Capdevila protects clients’ dreams [The Hawk Eye, Burlington, Iowa]

Aug. 18--It is no mystery why Carlos Capdevila has succeeded in life and business. With a persistent attitude and an effervescent personality, the native of Argentina has become an American success story in the insurance industry in Burlington.

Born in Tucuman, Argentina, Capdevila only reached his junior year in high school, but for good reason as he had to go on tour. The drummer of a popular rock 'n' roll band in his native country, Capdevila was a full-time musician from 1974 to 1985.

A big change in Capdevila's life came when he met Kimberly Johnson, an AFS foreign exchange student visiting his South American nation. The pair dated for two years and got married in 1981 in Kim's hometown of Burlington. The couple lived in Argentina for four years, and there first child, Lindsey, came along in June 1984.

"When Momma says we're going home, we're going home," Capdevila said on how the arrival of Lindsey helped move him to Burlington permanently.

The couple communicated largely in Spanish, so when Capdevila came to Iowa he spoke very little English. Being a professional musician for all of his young working life, he had no other job skills. His landing in the insurance trade was simply happenstance.

"When you have a 4-month-old baby and $50 you don't pick," Capdevila said of choosing a career.

But before he could go to work for Combined Insurance, he had to pass the insurance test to get his license. Four times Capdevila made the trip to Des Moines to take the test, and four times he failed, but improved each time. Perseverance paid off, however, as he began to tape the sessions, and translate them from English to Spanish so he could understand the material better. The fifth time was the charm -- he passed.

Kim helped Carlos memorize his sales script for Combined Insurance as he was to cover the entire state of Iowa.

"I didn't understand what I was saying," Capdevila said. "I would leave Sunday night with a cooler and homemade sandwiches."

Capdevila gave credit to the smalltown communities and farmsteads he called on with helping develop his language skills. Though he worked for Combined Insurance for just one year, he was the top salesman in Iowa.

"When I was with Combined, I learned a lot about sales," he said.

Capdevila switched jobs and went to work for AAA selling memberships to the motor club and leisure travel organization. First, he sold memberships door-to-door, but later did his sales work over the phone.

His eventual connection to American Family Insurance could be considered happenstance again. A fellow AAA salesperson applied for a position with American Family Insurance, but the person doing the hiring noticed Capdevila's sales were higher and recruited him instead.

Capdevila was sent off to Wisconsin for training with the company. When the three weeks of training was over, the instructor simply wrote "untrainable" on Capdevila's report.

That didn't dissuade Capdevila as he set up the Carlos Capdevila Agency in Fairway Center in 1988, selling American Family Insurance products.

"I had one policy and it was mine," he said of his business start.

"You are an independent contractor. You own your own business," Capdevila said. "My wife, Kim, was my assistant. She got licensed. The first two or three years, we were just trying to make it."

He got his name out to the Burlington public by going door-to-door and by distributing fliers.

A turning point for Capdevila in the insurance business came when he started concentrating on his customers and less on the money.

"For you to become successful, you have to concentrate on the right thing. You need to take care of your client," Capdevila said.

Another major turning point for Capdevila's young agency came in 1992. He ran into a Domino's franchise owner, and called on them six or seven times trying to get their insurance business. Capdevila eventually created a program that covered every aspect of the pizza company's business from workman's compensation to auto insurance.

Domino's franchisees were impressed with the program and Capdevila became the insurance agent for many of them. At $6 million, it was one of the largest commercial lines programs established by an American Family Insurance agent.

Capdevila's connection with Domino's went a step further during the 2005 catastrophe known as Hurricane Katrina. He convinced a Minnesota Domino's franchisee to head south and help out by feeding those displaced by the storm.

"We set up a portable pizza place in a parking lot," Capdevila said. "I was in the middle of this thing."

The two set up shop in Bay St. Louis, Miss., and quickly had a line of 100 people who were in need of food. That effort endeared Capdevila to the Domino's company even more, and his business program took off with the pizza chain.

"People do business with people they like," Capdevila said. "Business kicked into a different gear when Katrina hit."

One of his Domino's clients went from owning one store to 111 stores, all of which Capdevila insures.

The Carlos Capdevila Agency does business with 100 corporations and 450 stores in 14 states.

"That made me able to compete with other agencies," Capdevila said of his commercial program. "I couldn't do that in Burlington."

Other American Family agencies followed Capdevila's business program to insure hotel chains and McDonald's.

"I was able to be a bit of an inspiration to think out of the box," Capdevila said.

Though the commercial side of the business is a big part of his agency, Capdevila has 3,500 policy holders in Burlington and southeast Iowa.

"We insure a lot of houses, cars and boats," he said. "We protect your dreams. I'm a dream protector."

American Family Insurance, a Fortune 250 company, has offered Capdevila advancement through the ranks, but he's chosen to stay in Burlington.

"They are proud of my success. That's why I love this community," he said. "I didn't want to leave my people."

Capdevila credits Kim, his staff and others with American Family Insurance for the success he has achieved in the last 25 years.

"A lot of people helped me. When I started I didn't know anything about insurance," he said. "They don't care how much you know, they care how much you care."

Because of the help Capdevila's received over the years, he's made it a point to get involved in Burlington organizations.

"Locally, I try to give back to the community in many ways," he said. "These people gave me an opportunity."

He has served as president for Burlington Notre Dame School Board, along with helping other organizations.

"It's been an incredible 25 years," Capdevila said.

From where he came from, with little English, $50 in his pocket and a newborn to feed, Capdevila has become not only an American success story, but an American. He hopes his success can be an example to others looking to make it in the USA.

"I want them to get a little motivation," Capdevila said.

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