Business owner and president Paul LoNigro doesn’t believe in the sterile granite and marble decor found in typical insurance offices.
Step inside the Wheat Ridge Group Insurance Analysts and Risk Management (GIA) office and you’ll find Beatles art, `50s and `60s memorabilia, Italian heritage keepsakes, a “Back to the Future” hoverboard, White Fence Farm menus, sports collectibles, even a jukebox. Most customers can find something to make them smile.
Paul LoNigro purchased the current building on 44th Avenue in 2010, restoring it from disrepair. In the wake of the recession, he filled the bare walls not with expensive décor, but with treasures salvaged from local bars and restaurants that had closed their doors.
For Paul LoNigro, the atmosphere is more than fun—it’s a reflection of his philosophy. He doesn’t want customers walking in and feeling like their premiums are paying for extravagance.
“If your goal is to make a lot of money, then you’re probably going to do things that will prevent you from making a lot of money,” Paul LoNigro said. “If your goal is to help people, and you do it successfully, then over time you will make a lot of money. That’s the proper sequence.”
GIA has operated as an independent brokerage since 1984, representing as many as 60 companies across Medicare, ACA, health, business, small commercial, life, and long-term care. Customers pay nothing for the firm’s services as the team shops for individual plans for each client.
His goal is clear: help people navigate the complex and increasingly automated world of insurance.
“Insurance companies can be very difficult to deal with, but we’ve been dealing with that for 40 years,” Paul LoNigro said.
Keeping it in the Family
With many local brokerages selling to national firms, Paul LoNigro credits his daughter Marissa LoNigro with helping him keep the business independent. Marissa joined the company full-time eight years ago and now serves as operations manager.
“It would be a lot different if Marissa wasn’t here,” Paul LoNigro said. “At my age I probably would have had to sell or work out an agreement with some national company and then phase out, but with Marissa here we can keep going. We can stay in the family.”
LoNigro remembers the years of long hours putting his four children through college. Now, he’s able to scale back from the 60–80 hour weeks he once worked.
Marissa LoNigro’s younger sister also helps with the family business, especially during the fury of open enrollment season.
“Our family owes so much to how hard my dad worked to build up this place,” Marissa LoNigro said. “This is the office that supported us and supported me my whole life. I felt like it was my opportunity to understand better what my dad had been doing my whole life.”
Marissa grew up around the business, spending summers as an assistant to the administrative staff, but admits she once had almost no idea what an insurance broker did.
“She gravitated to it right from the start,” Paul LoNigro said. “She’s had her challenges: learning pains, growing pains, but she’s done so well. I have confidence that she’ll be able to handle whatever comes along.”
Marissa LoNigro has since modernized GIA with a new agency management system, built and maintains the website, and focuses on helping clients navigate policy changes.
“It’s a different experience knowing that we’re a phone call away, or you can drop in and see us, as opposed to only dealing with call centers,” Marissa LoNigro said. “Something like that can be really frustrating for clients and customers. I really appreciate working with and meeting people that trust us and trust that we have their best interests and that we’re doing everything that we can on their behalf.”
Paul LoNigro points to her resilience—surviving cancer at a young age—as one source of her strength in leadership.
A long-term team
While fewer young people are entering insurance careers, GIA stands out for employee loyalty. Staff enjoy comprehensive benefits and even a weekly meal, sometimes cooked by Paul LoNigro himself.
One long-time BIA agent passed away a couple years ago. The agent had even attended Paul LoNigro’s wedding. Marissa LoNigro remembers the agent from visiting the office as a child and then working alongside him as he worked into his 80s.
“Paul takes care of his people in a way that it’s very unusual now,” Marissa LoNigro said. “That’s one of the things that I’m really proud of that we do here.”
Community roots
With many local customers and employees, BIA maintains a good relationship with the city of Wheat Ridge. BIA sponsors City events like the Carnation Festival and the Wine Walk. The business is a member of the City’s Business Association and the Chamber of Commerce.
Although Paul LoNigro doesn’t plan on retiring soon, he hopes to keep reducing his hours, which he’s been able to do thanks to Marissa LoNigro stepping into her role.
Outside of work, Marissa and Paul LoNigro don’t like to talk about the office. They play golf and watch live music. They’re looking forward to the upcoming Paul McCartney concert.
Marissa LoNigro attended university for flute performance and is now taking lessons to learn the harp. She’s hoping to debut her new skills for the company around Christmas time. She volunteers for local organizations including the Kiwanis Club of Wheat Ridge and helps with local events like the Easter egg hunt and trunk or treat.
Paul LoNigro also enjoys volunteer work and cooking with the produce from his garden. He enjoys spending time with his three daughters, son and wife. He builds intricate lego sets—many of which decorate the office.
