LP_051619

8 | May 16, 2019 | the lockport legend news
lockportlegend.com
Lockport resident celebrates decade as local State Farm agent
Kerfins host
Kentucky Derby
gathering for
occasion
Mary Compton
Freelance Reporter
They came dressed in
their derby finest.
It was a 10-year anniversary
celebration and
customer appreciation day
Saturday, May 4, at State
Farm - Michelle Kerfin
Agency in Homer Glen.
Kerfin, a Lockport resident,
was thrilled to have
family and friends stop
by her Kentucky Derbythemed
event on the day of
the famous horse race.
“My husband and I are
into horse racing,” Kerfin
explained. “We have a box
at Arlington [International
Racecourse], so this was
perfect to have this event
today.”
Kerfin began her career
at the State Farm corporate
office in Bloomington,
using a statistics background.
She also helped
agents with technology
and marketing.
“My mentors kept encouraging
me to be an
agent,” Kerfin said. “I
was traveling at corporate
in and out of town a lot.
I wanted to have a home
base. I opened in 2009 in
Homer Glen with zero clients.
Here I am 10 years
later. It’s been fabulous.”
Before Kerfin brought
her business to Homer
Glen, she did research and
analysis on the community.
“Homer Glen was calling
my name,” Kerfain
said. “It reminds me of the
Plainfield town I grew up
in, which at one time was a
small community.
“I’ve always had a great
team around me. I’m a giver
by nature. I give back to
the community because
they have always supported
us.”
According to the State
Farm website, the business
believes in always helping.
Not only does Michelle
have a love for her community
and her company,
she fell in love with one of
her clients.
“I met Ed Kerfin through
our community involvement,”
Michelle recalled
of their story. “It seemed
like every night we were
together at a community
event. He was a client of
mine, we were doing a
review of his policies and
he invited me to lunch. I
didn’t realize he meant a
date.”
For Ed, he is thrilled to
have a partner in life who
gives back to the community
like she does.
“I came in to get the
discount double check,
and the next thing you
know, we’re married” Ed
laughed. “The deal with
Michelle is she will do
anything for anybody. She
is so involved in the community.
When I first met
her, one of her clients had
a fire in the middle of the
night. She grabbed her
checkbook, she got me
and we took the family to
[a hotel]. She wrote them
a check. She called the
underwriter and told him
the house burnt down. Michelle
does things that nobody
else will do.”
The Kerfins have been
married four years and reside
in Lockport.
Client S.K. Patel, of
Frankfort, stopped by at
the celebration to thank
Michelle for all her help.
Patel and his wife own
Aesthetica Day Spa in Mokena.
“Michelle takes care
of our insurance,” Patel
State Farm agent and Lockport resident Michelle Kerfin (middle) cuts a cake with her husband, Ed, and mother,
Vicki Redman, on Saturday, May 4, at a 10-year anniversary celebration and customer appreciation day Saturday,
May 4, outside her Homer Glen business. Photos by Mary Compton/22nd Century Media
noted. “After being in
business for so long in the
community, you come to
realize certain business
members are people you
admire because of their
business ethics. If we’re
successful, it’s because of
our clients, so we should
participate in events. Her
knowledge in insurance is
a strength. She talks about
aspects in business you
wouldn’t have thought
of.”
Michelle’s plans for the
future include owning her
own State Farm building
in Homer Glen.
“I’m in the process right
now of hiring more employees,”
Michelle said. “I
enjoy creating career opportunities
for people and
showing them what State
Farm is about and what we
can do for our community.
I hope to grow the business
Jamie Moreno (left) and Gary Haire catch up during the local State Farm celebration.
Friends and clients of Michelle Kerfin partook in a Kentucky Derby-themed party.
and continue to expand.
“The community gives
so much to us. I started at
State Farm. They are a community
organization. They
are everywhere. There are
19,000 State Farm agents.
That’s why we’re No. 1.
When I worked for corporate,
they taught us what it
means to be a good neighbor.
They instilled that
in us. I just want to help.
When I can, I do.”
For more information
on State Farm - Michelle
Kerfin Agency, call
(708) 301-1800 or visit
www.insurewithmichelle.
com.