Basketball-standout-turned-insurance-agent plans to grow in Sioux Falls

April 9, 2019

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Matt Martin, the agency owner of Martin & Associates LLC of American Family Insurance.

Name: Matt Martin

Age: 33

Hometown: Spearfish

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

After high school in Spearfish, I played Division I basketball at the University of Montana and then went on to play professionally, spending time in the coaching arena with the Detroit Pistons in the NBA and Northern State University in Aberdeen, where I completed my master’s degree in counseling. My career with American Family Insurance is what brought me to Sioux Falls.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

My business, my family and the great people of Sioux Falls.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

There are many things I enjoy about entrepreneurship: strategy, planning and leading a team to work towards a common goal. In the insurance industry, my favorite thing is being able to help customers manage their everyday risk. I truly love helping others and impacting the problems customers face daily.

How did you get connected to your industry?

American Family Insurance has been in my family since 1959. My grandfather Clarence Martin was a farmer in White Lake, S.D. He had two heart attacks at age 48 and couldn’t run the farm anymore. So he moved his family to Chamberlain, S.D., and started an agency out of his basement. Over a 25-year career, he achieved many levels of success and relationships with insureds that are still discussed today. I feel proud to continue his legacy as a small-business owner with American Family Insurance.

My career with American Family Insurance has been very diverse: I owned an insurance business in Rapid City and served as a sales manager for both North and South Dakota with American Family Insurance, assisting agency owners to help run, grow and sustain their business.

Describe your business in three words.

Customer-driven. Ethical. Experienced.

What’s your favorite way to give back to your community?

We recently created what we call a “kindness revolution.” Our goal is to volunteer time and dollars every quarter to youth and charities in Sioux Falls. As a community leader and small-business owner, my goal is to make an impact in numerous areas of our community.

What’s one business you’d like to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here now?

I am very passionate about physical activity and eating healthy. A large part of our health correlates to our individual diet, so I would love to see a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Our goal is to be a “dream champion” agency for Sioux Falls and its surrounding areas. We are in the business of protecting dreams and insuring customer’s insurance exposures. Our team has over 75 years of experience, and we provide unmatched service. As an insurance agent and agency owner, my vision today and in five years is to continue to provide unmatched service and risk management to our customers.

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Basketball-standout-turned-insurance-agent plans to grow in Sioux Falls

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Matt Martin, the agency owner of Martin & Associates LLC of American Family Insurance.

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