Best Agency to Work For – Overall

Kapnick Insurance Group, Adrian, Michigan

Third Generation-Owned Kapnick Insurance Group Stays True to Family Values

Fair, professional, ethical and transparent – just a few of the words employees used to describe Insurance Journal‘s 2013 Best Overall Agency to Work For: Adrian, Mich.-based Kapnick Insurance Group.

“Kapnick is successful because of the way they treat their employees … like they do their clients. Employees are treated with dignity and respect,” one employee wrote.

“Management encourages all to participate in the growing of this company by awarding incentives for process improvements and new ideas. Kapnick has created a team environment where every member feels important and informed,” another employee said.

Founded in 1946, Kapnick is growing, and its employees are a huge part of that growth, says Jim Kapnick, president.

Jim, 45, runs the third generation-owned, family-run independent agency with his brother Mike, 42, who serves as the chief financial officer and chief operating officer.

Since taking over the reins as president in 2003, Kapnick has grown the company to one of the largest privately held independent agencies in the Midwest, ranked No. 89 on Insurance Journal‘s Top 100 Privately Held Independent Agencies list with $21.5 million in total revenue in 2012.

Throughout Kapnick’s history, the agency has centered its business strategy on niche and specialty programs. Specialties by size of book include: manufacturing; real estate property management; transportation and related services; hospitality and recreation and professional services.

Kapnick has about 130 employees in its three offices in Adrian, Southfield and Ann Arbor, Mich., and writes a balanced book of business – 47 percent commercial P/C insurance, 45 percent employee benefits and 8 percent personal insurance.

“We used to be heavily on the P/C side but purposely, over the last seven years, we wanted to get our benefits equal to our P/C and we are pretty much there,” Kapnick says. “We wanted to have a good balance and have a holistic approach for our clients.”

Balance appears to be a common theme throughout the Kapnick organization.

“Kapnick allows for flexible work schedules so employees can balance family, work and community involvement,” an employee said. Another employee believes the agency is one of the best places to work “because they genuinely care about their employees’ well-being and work-life balance. They know that it is their employees that make them great!”

Kapnick says the key to success is in its roots as a traditional, family-run business. “We’ve pledged our allegiance to independence,” he says. “That sounds kind of hokey but it’s true.”

Being a family company “puts accountability on us to be good stewards for the company, keep the name going and keep it growing so hopefully it’s around for future generations,” he explains. “We treat people with a lot of compassion. We try to treat them almost like a family member.”

Part of that philosophy comes from how Kapnick views other business’s practices. “Too often I see people are cut-throat. We are very selective on whom we hire and bring in, but once they are hired we work very hard to make everyone as successful as possible.”

The company allows employees to attend educational events to keep up with changes in the industry, for business building practices and regulations. Kapnick also recognizes employee accomplishments from passing tests, completing courses, to producer career accounts. And the agency celebrates economic and noneconomic success.

Having fun and energetic enthusiasm in the workplace is paying off. “We are probably on track to hit about 13 percent to 15 percent growth, which we are very happy with,” Kapnick says, noting it’s 100 percent organic growth. The agency’s goal is to reach $30 million in revenue in five years.

“We are adding staff and we feel good about where we are,” Kapnick says. And so do the agency’s employees.

Topics Property Casualty