Past President Erik Granroth Rejoins the Club
Gives His Third Classification Talk
Our program on July 9 was by Erik Granroth. Erik joined our club in 2008 and served as club president in 2016-2017. This was the third time he has done a classification talk, the first time being when a program didn't show up and he was asked to tell the club about himself.
Erik shared his personal journey, emphasizing the lessons learned from fishing and his entrepreneurial spirit. He recounted his early life, including moving between 11 schools and starting a business at 11. Erik detailed his career in insurance, restaurant management, and his transition to opening battery stores. He highlighted his involvement in Rotary, his role as club president, and the impact of service on his life. Despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting his business plans, Erik remains committed to continuous growth and to helping others. He expressed gratitude for his experiences and the importance of relationships and service.
Erik credited his father's entrepreneurial spirit and work ethic with shaping his own life. His venture at age 11 was a business called "Help Employ Little People." For a piece of the action, he enlisted his brother and others as young as he was to do odd jobs to raise money. He reflected on the importance of communication, building relationships, and presenting oneself well.
Erik told us about his transition from restaurant management to the insurance business. He described his initial success in the insurance industry and the challenges faced during the 2008 housing crisis. Erik shared his experience with Rotary, including his first visit and the sense of belonging he felt. He highlighted the importance of service and leadership within Rotary, as well as his role as the club's president.
His decision to open battery stores was based on the goal of having a business where he employed others to work for him to allow more time to do the things he liked, such as fishing and traveling up the inland passage by boat. His dream was negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic when the supply chain for the materials he sold in his stores was drastically disrupted.
After getting out of the battery business, Erik told us about his return to Farmers Insurance on the corporate side and his decision to pursue further education. When he started in the insurance industry, he did not have a college degree. He now has a master's degree.
Erik's current role at Farmers is as an agency business consultant, supporting agents and helping them achieve their goals.
One of the anecdotes Erik told about his time in Rotary involved a regular club golf tournament, where he learned from Dale Duskin's foursome that if you want to be the champion, you buy a trophy and award it to your team. Erik took that to heart, and at a later tournament, the foursome Erik golfed with purchased a bigger, better trophy and unveiled it as a surprise when Dale tried again to crown his foursome the champions.
Erik expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to return to Rotary and continue serving the community. He concluded by reiterating the importance of relationships, helping others, and finding joy in everyday experiences.
WELCOME BACK ERIK!
