| New push on health care in the works
The failure of his massive health-care plan to pass the Illinois General Assembly this year hasn't discouraged Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who will ask the legislature next year to create a state-regulated pool of affordable private health-insurance policies for individuals, families and small businesses. .
State Farm agent expands with move
PRINCETON — Growing her small town business and providing the best insurance and financial services around is a priority for State Farm agent Lorita Hellman.With a new location and an expanded team, she hopes to better meet her client’s goals and objectives."The main thing I want to do is to have people, without a doubt, understand how very, very much we want to help them with their insurance and financial services, and in the right way," Hellman said."We want them to feel like they enjoy being here so very much that they don’t want to have their insurance anywhere else. That’s the kind of service we want to provide; that’s the ultimate goal," she added.As of Oct. 1 the business relocated to 324 N. Main St., to a newly-renovated Victorian building, that is more than 100 years old.With the move, Hellman expanded her business team to include her son, Adam Hellman, who will serve as an agency contact representative, and will greet clients, process payments and keep client information up to date.Also on the team are Susan Bastion and Barbara Kunst, both multiple line representatives, who have a combined 25 years experience, in addition to Lorita who also has 21 years of agency experience.They are both fully licensed in all lines of insurance with Bastion specializing in bank and commercial insurance, while Kunst specializes in health and life insurance."They are both also experts in property and casualty insurance on their auto and fire insurance line," Hellman said.With the move, Hellman said she would like to increase her clientele at a more rapid pace, with an emphasis on auto growth."We paid dividends last year; we lowered our rate; we’re extremely competitive right now," Hellman said.Hellman said she had her eye on the building, which had sat vacant for several years, and was ready to take the next step."I’ve always found this place to be extremely charming.
Intero Real Estate maps expansion
NORTH BAY � A North Bay franchise of Cupertino-based Intero Real Estate Services is planning major growth in the region after increasing its Napa office space.
Last month, Intero moved its 28 residential salespeople into a newly leased, 5,000-square-foot office at 1600 Main St. in Napa, down the road from its original office at 1000 Main St. It dedicated the first office exclusively to commercial real estate and plans to double the number of agents at the new residential office.
Early next year, the company plans to add residential offices in St. Helena and American Canyon, followed by locations in cities such as Yountville, Calistoga, Sonoma, Santa Rosa and Healdsburg, according to broker Mike Bolen, who owns Intero franchise rights in Napa and Sonoma counties.
In Calif., starting over after losing everything
RAMONA, Calif. - Nicole Booth's hands were stained with ash from picking through the blackened and twisted pieces left of her life after an inferno engulfed everything she owned. She tried not to cry in front of her four children. But in the few moments she can steal away, the tears spill down her cheeks. Like so many others, Booth took the first steps toward rebuilding her life yesterday, a week after a firestorm destroyed her San Diego County home and business. "I feel ashamed," Booth said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I've never had to ask for help. I don't know what to say to people." The wildfires, which destroyed more than 2,000 homes, continued to burn yesterday. With more than a dozen blazes fully surrounded, firefighters were trying to gain control of six others that were at least half contained.
A business success, naturally
Tori Stuart was destined to run her own business. At the age of 5, she often played secretary and one day told her father: "You're fired." By 12 she was selling hand-painted barrettes in boutiques near her childhood home in Westchester County in New York. And while attending Brown University, Stuart and a friend started a plant-watering business for students who went home for winter break - and then hired someone to do the job while they too left town. "We figured out how much it would cost to replace a plant that would have died and charged a little bit less than that," said Stuart. Today Stuart runs Needham-based Zoe Foods, makers of granola cereal and bars filled with ground flaxseed, soy, omega-3, fiber, and protein. The privately held company produces three types of cereal and four types of bars and does about $3 million a year in retail sales.
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