Gallagher Insurance expands
Staff Writer
After more than 25 years of doing business in Aroostook County, Gallagher Insurance Agency has expanded and opened a second office at 551 Main Street in Presque Isle. According to Brian Sipe, agency president, the move was both a reaction to the needs of Gallagher’s current clients as well as an opportunity to reach a new group of individuals and businesses.
“We’ve been in Caribou for many years and the bulk of our clients are people and businesses that use Caribou as their base of activities. However, over the years we’ve gradually gained more Presque Isle area business. We saw this as a chance to make it easier for our current clients to do business with us and as a real opportunity to expand our client base. I feel strongly that in order to effectively do business in Presque Isle we needed to have an office in the city.”
Gallagher’s opened its new Presque Isle office in August and they have been pleased with the response. “Both my wife, Elaine and I grew up in Presque Isle,” said Sipe, “so we know lots of people in town. Our home is in Presque Isle and our kids go to school here, so it has been an easy transition opening an new office in town.”
When asked about his office in Caribou, Sipe was quick to note that the Caribou office will remain open as it always has. “We are committed to being open and available to clients in both Caribou and Presque Isle. Caribou is where the bulk of our current clients live and work and the Caribou community has been the core of our success. We just felt that if we were going to continue to be successful, we needed to make our products and our great staff more easily accessible to people.”
Gallagher Insurance is an independent agency, which means it represents a number of different insurance companies including, the Concord Group, Patrons Oxford, Countryway, North East, Foremost, Dairyland, Progressive and a large number of life insurance companies. “We really have a great mix of companies to work with” stated Sipe. “While we are especially strong in personal lines such as homes, autos and recreational vehicles, we also have several companies that do a really great job with small businesses such as contractors, offices, and small retail businesses.”
Gallagher Insurance was established in 1985 by Jerry Gallagher, working out of his home in Presque Isle. In 1989 Gallagher purchased the Caribou-based Nelson Insurance Agency which had been in operation since the 1960s and moved the Gallagher Agency’s operation to their offices. When Gallagher began looking for an opportunity to retire but keep the agency in the family, he offered the opportunity to his daughter and son-in law to join the business.
According to Sipe, “Elaine and I were living and working in Augusta, and every time we came back to the County to visit, it was harder to go back downstate. We both were looking for an opportunity to move back to the area and Jerry’s offer came at the perfect time for of us.”
Sipe joined Gallaghers as an agent in 1995 and became a partner a year later. In 2000 Sipe purchased the remainder of the business. “I really didn’t make many changes when I took over. We had a great staff, really good companies to work with and Jerry had established a reputation for honesty and great service.” About the only things that really changed, according to Sipe was that the agency moved into a bigger office across the street from the old one and they began to do more advertising.
Gallagher Insurance employs six employees and their new Presque Isle office is located downtown at 551 Main Street. Business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; phone 764-7555.
‘NET’ PROFIT — The Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 11, welcoming one of the Star City’s newest businesses to the community. Fishermen’s Net, located at 93 State St., opened Dec. 24, 2009, reporting steady sales and numerous compliments coming from customers across Aroostook County for the fresh seafood being sold on the premises. Pictured in the front row, from left: Theresa Fowler, executive director, PIACC; Ben Lindner, owner; Gail Clukey, PIACC member; Nola Farley, PIACC member; and Billie Brodsky, PIACC member. In back, from left: PIACC members Miles Williams, Gretchen Morse, Floyd Rockholt and Stacy Shaw.
