When Glen True, retired New York Life Agent, Greater Chicago GO, joined New York Life Insurance Company back in 1956, little did he know that he would be starting a legacy of service that would span three generations — and counting. “I had been working in the insurance business since high school, on the corporate side. I thought I’d try sales, and the idea of being my own boss appealed to me. Bill North, the General Manager of the old Evanston General Office (now the Greater Chicago GO), took me on and I set up my office in my hometown of Dundee, Illinois, about 40 miles northwest of Chicago,” he says.
Working primarily with young families in the beginning, True’s business was off and running. Luckily for him, he had the help of a great assistant, his wife Dorothy, with whom he will be celebrating his 68th wedding anniversary in May. Along the way, the couple formed friendships with both clients and other New York Life Agents — ones that would last a lifetime. Says Dorothy, “Glen and I really enjoyed working together and I got to know all of our policyholders well — many became good friends. We still keep up with a lot of our New York Life friends, and still see many of them at Christmastime. The Company has been extremely wonderful in our life.”
A Budding Entrepreneur
The True’s had three sons and, being business owners themselves, they encouraged their boys to develop their entrepreneurial skills. But she recognized a special ability in one child in particular, Greg. “The boys sold eggs house-to-house when they were younger,” Dorothy confides, while Greg True groans in the background, “Must you tell this story?”
She laughs and continues, “A local farmer would drop the eggs off at our house, and the kids would sell them door-to-door to all the neighbors. It gave them a little money to put away, and they had a lot of fun doing it.”
It also sharpened their sales aptitude, and sure enough, Greg True joined New York Life as an Agent in 1967. “I liked the relationship-building aspect of the business,” he says, and shared an office with his father until he was drafted into the Army and served in Vietnam.
After completing his tour of duty, Greg reentered the field, spent over three years in management, and then reentered the field again. “The bulk of my business came from people I met while out in the community,” he says. “I was involved with the Chamber of Commerce and active coaching sports when my kids were younger. Like my father, I also made wonderful friends working with members of my community. In fact, I just met with somebody the other day who was one of my very first clients — over 40 years ago. Over the years, we have delivered numerous claims, but it seems as if it’s never enough after a loss. This pushes us to work even harder to help others.”
Says Dorothy, “Glen and I really enjoyed working together and I got to know all of our policyholders well — many became good friends. We still keep up with a lot of our New York Life friends, and still see many of them at Christmastime. The Company has been extremely wonderful in our life.”
The Legacy Continues
Now, his coaching days over, two of Greg’s children, Matthew and Amy True, have joined New York Life as Agents as well. Matthew, who came on board in 2005, became a father himself for the first time in July 2008 and, like his own father, Greg, is active within his community. “We live in a new development and recently put together a blood drive,” he says. “We had a pretty good turn out.”
“Matthew’s amazing!” exclaims his sister Amy, who recently rejoined the Company (working as an intern 17 years ago) after a long-standing and successful career as an event planner. She is thrilled to be in the insurance business now, and her enthusiasm is infectious. “I am so happy to be working with my family. I have already learned so much from my father — people really listen to him. And New York life has such great products to offer. Each new thing I learn about gets me excited.”
And, although retired, Glen and Dorothy True remain active in the business. “We’re Amy and Matthew’s marketing managers!” Dorothy proclaims. “We hand their cards out at appointments — with doctors and dentists and people we meet in the community.”
“My family has been in this area for such a long time, and no one is nicer than Grandpa and Grandma True,” says Amy. “They really built the foundation of our family business. That and, of course, New York Life. We are all proud and happy to be with such an amazing and solid Company!”
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