Sisseton's Roberts County Farm Mutual marks 120 years serving South Dakota communities
Roberts County Farm Mutual Insurance Company (RCMI) marks 120 years of business this year. Having served South Dakotans since the early 20th century, the company is owned by its policyholders, and they are therefore considered a 'hometown' company by clients.
'It is quite an accomplishment for a small town to have an insurance company,' said Julie Stapleton, who has been a manager at RCMI since 2012.
As one of the oldest existing businesses in Sisseton, Stapleton says the business still has a few policies in effect from the first policy numbers.
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'RCMI supports their local clients and all of their clients statewide,' she told the Public Opinion. 'The current staff at Roberts Mutual strives to help the community and does many local community projects throughout the year and helps sponsor many local events. Roberts Mutual has helped two other Mutuals in the state by merging with them, and then they were able to take on their agents and clients.'
RCMI began offering its products statewide in 1984. The company merged with Kingsbury Farm Mutual just over three decades ago, then with Denver-Kingsbury Farm Mutual Insurance Company in 1998. Finally, in 2008, RCMI merged with Central Farm Mutual in Onida, expanding its business into the western part of South Dakota.
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Stapleton says her company also has been able to help the Dakota Farm Mutual Insurance Company and their clients through the years.
Currently, RCMI has roughly 60 agents across the state and have grown from a humble beginning to nearly 2,000 policyholders.
'In general, Roberts Mutual is able to provide a product that has small town appeal and affordable rates and excellent coverage,' Stapleton said.
The home office building — a rental that was formerly a bank — burned down in 1959. The company then rebuilt the current office building.
'So, Roberts Mutual built around the two bank vaults,' Stapleton said. 'RCMI has two bank vaults. Roberts Mutual was able to purchase the building next door to them and expanded the office in 2006-2007.'
In the end, the company returns to its reliable, local roots.
'RCMI has had many local faces serve on the Board of Directors over the years,' Stapleton said. 'Several local staff members and some local agents got their start in the Roberts Mutual Office Building. It has a long history of being on Main Street. Roberts is a fantastic place to work, and it shows with the longevity of the staff. There is over 85 years of combined insurance knowledge with the current staff. Roberts has always put family first, and the staff and directors are like family.'
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: South Dakota's Roberts County Farm Mutual Insurance turns 120
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