“Morrow is an ESOP. We thought this might preclude any relationship with Keystone, but it didn’t since they prefer internal perpetuation. We really didn’t have any needs for carriers and our company relationships are excellent, but we did recognize the opportunity to partner with a quality group of agencies and to share ideas like agents did back in the '80s. We’ve hired a new producer to do nothing but Keystone's exclusive programs, particularly Paychex.”

— Rob Cranford (Morrow)
Hendersonville, NC • P: 828-693-5396

“We’ve been an Independent Agency for over 150 years... if anyone had an emotional attachment to their ‘history’ or ‘contracts’ or ‘relationships,’ we did! Almost immediately after joining Keystone, we realized that our contracts were now better, our relationships with carriers were improved, and, most importantly, our ‘history’ can’t hold a candle to what our ‘future’ holds, thanks to Keystone.... now THAT'S Independence!”

— Bill Mitchell (Mitchell Insurance)
Butler, PA • P: 724-283-7900

“I was one of the original four pioneers in 1983 and carriers didn’t really approve of what we did. We were trying to level the playing field. Carriers recognize that we’ve set high standards and that we’ve maintained rigid loss ratio and financial stability expectations in bringing on new partners. Integrity and consistency of partners are what have made us successful.”

— Bob Naginey (Pfeiffer-Naginey)
Northumberland, PA • P: 570-473-3563

“Of the original six pioneer agencies, I probably labored the most with the decision to come into Keystone. By nature, I am highly independent and conservative in a small town environment. There was nothing that I saw that Keystone could bring to me of value, except to aggregate my business with a group of people I’d known for years. I’m still very independent and very conservative, but I’ve found the Keystone management team ready, willing and able to work with me on any problems or challenges that we face.”

— Rego Jones (Patton-Morgan & Clark)
Canton, NC • P: 828-648-2632

“KIG is about professionalism, integrity, partnering and friendship. We hold each other in high esteem and to the highest standards. We recognize that everyone (carriers, agents and customers)
must win for us to continue our growth and success.”

— Mike Kilmer (Kilmer Insurance)
Wyalusing, PA • P: 570-746-1007

“I really struggled with the decision to partner with Keystone. We're a third generation agency, we’ve got excellent companies and we write about anything we want. My decision to partner was based on the other agencies joining up and my 25 year relationship with Colin Buzzard. Getting EMC and Auto-Owners, and participating in some of the programs, has allowed us to write risks that didn’t fit the appetite of other carriers. I was also able to attract a new producer with the increased opportunities.”

— Claude Faw (Faw Insurance)
North Wilkesboro, NC • P: 336-667-7125

“We felt that over the short term we could do just as well on our own, but over the long haul we were better off aligning with a quality organization that would give us the tools to do what we couldn’t on our own. This was the right choice. The honesty and integrity displayed throughout the process was very important. We were and are treated with the same respect and consideration as we treat our customers.”

— Dean Cornbower (Kunkle)
York, PA • P: 717-846-8894

“As we looked to the future, our agency was concerned about the future viability of remaining autonomous in today's complex marketplace. We were certainly large enough and successful enough to survive without Keystone. KIG assured us the opportunity to remain independent and yet to still have the ability to tap the many benefits and resources of a huge entity.”

— Tim Ruhl (Ruhl Insurance)
Manheim, PA • P: 717-665-2283

“We opted with KIG for several reasons. Probably the principal reason is that Keystone is held in the highest regard by both the agents it serves and the companies it represents. We very much liked the idea of the safety net. This business is changing too fast to have any sense of security with our companies. Much of our franchise fee and monthly fees will be offset by the enhanced commissions and contingency arrangements with our lead carriers. An added bonus is the ability to participate in contingencies even without having the minimum volume required by our carriers.”

— Jim Renshaw (Bert Co)
Erie, PA • P: 814-835-4664

“When Colin Buzzard told us the Keystone story, we listened respectfully since we’d worked with him at Aetna. The more we listened and talked to some of his other prospective candidates, the more intrigued we became that this was a great opportunity to partner with some of the best agencies in North Carolina. We spoke with the former owners of Mountcastle, with Tom Carpenter, and with various carrier representatives. We certainly did our homework, worked through the issues, and have absolutely no regrets about our decision.”

— Walt Rouse (Mountcastle)
Lexington, NC • P: 334-249-4951

“For over fifty years we have operated as a family oriented agency, fiercely independent and very conservative. We have recognized for a long time the need to become more diverse in our marketing while maintaining our benchmark “good service” mindset. Initially, we saw Keystone as a possible solution but we worried about giving up contracts, Keystone possibly wanting first right of refusal and the manner in which they would select new partner members. We signed on because we had faith that Keystone people would “practice what they preached” and because we knew the exceptional quality of so many of the other partners. Our concerns were unfounded. If anything, we’ve gained independence. Carriers pay more attention to us and we have more opportunities at our doorstep than we can handle. Aligning ourselves with Keystone and our other NC partners was the best business decision we’ve ever made.”

— Steve Harper (W.C. Harper)
Burlington, NC • P: 336-227-4271

“We were of a size that we could do about anything coming into Keystone and we had great company relationships. We were determined to not allow relationships with non-core carriers to deteriorate just because we could now access a multitude of other companies. If anything they’ve improved! We’ve taken full advantage of special incentives and every available exclusive program. My partner, Bob Seltzer, always says that joining Keystone was the best business decision we ever made. I agree”.

Bruce Krammes (Seltzer)
Orwigsburg, PA • P: 570-366-0551