As a sign for Farm Bureau Insurance went up on M-62 in Edwardsburg Friday afternoon, owner Tony Gaideski commented that though he has been in his new office for nearly two months, he still has a lot of growing to do.

“We’ve just kind of been getting everything together,” Gaideski, 53, said. “We are finally changing the sign, so that’s part of what we have been doing.”

Gaideski, a resident of Niles, opened up his own Farm Bureau Insurance agency at 69351 M-62 in June. Since opening, he has been working on getting ingrained in the community, getting his office in shape and gathering local clients.

“The move has been pretty seamless,” Gaideski said. “But, we are still getting to know the people of Edwardsburg and giving them a chance to get to know me. We have to get new clients to survive.”

Gaideski had been working for the past seven years at an insurance agency in Niles, where he was born and raised. However, when a another agent left the company from the Edwardsburg branch, Gaideski jumped at the chance to have his own office.

With two employees, Gaideski is hoping to put his own influence on the agency through marketing, customer service and new computer software.

“We are basically trying to rebuild [the Edwardsburg office], get it up and running and get everyone up to speed,” Gaideski said. “We want to help people insure their everyday lives and make sure they are insured properly.”

Though he specializes in life insurance, Gaideski said that he is able to work in basically every type of insurance that people living in the Edwardsburg area would need, including home, auto and farm insurance.

Despite being a Niles native, Gaideski is not a total stranger to the Edwardsburg community. A father of three, two of his children have graduated from Edwardsburg Public Schools, with his youngest attending fourth grade at Eagle Lake Elementary this year. He has coached little leagues in various sports in the area as his children were growing up, and is currently coaching freshman basketball at Edwardsburg High School, assisting head coach Steve Bright and filming the football games.

Gaideski also volunteers with the Edwardsburg Public Schools Foundation, which helps to provide scholarships for graduating seniors.

Though he is still building his Edwardsburg client base, Gaideski feels that his experience and presence in the community will translate into a thriving insurance business. Having a strong presence in the community is important in a small town like Edwardsburg because customers need someone they feel they can trust, he said.

“I think people want to do business here in Edwardsburg, versus going online or doing business with someone who doesn’t know what the heck they are doing,” he said. “People in Edwardsburg are rooted. They are home grown. There is a sense being in the community here.”

The community aspect of Edwardsburg is part of why Gaideski is excited to start his practice there. as it is a change, and more friendly, from the atmosphere in Niles, where he previously worked.

“There is a great sense of community in Edwardsburg. There is a great sense of pride in this community,” Gaideski said. “There’s just great people here, and I don’t think you see that as much in bigger cities. I’m glad to take the next step here.”