Farmers Insurance agency sold to new agent

The local Farmers Insurance agency in Hayward, formerly owned and operated by Danielle McGarthwaite for the past 18 years, has been sold to Greg Schwartz.

Schwartz currently owns a Farmers Insurance agency in Watertown, Wisconsin and will continue to operate that, along with the Hayward location at the corner of Fourth and Dakota.

Schwartz, who was raised in Franklin, Wisconsin and attended UW-Stout, has been an insurance agent at Prudential, Country Financial and Farmers Insurance. He said he has handled all types of claims and is confident he can take care of any situation that should arise.

Schwartz said he plans to hire a licensed agent to staff the Hayward office. Schwartz will travel back and forth between offices, staying in Hayward during the week and commuting home on weekends.

Schwartz said, "We sell most types of insurance. Home, Auto, Umbrella, Life, Boats, recreational vehicles, ATVs and other fun toys, and businesses big or small (including home rentals). Pretty much anything you need to cover we can do it for you. I am not limited to Farmers Insurance, as we have other companies we work with to be sure we can cover all of our customer's needs. We do our best to educate our customers so they can make good decisions about their insurance policies."

Schwartz said he does not intend to make any major changes with the agency and wants to understand the needs of the clients before making any significant changes.

In his spare time Schwartz is the youth archery instructor for the Watertown Archers Club and an elder at his local church. He enjoys beekeeping, gardening, hunting and fishing. He and his wife Tracy have been married for 26 years and have three children.

His current hours in Hayward are Tuesday afternoon; Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Friday 9 a.m. to noon. After the office is staffed with a licensed agent, business hours will be Monday through Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Contact him at gschwartz1@farmersagent.com or call 715-634-3200.