By Bruce Karnick

[email protected]

If everyone could have 39 successful years in a job they love, most people would jump on that in a heartbeat. That has been the story of Steve Johnson, age 74, a long time State Farm Insurance Agent, has had in Hastings, 39 years of success.

“I was a schoolteacher for 10 years and on January 1 of 1982. I started with State Farm in Hastings. I had a chance to go to Minnetonka or Hastings and I took this nice little quaint river town to finish raising our two boys and I think it was a good choice,” Johnson said reminiscing.

Anthony (Tony) and Charlie finished their high school years in Hastings, graduating in the mid 80’s when their family moved here so their dad could start a new career as an insurance salesman.

That career started in a back office of the 507 Vermillion St. building. Back then it was a realty office owned by Glen and Lorraine Brown and the population of Hastings was around 7,000 people. Now, that building is transforming from the Foss and Swanson Center to a recovery center for Rise Up Recovery MN and the city’s population is more than tripled since Johnson moved here, approaching 23,000.

After a few years in two small offices in the back of a realty building, Johnson moved to a building on 55 which was his home for about three years after which he had the opportunity to buy his current building, a former bank at 121 Second Street E, downtown Hastings, where he has been ever since. The building features a first-floor office for State Farm and second floor apartments. On the first floor, there is still a vault with a proper vault door that is their break room. This unique feature always intrigues visitors, and the vault door is often a subject of ‘would you sell that?’ conversations.

Insurance agents around the globe choose to retire at different ages, some work in to their 80’s or 90’s, so why is Johnson retiring at 74?

“Well, I never thought I would be affected by COVID. I’ll say a year ago, I had five people in my office, and I’ve been very fortunate to have them for many years. A couple of them retired; their husbands retired, so, they retired. I have had a hard time replacing them with quality people. I had five, I’m down to two, and it just wasn’t working for me anymore. I thought you know, I’m 74 years old, am I going to quit at 76 or 78 or whatever? We do have State Farm agents that are in their 90’s you know, so I mean we have the capability to go as long as we want and so forth, but I just thought it was time. Things were changing so fast with this COVID thing, and I was not able to run my business like we had in the past.”

“When I was younger and starting my agency, from zero, you know, you were just driven you’re such a workaholic, wanting to grow and so forth. It has grown into a nice agency; I think as far as numbers go. The last 10 years I’ve just been more mellow and relaxed compared to when I started. I’ll miss the people. My policy holders, some of them have been with me the entire time that I’ve been an agent, so they’ve been very good and loyal to me, and I’ve worked hard for them,” added Johnson.

What is next for Johnson’s Customers?

“I have been in contact with some of them. They’ve all received a letter from State Farm saying that I was retiring, and their new agent is going to be Teran and so forth. Of course, the way the companies operate, they will take my book of business and split it up, and Teran will get a majority of it, but not all of it, but I think she’s been in Hastings around five years, she’s a neat gal. I think she’s very honest. Just a real nice person. So, she’s gonna do a great job,” Johnson explained.

‘Teran’ would be Teran Harmon of the giant billboard that hangs above the entrance to Spiral Pizza. Unless you are completely unobservant, you cannot miss this billboard as you leave Hastings. Johnson is right, Harmon is an honest, nice person, she is a smart one too. Having not just her insurance license, but multiple additional licenses for services that people need.

“I do mortgages, just like your banker or your loan officer, so that’s a really fun avenue. I can offer other things when I’m insuring your house, ‘OK, when is the last time you reified?’ we can handle that too. The other thing I do that nobody knows is, I’m securities licensed. So instead of you saying, gosh, where do I go for an annuity? We can do everything at one spot. I want you to do my life insurance. I want you to do my mortgage. Well, now I want you to take my money and put it into a 529 for my kids or a Roth IRA, or could you invest it into the mutual fund zone? I have all my licenses to do that,” explained Harmon.

Harmon came to Hastings in 2016, in a similar fashion to Johnson. She was given a few towns to choose from and she chose Hastings because of the hometown feel. “I applied for Hastings and I did three recruiting trips here, which I think is important. What I researched in town was the opportunities for kids because I have two young daughters. I looked at every facet. What if they’re in music? What if they’re in drama? What if they’re in sports? I have no idea. They’re three and four years old. So, I looked at all of that. There was so much I looked at. I checked out everything, housing, schools, I toured every public school here in town. Because I didn’t know that one started at 7:30 and another started at 830. But that’s a big deal to a single mom who has to get our kids to school before she can start work. So, where do I buy a house? Which territory do I want to be in for school?”

She started her office in Schoolhouse Square next to Verizon and The Schoolhouse Scoop. When covid hit, she found she no longer needed the square footage of that office with people working from home, so she made the financial decision to downsize, and she moved in September of 2021 to 1320 Vermillion St. next to M& H. That move cut her rent nearly in half. Just as she was moving, she was contacted about Johnson’s retirement.

This is where the Cinderella story comes to fruition. Harmon always dreamed of owning a small office building along the river to operate her business from. Johnson’s retirement from State Farm also means he was looking to sell his building. State Farm works a little on the unique side regarding their agents’ books. In many agencies, the agency owner can sell their book of clients to the new agent taking over. State Farm is the one that owns the book, meaning State Farm policy holders are their clients, the agents are simply authorized agents acting on behalf of State Farm. The assets of the building and what not are the property of the agent though, so those types of things can be sold.

Harmon jumped at the chance, working out a deal for the building, including the apartments and retaining the two remaining staff members. Keeping Trish and Laura on staff was an extremely important piece of the puzzle for both Harmon and Johnson.

“I get to keep his two staff, which is huge. Laura has been there since she was 18 and Trish, who’s Steve’s daughter in law has been there forever too. Both have agreed to stay and work full time with me. So, my team will go up to seven,” an excited Harmon added.

For existing State Farm Clients, the beauty of State Farm is each agent has the same systems and with a few clicks, Johnson’s customers transfer over to Harmon’s agency. The ones that have been seeing the faces of Trish or Laura will still get to see Trish or Laura, plus they have the added benefit of seeing Teran and her other staff members.

What is Johnson going to do with his free time? Fish. He is an avid fisherman and is looking forward to spending more time on the water near his now permanent home in Alexandria. He also hopes to get out on the snowmobiles more too.

In his 39 years, Johnson has helped thousands of people with insurance, people that are scattered all over the country now. His message to everyone, Thank You. He couldn’t seem to put into words what the last 39 years in this community has meant to him when he was put on the spot, but it was clear it means a lot to him.

Having been in town for five years, Harmon is loving the move here. “My daughters are thriving, they enjoy school and really love the sports offered, especially the basketball program and River Blades Skating School. With the purchase of the building downtown, I am proof that dreams can come true if you work for it.”

The transition to Teran Harmon’s agency is complete as of this printing. The office has been remodeled, all by Hastings businesses, and they are ready to work for you. For those that were customers with Steve Johnson’s agency, you should already have the contact information. For those that do not, 651-432-3911 or 651437-7255.

Best of times to you in retirement Steve and best of luck to you in the expanded business venture Teran!

Teran Harmon, the new owner of the State Farm Agency on Second Street in downtown Hastings with the retiring owner of the State Farm Agency.Photo Submitted.