Welcome to Century Insurance Agency
Protecting Superior, WI, Residents and Businesses Since 1957
In Superior, Century Insurance Agency has operated since 1957, and its Duluth-based sister company - the Dwight Swanstrom Co./Spirit Valley Agency Inc. - has been serving people since 1889. These companies have over 250 years of combined experience, earning the trust of people in the region by offering competitive rates and coverage for businesses and individuals with diverse needs.
Whether you want auto insurance or commercial liability coverage, you can count on Century Insurance Agency in Superior, WI, for help. Tell our knowledgeable agents about the coverage you need today!
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Generations Of Family-Owned Business
Matthew and Andrew Bauer are third-generation co-owners of Century Insurance Agency and are also agents. As can often be the case with many who are born into a successful family business, they've been involved since they were young - and developed a strong work ethic.
''I've been in insurance for seven years," said Matthew Bauer. "My father, Tony Bauer Jr., bought Western Realty and Insurance in 1978 from his dad. Then he bought Dwight Swanstrom Co. in 1991, Century Insurance Agency in 1997 and Spirit Valley Agency in 2001. Several smaller agencies were purchased along the way. My brother Andrew and I bought the agencies from our father in 2018:'
Amazingly, the Dwight Swanstrom Co. location in the Lincoln Park area is the same one the business has occupied since long before things like the internet, airplanes and television came into being. "The building that we sit in was built in 1890 by the Swanstroms," Bauer noted. "We are still occupying that same corner.
"In the near future, a rebranding will occur, bringing all these agencies together under one name - Dwight Swanstrom Co.," he added. "This will allow us to gain access to better markets for our customers and streamline day-to-day activities.
Bauer, along with Andrew Bauer and long-term owner Greg Brisky, are the three co-owners of all operations. For Bauer and his brother, it always seemed inevitable that they'd become involved in the family business. "Andrew graduated from UWS, where he focused on communications. He's more on the sales side of things," Bauer said, adding that his own management and marketing degree from The College of St. Scholastica allows him to oversee the operation and manage the accounting and HR functions.
Bauer credits his father for encouraging and supporting educational goals. "Our dad wanted us to go to school for whatever we wanted," he said. ''And then you realize, hey - this [ the insurance profession] is a good opportunity:' He added that many of his employees didn't necessarily foresee how their initial positions at the business would evolve. For example, a receptionist would later become a licensed insurance agent. "For me," he said, "moving into a co-owner role supported all my educational endeavors.
Although Bauer's now a co-owner, he and his brother started on the ground floor, even though his father used to run things. "Andrew and I both started out doing the janitorial work," he said. "We would come in after high school and clean the offices. And then we started at the front desk and worked our way up."
That's a path to business ownership that makes sense, since it's important to truly understand how the entire place runs. "We do understand how our business works and know each part of what the employees are doing," Bauer said. "We respect the work all of our employees do tremendously:'
Bauer earned his insurance license in 2014 while still a college student, and then he shared an office with his father for four years after graduation. There, he picked up a ton of knowledge. 'Tm very happy to have the resource of my dad," he said. "It's priceless, his knowledge. It's always been a nice reassurance to say, "Hey, Dad, can we go for a walk and just talk about things?"'
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