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Gavin, Denise, Caleb and Scott Smith.
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.
Being active is something Scott Smith incorporates into all parts of his life. As president of Smith & Eddy Insurance, based in Scottville, Scott leads by example and is involved in multiple community organizations. At home, he has a regimented exercise routine and makes sure his presence in his children’s lives is on top of his priority list.
Smith & Eddy Insurance has a reputation of being involved in the community.
“I recognize the importance in being involved,” Scott says. “Someone did it before me and someone must do it after me. It’s important that everyone fills roles to help our community be the best it can be. I think it is our responsibility as a business to assure our friends and neighbors are taken care. Being part of organizations that exist to benefit the standard of living in our area is probably the best way meet that responsibility.”
Scott is a native of Ludington, growing up on Maple Street, the son of Gary and Jeanne Smith, he graduated from Ludington High School in 1990. He then continued his education at West Shore Community College and then Davenport College in Grand Rapids, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing.
In 1999, he married fellow LHS class of ’90 graduate, Denise Kronlein. They have two sons, Caleb, 12, and Gavin, 8.
“We attend and travel a lot of sporting events for our children and also a lot of varsity sports like football, soccer, baseball and basketball,” Scott says. “Denise and I often split our time between the two boys’ events. I also try to teach my boys skills such as hunting and fishing. My boys also enjoy knee boarding and downhill skiing, so that’s one of our favorite winter activities.”
Scott also has a regimented exercise routine that begins daily at 4:30 a.m., so he can optimize his family time. His passion is triathlons and he recently completed his first full Ironman event in Madison, Wisconsin.
“Working out early in the morning prepares me mentally for the challenges of the day,” he says. “Those challenges change from day to day but I find my job very rewarding.”
Scott began working at Smith & Eddy, the area’s oldest insurance agency, in 1995. He was promoted to president in 2013 following the sudden death of company president and owner Bob Smith (no relation).
“Bob was a great man and a mentor to us all,” Scott says. “He loved this community and the showed that love through his actions. He wanted to make sure his company stood for more than just being a business.”
Bob Smith grew the 110-plus-year-old company from a small single office in downtown Scottville to an agency that has over 25 employees in Mason, Oceana and Manistee counties and offices in Scottville, Ludington, Hart and Manistee.
“Bob believed leading by example,” Scott says. “That’s one of the reasons he built a new building in downtown Scottville, as our company’s headquarters. He loved this entire area but certainly had a love for his hometown, Scottville.”
That love of the community continues today.
“We try to encourage our employees to be involved in the community,” Scott says. “We don’t have to do too much encouraging, though, because the type of people we tend to hire already have that love of community.”
For Scott personally, he is involved in several community organizations. He serves as the chairman of the Ludington and Scottville Area Chamber of Commerce. He also serves as a board member of the Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital Foundation, the Ludington Area Schools Oriole Foundation, Mason County Walleye Association, is vice president of the LHS Booster Club and is past chairman of the Pere Marquette River DU.
“I love this town and I love the people in it,” he says. “It’s a great place to live and the best place to raise a family. I am thankful to be able to live here and have such a rewarding career, leading the best insurance team around.”
Contact Smith & Eddy: www.smith-eddy.com
231-757-4743
Scottville Office
231-845-1481
Ludington Office
231-723-3500
Manistee Office
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