Illinois and stayed there until 2003 when I relocated myself and my team to Plainfield, Illinois. As a 23 year resident of Plainfield, I wanted to be the one and only truly local agent by living in the town where I work. My team and have been here ever since trying to help as many people as possible manage their risks, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. My team is an extension of my family as are all of our policyholders.
I have a team of 4 wonderful people giving us over 60 years of State Farm experience. What we bring to State Farm makes my agency one of the most successful in the southwest suburbs and it shows in how we take care of our policyholders every single day. I am living proof of the benefits of good preparation and my team and I try to communicate the importance of insurance protection to everyone we can each and every day.
I have 2 beautiful daughters, Kellen and Kendall. Kellen just graduated with a degree in Psychology from DePaul University and is now in the consulting field. Kendall is a Senior at Arizona State University in the School of Business. My partner and confidante Tiffany is also with State Farm as a Business Lines Underwriter for all agents in this area and she has 2 wonderful children. Her son Wyatt (12) loves Star Wars, Fortnite, and reading Marvel Comics. Her daughter Presley (14) is involved in track and our local club volleyball loves 80's music. They are all the reason I do this.
Our dedicated team members work tirelessly to ensure that every person who walks through our doors receives personalized insurance options. Whether you're in need of Life, Health, or Business Insurance, we will thoroughly discuss all aspects of your plan with you. Our aim is for you to leave our office feeling truly heard and understood! Visit our office, In person, by video, phone or text. Let us help you make 2024 the greatest it can be!
We are here to help with all aspects of protection and can offer honest answers to all insurance and financial services questions. My team and I offer the following to our current and new customers in 60586, 60544, and 60585. We serve all of Will, Kendall, Kane, Cook, Lake, and Dupage Counties. 24 Hour Customer Service in Plainfield, Bolingbrook, Joliet, Naperville, Oswego, Shorewood, Romeoville, Yorkville, and Lisle. We focus on relocations to Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
Do you or someone you know own a small business that needs help with talking through small business insurance? We understand the importance of this topic, especially during Small Business Week in May. Feel free to reach out to us for any help you may need! We would love to help you as we are a small business owner too!
We are also a multi-state agency helping all who need us in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Indiana!
• 🌞📚Hello August! August is back to school. Did you know that when you are renting an apartment the landlord will not cover any of your personal items. If you or someone you know is moving into an off-campus location and needs renters insurance, we are happy to discuss the protection we can offer. Give us a call for a free renters quote today! 📞Give us a call today!
• Summer is coming to an end and it’s time for back to school!🌞📚Just like the kids are meeting their new teachers, we would love for you to come meet with your local State Farm Agent! We are here to help make insurance easy to understand so you can make informed decisions. 📞Call us to schedule an appointment today! We meet with customers in person and virtually!
