"Nice Matters" At Klinner Insurance

For over 75 years, Klinner Insurance has been proud to adhere to an approach to business built on the philosophy that nice matters. The agency has nine shared values that flow from this belief, but none is more important than the last: the Golden Rule.

“A commitment to treating others the way you want to be treated has been a constant focus for our agency—it truly defines who we are,” says Jason Steliga, President.   

“Continuous improvement is also important because the industry constantly changes and adapts. No matter how long you’ve been in this business, there is always something new to learn,” says Vice President Nic Weight.

Constants and Changes

Headquartered in Medford, Wisconsin, the agency was founded in 1946 by Robert Klinner. Over the years, the agency has grown organically and through acquisition, including acquiring the Meyer & Associates Insurance Agency in 2013. They have additional offices in Eagle River, Rhinelander, and St. Germain. Located in north-central Wisconsin, the agency has capitalized on opportunities in the logging and lumber industries and growth in the hospitality and contracting segments.

Until the retirement of Dave Klinner in 2021, there had always been a Klinner namesake at the agency. Then, long-time agency partner Bill Clark retired in January of this year. Both were part of a carefully planned perpetuation strategy that poises the agency for continued growth and success.

“It’s never easy when people with the legacy and experience of Dave and Bill retire, but they created a strong foundation,” Nic says, adding that the agency’s commitment to continued education will help build on that foundation.

 “We have a constant, consistent approach to pursuing learning opportunities and really understanding the intricacies of our business,” he says.

Jason stresses that the agency’s staff are well educated and fully empowered to help customers. “We are known for the quality of our service, and that goes back to having a staff of professionals who are responsible and accountable and who are truly invested in our clients—again, treating them the way they would want to be,” he says.

“We are a family,” Jason adds. “We are a close-knit group of people who care about each other and have each other’s backs.”

Klinner Insurance is coming up on its 70^th year with Acuity. “Our relationship with Acuity has remained strong over the years because of good and open communication between our companies, including with our underwriters and the leadership team,” Jason says.

“We emulate a lot of what Acuity does—the transparency with decision-making and sustainable nature of how Acuity operates. We try to take as many notes as possible,” says Nic.

Being the Best

As the insurance marketplace continues to evolve, so will the agency. “We need to continue to change and adapt. We have expanded our electronic footprint and our use of social media. We recently upgraded our agency management system to better prepare for continued success in the future,” Jason says.

What won’t change is the agency’s commitment to the shared values that define Klinner Insurance.

“Sustainable growth is a focus, but we aren’t looking to be the largest agency with the most offices,” Nic says. “We don’t need to be the biggest—but we want to be respected as one of the best.”