American Family puts down
roots in county

Snohomish County Business Journal/JOHN WOLCOTT Todd Stevenson is district manager of American Family Insurance Co.’s newly opened office and training center in Mill Creek. American Family expects to create 80 new jobs in various Snohomish County communities.

By John Wolcott
SCBJ Editor

American Family Insurance Co. has moved into Washington state — and Snohomish County — and set up shop. That’s not the way it has been happening. Insurance companies have had a habit of leaving in recent years.

Instead, this multi-coverage insurer opened a state office in Bellevue earlier this year, then swung open the doors of district offices, including Mill Creek, where Todd Stevenson is district manager. Recently, the first of the company’s advertising announcements began reaching billboards, radio and television, newspapers and other media channels.

While the name may be new to many residents, Stevenson points out that it’s a well-established Midwestern firm that turns 80 years old next year. A mutual company, where customers are also owners, American Family Insurance has built assets of more than $16 billion since 1927, with more than $5 billion in policyholder equity. It’s rated 323rd among Fortune 500 companies.

“The company is on the move, looking for new territory for expansion,” he said. “We opened in Oregon in 1998, then moved on to Idaho, Nevada and Utah. Washington is our 18th state.”

But American Family brings with it some real differences not usually seen with new companies. It’s not in a hurry, preferring to build a foundation for its long-term presence first, before throwing a sales crew on the street.

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” Stevenson said, quoting a favorite phrase the company’s employees like to use to personalize the company’s presence in the county.

But those are more than words to Stevenson and his colleagues, he said. For instance, he arrived in the county in July 2005, scouting for office space and his initial staff. He interviewed 1,600 people to find 400 finalists before hiring four insurance agents and eight staff members. Statewide, the company plans to hire 172 agents over the next decade, plus many more office staff, totaling as many as 900 jobs. In Snohomish County alone, American Family expects to create 80 new jobs in various communities.

“Our challenge is to establish ourselves in the communities we serve, through chambers of commerce and other groups and supporting events and community needs,” he said. “We focus on developing relationships with our staff as well as our clients.”

Community involvement, he said, is a central theme for the company. So far, he has made contact with the South Snohomish County Chamber of Commerce, where he serves on the board of directors and the ambassadors group, plus Chinese, Korean, Hispanic and Japanese chambers in the area.

The Madison, Wis., company markets property and casualty policies for homeowners, life insurance and coverage for flood and earthquake damage, businesses, motor vehicles and health, as well as offering financial products, such as annuities.

“We also offer new careers for people. We’re carefully selective, but when we hire a new agent, the company provides five years of support, including an office and office staff, to help them get their career started. We’re still looking for more agents,” he said.

For more information, contact Stevenson at 15906 Mill Creek Blvd., Suite 106, in Mill Creek; call 425-338-1700; send e-mail to tsteven2@amfam.com; or visit www.amfam.com.