Kellogg State Farm changes hands
Jennifer Chandler (pictured on the right) recently took over the Kellogg State Farm office from Anita Wardwell (left). Chandler has been working for State Farm since 2008. Also pictured is the Sedona, the office pup.
KELLOGG — After two decades, there’s a new face for State Farm in Shoshone County.
Jennifer Chandler has taken over the Kellogg State Farm office, offering both insurance and financial services to customers throughout Shoshone County. Chandler is replacing Anita Wardwell, who successfully ran the agency since the early 2000s.
Before taking over in Kellogg, Chandler worked for State Farm’s corporate office as a sales leader, managing more than 50 agents across the region, including Wardwell.
“I had known Anita for like eight or nine years,” Chandler said. “She called me about a year and a half ago and said, ‘I’m ready, I’m ready to retire.”
But then something happened that caught Chandler by surprise. In her corporate position, part of her job was to find new agents to take over offices when other agents retired, but Wardwell asked if she would be interested in taking over the branch herself.
“She told me that she thought I would do well here,” Chandler said.
Prior to her time as a corporate employee, Chandler had cut her teeth as an agent but did so during the 2008 financial crisis. Despite such a glaring hurdle, she experienced a successful run that ultimately landed her the corporate position.
Chandler had always loved the Silver Valley and had even purchased a home in Wardner nearly a decade prior, mostly due to the area’s robust skiing opportunities. She and her husband had even talked about retiring to the area at different times.
“She asked and I thought to myself, oh my God, I think I’m going to do that,” Chandler said.
In February, the change was official, and along with retaining key staff members, Chandler began assembling her team.
Agents with State Farm are independent contractors; however, the agency retains the company's business when an agent retires. From there, it’s up to Chandler and her team to grow the business.
Admittedly, Chandler understands that the insurance game isn’t the most exciting, but State Farm offers so much more than just simple insurance, which is where she gets really excited.
State Farm offers a range of financial services, including investment accounts, retirement accounts, and various other options, working to provide people with financial security beyond what is typically associated with traditional insurance.
“It’s really the full-meal deal,” Chandler said. “If you want an advisor, or someone to help you protect what you have and grow what you want, we can do that.”
In a world where apps and the internet have reduced the need for in-person interaction, Chandler thrives on making sure that her in-person meetings are both thorough and informative for her clients.
“I like to show them the value in meeting with me,” Chandler said. “I love being able to explain to them where they’re at and understanding where they want to go. Then it’s about talking them through the connection between what they did five to 10 years ago versus what’s going on in the world today. It becomes really clear that it’s good that they’ve got someone who can sit with them and talk with them about those things and discuss the bigger picture.”
Chandler doesn’t discourage people from using the online tools offered by State Farm, instead she promotes them as additional resources for her customers to lean on when an agent may not be available.
If everything goes according to plan, Kellogg will be Chandler’s final stop before she retires — whenever that may be.
“I’m way happier, because I’m in control of my own destiny here,” Chandler said. “If I do this right, the community benefits, my team benefits, and obviously I benefit too.”
Jennifer Chandler’s State Farm office is located at 416 W. Cameron Ave. in Kellogg and can be reached at 208-784-1388, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
