VAST Timeline | VAST Insurance Agency | Marquette, MI
A walk down memory lane

VAST Timeline

  1. 1885

    Sidney Adams Real Estate, Insurance and Loans, 200 East Ridge Street

  2. 1894

    301 South Front Street (303-305 building on South Front Street)

  3. 1900

    Robert Peters, Fire Insurance Agent (purchased business from Sidney Adams)

  4. 1919

    Robert T. Peters Insurance Agency (acquired father’s insurance business)

  5. 1933

    Howard J. Larson joined the firm

  6. 1945

    Entered into a partnership, name changed to Peters & Larson, Moved to 113 N. Front Street

  7. 1960

    3 employees

  8. 1961

    Howard H. Larson became a partner

  9. 1963

    Wright & York agency purchased

  10. 1964

    Pearce & Raikko agencies purchased

  11. 1964

    Harold Raikko became a partner, name changed to Peters, Larson & Raikko

  12. 1969

    Christine VanAbel joins the agency

  13. 1970

    Purchased Marquette Firms: - Stickney Agency, Dolf Agency, Robertson Agency and North Michigan Agency

  14. 1970

    9 full time, 2 part time employees

  15. 1972

    William H. Weaver joins the agency

  16. 1973

    Weaver becomes a partner, name changed to Larson, Raikko & Weaver, Inc.

  17. 1974

    Munising branch established under the management of William M. Mazzali, named Mazzali Insurance

  18. 1975

    William K. Hetrick & William A. Todd Jr. join the firm

  19. 1977

    20 Employees

  20. 1977

    James T. Healy Agency of Houghton purchased

  21. 1977

    William K. Hetrick & William A. Todd Jr. named as partners

  22. 1978

    Larson, Raikko & Weaver Employee Benefits, Inc. is established

  23. 1978

    People State Agency purchased and merged with Mazzali Agency

  24. 1979

    Moved to 300 South Front Street (we're still here today!)

  25. 1979

    Purchased Buckingham Insurance Agency in Newberry and Malloy Insurance Agency in Manistique

  26. 1979

    Garceau Insurance, St. Onge Insurance, Jennings Insurance were established

  27. 1982

    Corporate name changed to Northern Underwriters, Inc.

  28. 1982

    Danielson Insurance Agency established

  29. 1982

    Teft Agency established in Traverse City

  30. 1987

    Name changed to Larson, Hetrick and Weaver

  31. 1988

    Employs 73 people (including all branch offices)

  32. 1988

    Scott White joins the agency

  33. 1988

    Vincent Rose appointed as president of Larson, Raikko & Weaver Employee Benefits, Inc.

  34. 1989

    Beaudin and Beaudin in Menominee purchased

  35. 1990

    Larson, Raikko and Weaver Employee Benefits, Inc. name changed to Northern Underwriters Employee Benefits, Inc.

  36. 1993

    Northern Underwriters Insurance opened in Sault Ste Marie

  37. 1993

    Scott White becomes a partner in the firm

  38. 1993

    Betsy Robar joins the agency

  39. 1997

    Sold Danielson Insurance, Garceau Insurance, Mazzali Insurance, Employee Benefits

  40. 1997

    Christine VanAbel and Scott White named partners of Northern Underwriters, Inc. along with Bill Hetrick

  41. 1998

    Name changed to Hetrick & Associates Insurance Agency

  42. 1998

    Betsy Robar becomes a partner in the newly established Robar Life & Health LLC

  43. 2006

    25 employees, revenue of agency tripled from 1997-2006

  44. 2010

    31 employees

  45. 2010

    Name changed to VAST

  46. 2011

    Pam Hillier, Tom Cousineau and Jay Hillier become partners in the firm

  47. 2011

    Bill Hetrick retires from the firm

  48. 2011

    Received Business Community Catalyst Award from the Marquette Community Foundation

  49. 2012

    Received Distinguished Service Award from the Lake Superior Community Partnership

  50. 2012

    Agency acheived $4 Million in revenue (Personal Insurance $1 Million, Commercial Insurance $2 Million)

  51. 2012

    34 employees

  52. 2013

    Benefits Division acheived $1 Million in Rrevenue

  53. 2013

    Best Practices Agency Designation (2007 - 2014)

  54. 2015

    Agency celebrates 130 year anniversary

  55. 2016

    VAST becomes Acrisure Agency Partner

  56. 2017

    City Insurance Agency becomes Acrisure Partner

  57. 2017

    City Insurance Agency merges with VAST and moves to 300 S. Front St.

  58. 2017

    Received 2017 Business Leader Award from the Rotary Club of Marquette

  59. 2017

    Best Practices Agency Designation (2007 - 2017)

  60. 2018

    Recognized as a Top Insurance Workplace by Insurance Business America

  61. 2019

    Best Practices Agency Designation (2007 - 2019)

  62. 2019

    Recognized as Top Insurance Workplace by Insurance Business America

  63. 2019

    Our office building at 300 S. Front St. renamed 'The Christine A. VanAbel Building" in honor of Chris VanAbel

  64. 2019

    Chris VanAbel inducted into the Michigan Insurance Hall of Fame

  65. 2019

    Chris VanAbel featured as an Elite Woman in the Insurance Industry by Insurance Business America

  66. 2020

    Recognized as Top Insurance Workplace by Insurance Business America

  67. 2020

    Best Practices Agency Designation (2007 - 2020)

  68. 2020

    Recognized as Best Places to Work in Insurance by Business Insurance & Best Companies Group

  69. 2021

    Best Practices Agency Designation (2007-2021)

  70. 2021

    Recognized as Best Places to Work in Insurance by Business Insurance & Best Companies Group (2020-2021)

  71. 2021

    Recognized as Top Insurance Workplace by Insurance Business America (2018-2021)

  72. 2022

    Recognized as Top Insurance Workplace by Insurance Business America (2018-2022)

The enrollment period for 2023 individual and family health plans ended on January 15. Please contact us to determine if you qualify for a special enrollment period.

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