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This month’s Chamber Business Spotlight shines on Wilken Insurance! Wilken offers both personal and commercial insurance to include auto, home, umbrella, specialty vehicles, RVs, motorcycles, etc. along with commercial liability, property, work comp, bonds and notary services.
History of Wilken Insurance
Wilken Insurance just celebrated 46 years of business in January this year! Rich Wilken is the owner and founder of Wilken Insurance. He purchased the business from the Hamilton and Cates Agency in 1980 after working for 10 years for larger insurance companies. He moved his family from Mt. Vernon to Lebanon IL, and opened Wilken Insurance.
Community Involvement
After opening his business in Lebanon, Rich Wilken became very involved in town organizations like the Lions Club, Fire Department/EMT, Chamber of Commerce, and Beautification Committee. He even became mayor in 2013! In addition, he was very involved with the school, playing Santa for many years and teaching an 8th grade Junior Achievement Class. These days, he does a lot of woodcarving which he sells at Tiadaghton House with all proceeds going to the Lebanon High School Art Department.
Office Staff
Rich Wilken – He is semi-retired now but still comes in to do the business financials and to offer leadership and guidance to the rest of the office staff.
Tami Wilken – Daughter of Rich Wilken, Tami manages the office. She is currently licensed in property/casualty and life/health. Although Tami has officially worked In the office since October 2000, she started long before at age 9, opening mail and doing filing. She also worked on Saturdays during high school taking phone calls.
Bryanne Bechtoldt – She has worked for Wilken Insurance since July 2019 and has her property/casualty license. She always has a smile for every customer.
Lesley Gerard - She works at Wilken Insurance part-time and came to help out when Bryanne was on maternity leave in 2023. They liked her so much, they asked her to stay. Lesley’s primary occupation is design, and they met her when she designed their office logo.
Favorite Part About Business
When asked what her favorite part about their business was, Tami replied, “What we most enjoy about our business is people. We have had the opportunity to meet and really get to know so many wonderful people from all different walks of life and with such a variety of experiences. We get to see people at both their best times (like buying a first home or getting married) and during their most difficult times (losing a home due to a loss, or losing a loved one). We feel honored that people entrust us with their care. How we act and react has a great impact on our customers. We are the liaison between the customer and the insurance companies, with our job being one of problem solver. Rich’s motto has always been ‘Do the best you can for every customer, every day. Treat people the way you like to be treated.’”
Lessons Learned from Business Ownership
I asked Tami if she had any lessons learned that she could share. She said, “I would say that the greatest lesson for any business should be that people should be treated with kindness. It doesn’t matter if it’s a $100 account or a $100,000 account - everyone deserves to be treated fairly and with respect and include a smile. We’ve seen many grumpy customers eventually turned around – and that is a really wonderful feeling!”
Unique Part of the Business
When asked what makes their insurance company unique, Tami replied, “Being an Independent Insurance Agency is quite a bit different from larger “captive” insurance agencies. We have the capability to quote multiple companies for our customers. If prices rise with one company, we have others that we’re able to switch them to. Our customers trust that we are watching out for them, and that we will get them the best price for the best coverage.”
How the Community Can Help
I asked Tami how the community can best support their business now. She said, “The community can support us by letting us help them with their current insurance needs. We quote multiple companies, and if we’re unable to save a customer money by switching, we always give suggestions to improve their current coverage. There is no charge for this, and we will never spam anyone with emails or phone calls.”
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