Joseph M. Wiedemann & Sons Strives to be Clients’ Single-Source Solution

You might not think that insurance and agriculture have much in common, but John Wiedemann, President of Joseph M. Wiedemann & Sons, Inc., says that one of the agency’s greatest strengths is that its staff members are outstanding farmers.

“Our people do an amazing job of ‘planting the seed’ with clients and growing our business with them,” John says.

An integral part of the agency’s growth has been its ability to be a single-source solution for its clients. It offers a full array of commercial lines, personal lines, benefits, and risk management services through its affiliation with the Keystone Group.

“Our producers are experts at looking at the entire risk, identifying opportunity, and communicating with different team members to present a complete solution to clients,” says John.

Growth Through Partnership

Headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois, the agency was founded in 1930 by John’s grandfather, Joesph M. Wiedemann. John’s father, Don, later joined the agency. Today, John and his sister, Dianne Raleigh, CFO, and Ned Cooke, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, are the agency’s partners. Dianne’s son, Dan, manages the agency’s commercial lines operation.

Joseph M. Wiedemann & Sons was originally a life insurance agency, evolving to handle personal lines first and commercial lines and benefits later. “We changed and grew with the times,” John says.

The agency’s partnership with the Keystone Group, begun in 2014, was instrumental in elevating its client offerings and propelling new growth.

“Initially, we became a partner because of the services we would gain, including producer training,” John says. “However, a huge benefit—which we didn’t anticipate at the start—was the ability to collaborate with other agents in a non-competitive environment. When we get together and talk about the issues we are facing, it helps us all find better solutions, not just for our own agencies but for our clients and the industry.”

Doing business in the heartland, Joseph M. Wiedemann & Sons has established itself as a commercial lines generalist. “We do have certain classes of business where we have established larger volumes—landscape contractors, auto repair shops, construction, and nonprofits—but we have been very successful at casting a wide net,” John says, adding that this strategy may shift in the future.

“The next generation coming up in this agency is more focused on going after targeted classes where we can bring our expertise,” John says, adding that the agency’s knowledgeable and dedicated staff have been a key factor in its success.

“Our people excel at personalized service, and they know how to get things done,” John says. “We also have very low turnover, so clients are usually dealing with the same person, which also leads to greater customer satisfaction and retention.”

Growth Goals

In addition to increasing specialization, Joseph M. Wiedemann & Sons plans to add financial services to its product offerings to expand its single-source capabilities.

“We have already begun working with some clients on investments and, in the next few years, plan to build that area out fully. It’s just one more way we can help our clients without them having to go to multiple providers,” John says, adding that he is optimistic about the agency’s future.

“A fourth-generation business is rare in our world and, as we approach our 100^th year in business, we have a lot to celebrate,” he says. “We have been able to change with the times, and our people have a can-do attitude and will continue to get things done.”