Kelly Insurance is celebrating its 60th anniversary!

By Joan Janzen

Kelly Insurance Brokers Ltd. is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2023! Nikki Meschishnick and her staff are passionate about helping their clients and giving back to the community.

“Trust is earned over time by developing a great relationship. Kelly Insurance has been proudly servicing Kindersley and area since 1963, which speaks loudly of our long-time, loyal clients,” Nikki said. “When I took over the brokerage, I knew I had a long line of successors to live up to. I had the privilege to know all of them, except our founder, Kelly Rowland.”

Founder of Kelly Insurance, Kelly Rowland and his family.

Nikki’s successors include Kelly Rowland, Eric Smith, Bill O’Sullivan and Barb Gray. The founder, Rowland, was born in North Battleford. Before moving to Kindersley, he worked for the CN at Biggar as a brakeman. In 1963 he founded Kelly Agencies Insurance, which he operated until 1967 when he and his family moved to Prince George.

Kelly Agencies was originally located on the first block of Main Street and was later moved to the third block of Main. After that, it was moved to the fourth block of Main and is now operating at 309 Main Street.

Throughout the years, the business grew to become a full-service, customer-oriented independent insurance brokerage. Nikki started working with Kelly Insurance in 2000 and received her CAIB designation in 2003. In July 2008, Nikki left Kelly Insurance to raise her young family and participate in other business ventures. In November 2016, she re-entered the insurance industry as Office Manager for Kelly Insurance before purchasing the brokerage two years later.

“I love this town that I have been born and raised in, so it was an easy decision for me to take the reigns of this long-standing, independently owned business - and it was important to keep it that way.” Nikki has two daughters, Korie, who works alongside her at the brokerage, and Sloan.

In 2019 Nikki and her team updated their platform for managing their database to a cloud-based system. “It was a huge undertaking!” Nikki said. The conversion process took about nine months, between getting data ready to convert and training staff while looking after the day-to-day operations. “Overall, it has provided a better way of managing the business and helping our clients,” she added.

In 1999 the name was changed to Kelly Insurance Brokers Ltd., as the industry began making a move to be recognized as Brokers. Kelly Insurance represents the best interests of its clients. Those clients come from the surrounding area, as far as Prince Albert to the north, Gravelbourg to the south, and across the Alberta border.

The fact that Kelly Insurance has been locally owned and operated for sixty years is significant to Nikki. During those six decades, Nikki said, “Kelly Insurance has given back literally hundreds of thousands of dollars to our community service groups, sports teams, town facilities and town events. Any way you can help to make your community be more vibrant and successful, just benefits everyone.”

Kelly Insurance is all about having a strong presence in the community while providing trustworthy and professional service.