TouchPoints Dawsona publication of Dawson Insurance Spring 2014

Family Driven for 100 Years Spanning four generations, Corwin Automotive Group has grown from a bicycle shop in Bismarck, ND, to 11 stores in five states.

Tim Corwin, center, with sons Tanner Corwin (left), and Drew Corwin (right) Financial Services President’sPresident’s Financial Services FinanciaDawsonDawson Message Associates

SALES STAFF Todd Anderson, CPCU, CIC Message AssociDan Armbrust, CIC, CPIA, CPCU, CRIS LeBarons Penny Crowder, CISR, CIC Tom Dawson, CPCU, CIC Zack Dawson, CIC and Brandi Hedin Ryan Hoffman, CPCU, AIC, ARM Life on a D.I.M.E. Mark Julik, CIC, CRIS Jay Kleingartner, CIC By Tom Dawson ow much is enough? Life insurance helps provide a simple solution Wayne Lauwers, CIC Jim Nyhof to a challenging question: How will my loved ones manage an you buy a new car today Matt Peterson, CIC financially when I die? While often a difficult subject to talk about, without an automatic trunk Roger Peterson, CIC Hif others depend on you financially, it’s one you cannot avoid. One of the first opener? The Corwin team – M – Mortgage and other debts. For many people, Natalie Schultz, AIC, CPCU steps in looking at the different life insurance options is determining how featuredC in our Client Spotlight this their home is their largest asset. In order to pay off Steve Winter, CIC much is enough. A simple way to determine the right amount Ben Zietz issue – certainly would know. the mortgage and other related debts, you will want of coverage is to use the D.I.M.E. method, which stands What made me ponder such a question? I was term insurance to provide the peace of mind so that for Death, Income, Mortgage, and Education. ADMINISTRATION reminiscing about how my grandfather, Charles an unexpected tragedy does not mean that your family is unable to make future debt payments. Mary Bjerke, CPCU A. Dawson, bought all his cars from S.W. Corwin, D – Death expenses. These include burial costs, Jaclyn Hanson grandfather to Tim Corwin and great-grandfather unpaid medical bills not covered by insurance, E – Education funding. Do you plan on setting Steve Miller, CPA to Drew and Tanner Corwin. My grandfather only Maria Reinhiller and other short-term obligations. With funeral aside money to help fund your children’s college bought Chryslers, with the last one being an Imperial Angie Wohl costs averaging $10,000 to $12,000 and medical education? Using term life insurance as a LeBaron…pea green with a white vinyl top. That car bills potentially reaching $10,000 or more, this funding mechanism can help ensure that funds had every option – except a power trunk release. My CUSTOMER SUPPORT permanent insurance need is often $25,000. are available to help defray the rising costs of a grandfather couldn’t see paying $16 for the feature BONDS college education. since he could open his own trunk. Becky Hecker I – Income replacement. Bridget Helm There are many great stories and memories about If others rely on your my grandfather and his cars throughout the years. income, what would The Dawson Solution: CLAIMS One that stands out is that after mistakenly walking happen if you were to pass Jill Graveline The combined totals from these categories can be Kathy Richard up to a pea green Chevrolet with a white vinyl top away? In order to preserve their lifestyle, used as a basis for the total amount of life insurance thinking it was his LeBaron, he paid to have the top your family may need to replace your that is needed. Consideration should be given to existing COMMERCIAL LINES painted the same color green as the car. My guess is income for a number of years. As an life insurance and other liquid assets when determining the final Joni Alfson, CIC, CPCU the paint job cost more than 16 bucks. example, replacing $2,500 in monthly amount of insurance that is right for you. We can help you get started with putting Kevin Bruggeman, CPCU Many of the same downtown streets traveled by income for 10 years requires almost Yves Cherubin together or modifying your life insurance plan, including finding the right amount and Donna Christlieb, AU, CIC that green Imperial LeBaron will be traveled by $250,000 of term insurance. type of insurance. Contact us today at 1-800-220-4514. D thousands of runners in May. The 10th annual Fargo Jennifer Davis, CISR Alex Dawson will start at Veterans Memorial Bridge Holly Fitch, CISR between Fargo and Moorhead and finish in front Cindy Fleming of the Fargo Theatre on Broadway. Last year more Our commitment Surety Dana Gary than 24,000 people participated in the marathon to service includes Joan Hagen, CISR events, and it appears that there will be even more extended service Deb Johnsen, AU participants this year. hours and more service Continuing Education Stacy Kemerling Corwin Automotive Group is celebrating 100 years options. With both Lesley Koehler Jen Kopel, CISR, CIC in business this year; our own centennial will be here online and telephone ack Dawson recently completed Level II in the before we know it. While it’s hard to say if the Fargo Melissa Krystosek, CIC services at your fingertips day or night, Dawson 24/7 is William J. Angell Surety School through the Marathon will go on another 90 years, the odds are Karen Lundberg designed so that you choose how to interact with our National Association of Surety Bond Producers Mariah Rud that it certainly could. After all, legacies are born Z(NASBP) in Houston, Texas. The five-day program agency and when it’s convenient for you. Pam Rudolf from dreams, hard work, and determination; the focused on contractor profiling, detailed financial Matthew Weis Fargo Marathon team certainly possesses those traits. analysis, concepts and effective practices of account Dar Zimmerman, CIC Wouldn’t S.W. Corwin and Charles Dawson be Dawson 24/7 Online Access activation and service, claims handling, industry surprised to see how “the bridge” and Broadway have Your insurance information is always available so you can: FINANCIAL SERVICES marketplace changes, and ethics. Founded in 1942, Evonne Johnson, INS changed over the years? Charles would undoubtedly NASBP is the association of and resource for surety bond be wondering where all the pea green Chrysler ••Obtain Certificates of ••Make change requests PERSONAL LINES Insurance. such as address or adding producers and allied professionals. As trusted advisors, LeBarons had gone, and S.W. might be wondering professional surety bond producers act in many key Kendra Ahlquist what exactly a “Toyota” is. And 16 bucks? Well, it ••Print auto ID cards. vehicles/drivers. Keep in Connie Bertram mind, coverages are not roles to position their clients to meet the underwriting Grant Ellis certainly doesn’t go as far as it once did. D D ••Notify Dawson of a claim or bound until you receive requirements for surety credit. Stacey Frolek, CISR loss. confirmation from our office. Christina Maynard Raeanna McCollum ••View your policy information. Crystal Rosen 2 TouchPoints • Spring 2014 800.220.4514 • DawsonIns.com 3 ClientClient Spotlight Spotlight Client Spotlight Client Spotlight

Corwin Automotive Group to be successful,” he says. “truck lifestyle area” that features a rural The most important of landscape with a large Russian olive Dawson Client Since: 2011 “We’re a fourth generation auto group the four, Tim says, is tree, native grasses, and an operating Founded: 1914 Family Driven that goes back 100 years. There are very windmill. Other amenities include special people, noting that the Website: www.corwinauto.com few of those in the country, and we’re company looks at employ- waiting areas for teens and young children, ees and customers equally fireplaces, and upscale bathrooms. “You Locations: Fargo, proud to be one of them.” because “they are our num- won’t find anything quite like it anywhere (3); Jefferson City, Missouri (4); for 100 Years ­– Tim Corwin ber one asset.” else,” shares Tim. Springfield, Missouri (1); Kalispell, On the employee side, The same can be said about Corwin Montana (2); and Nampa, Idaho (1) Corwin Auto­motive Group Automotive Group: A fourth generation Number of employees: 750 Fourth Generation Corwin Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, is diligent in its acquisitions to ensure that automobile company – which began as a Ford, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, it brings on not only the right product line bicycle shop selling used cars on the side Founded 100 years ago on Auto Celebrating Centennial Nissan, Ram, Scion, and Toyota. at the right location, but also the right – celebrating its centennial. You won’t a dedication to customer “We’re a fourth generation auto group people. On the customer side, while find anything quite like it anywhere else. service, Corwin Automotive that goes back 100 years,” says Tim. “There customer satisfaction is important, Tim Family driven for 100 years, indeed. D Group has more than doubled In the early 1900s, New York City-born S.W. Corwin, are very few of those in the country, and says that customer reten- its locations in the last three who worked as a salesman for an implement dealership, we are extremely proud to be one of them.” tion is even more critical. and a half years. The company found himself transferred to Bismarck, North Dakota. In Since September of 2010, the company “We track retention very carries 16 automotive brands. has grown from five stores to 11 across carefully. It’s such a huge 1914, he purchased a bicycle shop that sold used cars four states and has doubled its number of part of the people compo- on the side, and thus began the company that would employees to 750. nent for us.” “The key to any business is people, and For new and returning come to be known as Corwin Automotive Group. it’s our people that have allowed us to customers alike, the grow,” explains Tim. “Over the last 10 experience of being in Several Corwin Automotive Group show­ n 1937, S.W. and his partner, Neil forward to 1975, and Tim Corwin, one years, we’ve worked very hard to develop a Corwin Automotive rooms are pictured to the right and above, Churchill, purchased Murphy Motor of Charlie’s children, joined the business along with three generations of Corwins: and maintain a culture that enables us Group store is something Car Company in Fargo, and S.W. upon graduating from college. Betty and the late Charlie Corwin with son, to develop and promote employees from the company doesn’t Tim, and grandsons Drew and Tanner. Iand his family moved to Fargo in order Today Tim serves as president of Corwin within our organization.” take lightly. “We localize, to manage the dealership. S.W.’s sons, Automotive Group, a position he’s held People and promotion are two compo- regionalize, and personalize Charlie and Bill, joined the business in the since 1980. Tim’s sons, Drew and Tanner, nents of what Tim calls the four P’s; the our stores,” Tim says. For 1940s, and in 1952, Neil sold his share of are involved in the business, which carries others are product and process. “If you do example, the Corwin Toyota the company to the Corwin family. Fast- 16 automotive brands, including: Buick, all four of those really well, you’re going store in Fargo includes a

4 TouchPoints • Spring 2014 800.220.4514 • DawsonIns.com 5 ExtraExtra Mile Mile Extra Mile ExClaimsClaims ClaimsNewNew Employees Claims Employ Dar Zimmerman Proper Risk Commercial Lines Account Manager rior to recently re-joining the Dawson Transfer Avoids team (she originally joined Dawson in 2009), Dar worked as a commercial Plines customer service representative at $2 Million Claim Insurance Associates of Magee, Mississippi. Previously at Dawson, she worked on the personal lines and commercial lines teams. Against General Dar’s primary responsibility is to coordinate all the services associated with her accounts, which she likens to being a coach that “gets to play in the game, Contractor too.” She says the best part of her job is being on a great team where everyone is appreciated and works together to make a difference. She adds that the unlimited coffee in the morning helps, too! ase study: This claim involves an all too common While she has lived in , Nebraska, Colorado, South The Dawson Dippers problem on building projects of faulty workmanship. Dakota, and Mississippi, Dar says that she is so happy to be “back The general contractor (GC) hires a subcontractor to home” in Fargo. In her spare time, she enjoys playing volleyball, ver the years, Dawson Insurance installC roofing (shingles) on several apartment buildings. After children and adults with physical and has proudly supported many cheering on the NDSU Bison, playing hand and foot canasta with developmental disabilities. The Dawson the work was completed, shingles started blowing off during D local organizations in the Fargo- her family, and wine nights. Dippers, complete with Dawson Dippers winds of 50 miles per hour or more, even though the shingles MoorheadO community. On February 13th outfits, plunged into an icy cold pool in were rated for more than 100 miles per hour. Upon inspection (Giving Hearts Day, when donations to Mariah Rud single-digit degree weather. “It was so cold by the shingle manufacturer and the local distributor, it was participating non-profit organizations are outside that they had to chop up the ice determined that the blow-offs were due to: 1) Fewer nails than Account Assistant matched by Dakota Medical Foundation), in the pool before we could plunge,” says required in each shingle and 2) The nailing was not done on the that support was shown again in the ariah joined Dawson Insurance Crystal. The Dawson Dippers were not nail line as required. parking lot of Mick’s Office in Moorhead, in late March, previously holding the only Dawson employees at the Polar A claim was made by the GC to the subcontractor for faulty Minnesota. A group of six employees (Alex administrative assistant positions Plunge: Fellow co-workers took time to workmanship, which the subcontractor denied. After several atM PRACS/Cetero Research, Keller Williams, Dawson, Ben Zietz, Bridget Helm, Crystal come cheer the plungers on. The Dawson attempts to get the subcontractor to respond, the GC, along Rosen, Grant Ellis, and Matt Weis, also Iowa State University, and 3M. She was Dippers helped raise more than $1,500 with their Dawson Insurance agent, filed a claim directly known as the Dawson Dippers) volunteered drawn to Dawson because of its community in corporate and individual donations for with the subcontractor’s insurance carrier who then assigned to represent Dawson Insurance by doing involvement and family atmosphere. CCRI. Overall, CCRI raised more than an adjuster. The initial finding was that the shingles were not a “Polar Plunge” for Creative Care for Her day-to-day responsibilities are to assist $97,000 on Giving Hearts Day. Watch the installed correctly, and the subcontractor’s insurance carrier Reaching Independence (CCRI). account managers, and she says that the best Dawson Dippers at www..com/ denied the claim under the faulty workmanship exclusion in CCRI is a non-profit organization part of her job is getting to work with such a great group of people. watch?v=RAQ9E6orOF0. D the policy. The GC and their Dawson agent argued that this in Moorhead that provides services to She says the dedication that they and the entire Dawson team have exclusion did not apply since the labor or work was actually for clients, coupled with how Dawson helps its employees grow, is performed by a sub-subcontractor hired by the subcontractor, what sets the company apart from the competition. and therefore, the faulty workmanship was not performed by the Mariah lives in south Fargo as does most of her family. In her free subcontractor hired by the GC. The subcontractor’s insurance time, she enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, Staff Achievements company finally agreed and paid to replace the shingles on all being at the lake, and cheering on the Bison and the Cyclones. D Improving Ourselves to of the buildings at a cost in excess of $2 million. The Risk Trans- Improve Service to You fer Program that Yves Cherubin Dawson helped to Account Assistant ach quarter, Dawson ••1st Quarter: Jaclyn Hanson set up for this GC rior to joining Dawson Insurance in Insurance awards the ••2nd Quarter: Evonne Johnson as well as a solid late March, Yves worked as an office Pacesetter Award to a under ­standing of manager at Integrity Tax - Multi DawsonE employee. A Dawson ••3rd Quarter: Connie Bertram & insurance policy PServices and in associate and manager Pacesetter is someone who: Steve Miller language and ex- roles at Walmart. Dawson’s dedication to is a champion of service ••4th Quarter: Kendra Ahlquist clusions helped helping the community, its ethical and moral Jaclyn Hanson Evonne Johnson Connie Bertram excellence and customer to prevent this values, and its commitment to integrity and care; stands out amongst Congratulations to Jaclyn, Evonne, claim from fall- responsibility drew him to Dawson. his/her peers; consistently Connie, Steve, and Kendra, and thank you ing back to the Yves’s primary responsibilities include provides exemplary customer for all you do for Dawson and our clients! GC, ultimately ensuring accuracy across policies as well as processing endorsements, service; goes the extra The Best of the Best Award is presented enabling them to audits, binders, and issuing certificates. “I am very fortunate and mile; is dedicated to the annually to one Dawson employee who transfer the claim blessed to be part of such an amazing team because everyone is mission, team and clients of embodies an unsurpassed commitment to to the respon­ always ready and willing to encourage and help one another,” he Dawson Insurance; and the mission and shared values of Dawson sible party of the says. excels in his/her position on Insurance. Congratulations to Matt subcontractor. D In his free time, Yves enjoys attending church as well as Bible a regular basis. Recipients of Weis, client safety coordinator, on being study, reading, running, golfing, healthy cooking, and talking on the 2013 Dawson Pacesetter named the 2013 Best of the Best Award Steve Miller Kendra Ahlquist Matt Weis D the phone with his 3-year-old niece. D Award are: winner!

6 TouchPoints • Spring 2014 800.220.4514 • DawsonIns.com 7 721 1st Avenue North PO Box 1958 Fargo, ND 58107

UniqueYour Unique Advantage AdvClaimsClaims Corner Cor Spring and Sump Pumps… We’ve shared sump pump reminders before, but they bear repeating: Dawson Insurance is proud to be a locally-owned, ••Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for sump pump independent agency that provides a full line of property maintenance. These vary from running the sump pump every two and casualty coverage, as well as life and health benefits, to three months to a yearly cleaning before the rainy season. surety and financial services for individuals and businesses. For 97 years, we have been working hard ••To inspect a sump pump: to ensure our customers always come first, both in the •• Open the lid and remove debris that may services we offer and the protection we provide. Thank be blocking the water inlet screen. you for your business. •• Pour approximately five gallons of water Dawson Insurance into the pump and watch the float valve 721 1st Avenue North 701-237-3311 rise. PO Box 1958 800-220-4514 •• As the float valve rises, the pump should Fargo, ND 58107 701-232-4442 (fax) turn on and the water should discharge 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week through the outlet pipe. [email protected] •• Go outside and inspect the outlet pipe. [email protected] •• Water should be flowing from the pipe and Pay Your Home And Auto Bills Online away from the home. •• If the sump pump fails to operate during CHECK US OUT AT dawsonins.com this inspection, contact a plumbing professional.

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TouchPoints content is for illustration and informational purposes only. Dawson Insurance relies on the accuracy of information provided to us in ••Call your Dawson Insurance agent to review your sump pump developing this newsletter. For premium quotes, specific coverage options coverage. D and other products and services, please contact us.