May agency an insurance ‘big box’ with a family touch [Herald-Times, Bloomington, Ind.]

June 30--McKenzie May got her first inkling that she'd be entering the family insurance business when she called her father, Paul, and told him how much she enjoyed typing forms at her job.

And so the family line continues at ISU The May Agency, an insurance business started by Paul's father, Charles, in 1949.

"In 1967, I came on board basically as a salesman," Paul recalls, admitting he'd never considered a career in insurance. "It wasn't anything like I thought it would be."

Paul soon found fulfillment helping people who needed to use insurance for life's tragedies.

"We are there to help people sometimes in the worst moment in their life," Paul said.

The locally owned insurance company has a wide range of products from more than 300 insurance companies. Agents work with individual and business customers to provide the coverage they need.

With such a wide variety of products, Paul said the company is like a big box store with lots of options, but with the added bonus of local people.

In the early years, Paul would bring daughters Sarah and McKenzie into the office while he worked. When the girls were young, he'd keep them busy photocopying or typing envelopes -- any small office helper task that helped him do his job.

"I didn't have any idea what he did," McKenzie recalled of those early days.

McKenzie, now 33, said she worked as a janitor for her dad's office in the summer during her college years.

"I learned that work is fun. Honestly, I never dreaded working," McKenzie said.

McKenzie had various jobs before she joined her dad's agency in 2001 and found the same fulfillment her father has experienced over the years.

Sarah, 40, joined the company in 2002 after working as an environmental consultant. She handles office management, keeping an eye on the budget, advertising and sponsorship requests.

"We do a lot of local participation and sponsorship," Sarah said.

By sponsoring local youth athletic teams and events in Bloomington, the company continues to give back to the community.

Paul prepares his employees to be able to handle their jobs either in the office or at home. Each agent has a printer, copier, scanner and multiple computer screens at their work desk.

He pays for home Internet service and sets up workstations at his employees' homes so they can work there if needed.

At 66, Paul isn't ready to talk retirement, but when that day comes, the company looks to be on target to stay a family business. Although McKenzie admits the three aren't the most patient group of people, the family synergy makes for a very smooth- running office.

"It fits really well," Paul said.

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