Mike Hierl takes over as President of the State Insurance Association

Important Hierl Insurance announcement:

September 2011

Mike Hierl takes over as President of the State Insurance Association
by Eric Schwartz

Mike Hierl’s insurance career is just one facet of his life. A group of framed pictures behind his desk tell the story that family is his number one priority.

“In this industry, you have to have a strong family,” said Mike, who started as Association president on September 1. “Melissa does a great job with our children when I’m away on business.” They have two girls, Annie and Kellie, ages 13 and 10, respectively. Mike and Melissa have been married for 20 years.

Like most busy families, it’s tough to find time to spend together. When the weather or geography is right, the Hierls go skiing. “We can do it together and we enjoy it,” said Mike. His girls started taking lessons (at Sunburst in Kewaskum) when they were three years old.

The family is also active in the First Presbyterian Church. “Church life is important and bringing the girls up as Christians is a big deal to us,” he said. Annie has gone on two mission trips and her younger sister has plans to follow in her footsteps.

“It teaches them to put others first and themselves second,” said Mike. “They do it on their own so they don’t lean on me or Melissa. What that does to their character is incredible.”

The strong sense of family is also part of the culture at Hierl Insurance. “It’s family first,” said Mike. “If an employee has a game, concert or family event, I’m never going to say no to that. People are more productive when they are able to spend time with spouses and kids. They will be happier in general but also at work.”

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Hierl Insurance was founded when Woodrow Wilson was in the White House. Television had not been invented yet. Alaska and Hawaii would not become states for another 40 years.

In 1919, Harry Hierl, Mike’s grandfather, was working as a surveyor for a railroad and it wasn’t enough for him. To satisfy his entrepreneurial spirit, he started the insurance agency that still bears his last name. For 40 years, Harry ran the business alone. He raised a family, grew the business, served in the military during WWII and survived the Great Depression.

In 1958, his son, H. Thomas “Tom” Hierl, joined him and expanded the product line to include health insurance, employee benefits and other types of insurance to keep ahead of the competition. When Harry passed away in 1965, Tom continued on with the business and it prospered. Mike joined the agency in January 1989 after graduating from UW-Whitewater (B.A. in Finance) and spending the first six years of his professional life with First Wisconsin Bank (later Firstar and now U.S. Bank) in Milwaukee and Fond du Lac.

“I never thought I would get into the insurance business,” said Mike. “After I graduated, I didn’t have the interest. I wanted to see the world.”

But his work in commercial lending at First Wisconsin and a meeting with his Dad changed his fate.

“My Dad said he was going to sell the business to two others in the office,” he said. “I had gained some experience at the bank so I investigated the opportunity a bit more.” On January 1, 1989, Mike joined the agency as an account executive.

“My Dad gave me a phone book and said, ‘there you go,’” said Mike, who was born and raised in Fond du Lac. “I had the advantage of working in town and had relationships I could test with. People gave me an opportunity and that’s how I started. I jumped in pretty quickly.”

In 1990, he tackled both the CIC and CPCU designations. “My Dad wanted me to obtain all five CIC certifications in a year — and I did. It took me 10 months, so I finished one every two months.”

The CPCU certification encompasses 10 different tests and is a challenge. “I got it done in five years so I could make the graduation in Hawaii,” said Mike, who earned his pilot’s license in 1988, and is also an avid golfer. “ It was good for me. It taught me a lot. I had more energy then. I didn’t have kids.”

Throughout Mike’s insurance career he has worked on various boards in the Fond du Lac community. Some of these include: the Fond du Lac Association of Commerce; First Presbyterian Church; the Fond du Lac United Way; the Fond du Lac Parks Board; the Fond du Lac Business on Health (FABOH); and the St. Agnes Foundation Board.

Mike has also served as a chairperson for many fundraisers in his hometown, including: Fond du Lac’s Walleye Weekend; St. Agnes Foundation’s Samaritan House Raffle; St. Agnes Foundation’s Hospice Hope Charity Open; Boy Scouts of America; and Marian University’s Irish-American Night.

Mike also trained his family’s two chocolate labs, Bailey and Emme. “I took Bailey through hunting tests,” he said. “The key to dog training is pretty simple. If you spend just five minutes a day with a dog for two years, they will do what you want to do. It’s all about reinforcing behaviors. They are amazing animals.”

His Association and insurance accomplishments have also kept him busy. Mike served as the chairman of the IIAW’s Young Agents Committee from 1989 to 1992 and was the Young Agent of the Year in 1991. Also in 1991, he was named vice president of Hierl Insurance. On May 1, 1994, Mike became president of Hierl Insurance.

“The first couple of years were challenging,” he said. “I was just figuring out of if I could do this.”

He has served on the IIAW board on two different occasions, most recently from 2004-2007, and has sat on the Government Affairs and Larger Agencies committees. In 2009, he was nominated and selected to the Executive Committee as Secretary-Treasurer.

This year, Mike will serve as president of the IIAW, a position that his Dad has also held. “My Dad has been a great mentor to me and he is the coolest guy ever,” he said. Tom Hierl also served as the IIAW’s State National Director in the 1970s.

He is excited about the upcoming Association year.

“It’s going to be a year to focus on health care, primarily because of what’s happened legislatively (with the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act),” said Mike. “We’re planning for its implementation even though we’re hoping that it doesn’t go through. It’s not going to solve problems because it does not address the escalating costs of health care. It’s going to make them worse. The goal is to position agents to be successful in the health care arena.”

Mike is also excited about working with Matt Banaszynski (IIAW Vice President) and expanding on Matt’s legislative work.

 

“Matt has great connections and is an asset to this organization,” he said. “I’m going to be involved in Matt’s transition (to executive vice president) when Bob (Jartz) retires.” Bob has been the Association’s leader for 36 years.

“Bob has been the driving force in making this Association second to none in the country,” said Mike. “The IIAW’s committee structure is unique — no organization does that. We have been very fortunate to have his leadership for so many years.”

Mike knows there is a legacy of success to look to as he begins his presidency.

“My goal is to keep doing what’s worked in the past and to make sure that the agent/broker force remains strong in the future,” said Mike. “The IIAW is a well-oiled machine right now.”

Hierl Insurance offers commercial and individual insurance, employee benefits, human resource services and a wellness program to its customers. Hierl employs 17 professionals at two locations. The main office is located at 258 S. Main St. in Fond du Lac. The agency also has a branch office in Appleton. Find them on the Web at www.hierl.com.