Superior State Agency Named Schoolcraft County Business of the Year!

by Paul Olson

            Seven years ago, when he was honored as Schoolcraft County Person of the Year, a flustered John Lindroth confessed to being stunned.

            If anything, he was even more surprised last Saturday, when his Superior State Agency walked off with top honors, winning the 2007 Business of the Year Award at the Schoolcraft County Chamber of Commerce Spring Banquet.

            “I was completely surprised,” he said Monday, still trying to get over the shock several days later. “I knew we were nominated, of course, but I never expected to win. I wasn’t prepared for it at all.”

             Superior State was chosen in a vote of chamber members, from a ballot that also included

O-N Minerals and the Comfort Inn.

            “It was a great honor to win with competition like that,” Lindroth said. “Talk about some real quality nominees. I think we should all be proud to live in a community with such strong, valuable businesses.”

             Lindroth and his wife, Lynn, moved to Manistique in 1976. After working several years at radio station WTIQ, he joined the staff of the insurance agency in 1978.

             In 1985 he purchased the business, buying an agency in Newberry at the same time. A few years later, in 1992, he also opened an office in Munising.

             Today Superior State is a respected provider of insurance products. They deal primarily with property casualty coverage, but Lindroth notes that they plan to expand further into the areas of health insurance and employee benefits.

              The company has a staff of 11 people in the three U.P. cities, four in the Manistique headquarters, including Lindroth himself.

He said the staff deserves much of the credit for winning Business of the Year honors.

              They could also win awards for loyalty and length of service.  Sylvia Wood is the senior member of the local staff, having worked at the business for 38 years. Right behind her is Mary LaMuth with 30 years of service. The “junior” employee is Jenea White, a Superior State staff member for seven years.

              “I can’t say enough about how much it means to have them here,” Lindroth said. “Having a stable staff with no turnover is such a key in this business. It breeds customer confidence when they call and can talk to the same person they talked to last time. Longevity is hugely important in this business.”

               The past year brought a major change for Lindroth and his staff, as they carried out a big move – not big in terms of distance but size.

               It occurred in December 2006, when Superior State moved from its original Deer Street location to a brand new building right next door.

               The 2,240 square foot facility, constructed on the old Rainbow’s End site, changed the landscape of Manistique’s west side and essentially doubled the agency’s available office space.

               “It’s been wonderful,” Lindroth said. “We have much more room now. We have a better workflow, we significantly increased privacy for our customers, and we even have room for expansion.”

                One thing that hasn’t changed is Superior State’s commitment to the community – a dedication to giving something back to the city and county where they earn their livelihood.

                Over the years, the agency has demonstrated its service-oriented beliefs with literally thousands of donations, giving money, gifts and time to groups, clubs, organizations and civic projects ranging from the Chamber to CBC, the Humane Society, Folk Fest, Habitat for Humanity, U.P. Whitetails, the Manistique Merchants Association, Project Petunia, the Kiwanis Club, youth football and countless school activities – “Virtually anything that has to do with kids,” Lindroth said.

                 In 2004, he launched the “Superior State Player of the Game” award as a way to recognize student-athletes and contribute money on a regular basis to the Manistique Area Schools Foundation, which provides scholarships to graduating seniors.  After each MHS football and basketball game, the WTIQ broadcast team chooses a player of the game. The agency then makes a $25 donation to the Foundation in that player’s name.  Since the program’s inception, Superior State has donated approximately $4,000 to the scholarship fund.

                 Lindroth said he’s proud of his company’s community service, but stressed that they’re only doing what they should be doing.

                 “I’ve always believed that businesses have an obligation to give something back and be involved in their communities,” he said. “It feels good when you do it, but there’s more to it than that. It really is an obligation.”

                 He said Schoolcraft County residents are fortunate to live in a place where most businesses feel exactly the same.

                “The businesses here give so much back every day,” he said. “The amount of support they’ve given to the schools and organizations is significant. Overall, businesses in this community have been phenomenally generous with the money that they have.”

                  During his improvised speech Saturday night and again in Monday’s conversation, Lindroth touched on a related theme, urging area residents to support their business community.

                  “I always talk about how important it is to support local businesses. It’s a passion of mine, because it’s such a critical issue,” he said. “If businesses don’t have the support of their customers, they can’t support the community with their donations.”

                   Studies have repeatedly shown that every dollar spent in a town “turns over” many more times. When someone buys something at a local store, that money pays bills, purchases supplies and services, and pays salaries. The employees of the business then go out and spend their paychecks in other businesses, which keeps the circle expanding.

                    Lindroth said he’s seen the effects of that phenomenon firsthand, and described it as “a huge snowball effect,” which helps businesses stay open, residents have jobs, schools do a good job teaching students, organizations flourish and service programs survive.

                   “When you spend money locally, that money is harnessed for everyone’s benefit,” he said. “The result is a place like Schoolcraft County – a great place to live and work and raise kids, which is exactly what all of us want.”