The good vibe in the Cain family’s Allstate Insurance office in Alachua is immediately palpable. It could be the friendly greetings given to those who walk in. It could be the jovial banter between Cathy and Hugh Cain, sibling agents with an affectionate rivalry. Or it could be their comforting words as someone deals with catastrophe.
Regardless of the reason, however, one thing is clear. The Cains believe in taking care of people.
“We treat people the way we want to be treated,” said Cathy Cain. “Nobody wants to be where it’s not a feel-good place. Through the last couple of years, Hugh and I have had to teach staff how we feel about treating people. But it comes naturally to us, because that’s the way we were raised.”
It comes as no surprise considering their father is Fitz Cain, who served the insurance needs of Alachua County residents for 50 years before retiring last October. In conversation, the family members reveal a warm relationship complete with easy laughter, shared anecdotes and the tendency to finish each other’s sentences.
Fitz started his career in 1961 with Independent Life home insurance and quickly realized the impact his services have on people.
“I loved just helping people and offering them financial help when they needed it most,” he said. “I had no idea what I wanted to do in life as far as a career. At first it was just a job, but it turned out pretty good.”
In 1991 Cain joined forces with Allstate Insurance and opened his first office across the street from Conestoga’s Restaurant. Around that time, Cathy was doing her own career soul-searching when her father hired her for an administrative job at his agency.
Several years later, she decided to take the plunge and become an agent herself. But in an interesting twist, Allstate allowed her to start her own agency in the same office as her father. While the close proximity allowed Fitz to give his daughter plenty of on-the-job training, it occasionally resulted in some friendly competition – especially when Hugh decided to join the fun.
“I had a 15-year career with UPS as a driver,” he said. “In 2002, Dad came to me and said he might want to step down and said, ‘Come in and work a few years, get your license.’ We double teamed and did quite well.”
Almost too well at first, if you ask Cathy, who was fending for herself when it came to attracting customers.
“I had to crow every few months and stomp my feet, because they worked together!” Cathy said through laughter.
With Hugh now taking full rein of his father’s agency, the siblings alternate walk-in customers and help each other’s clients whenever needed. “Day to day, we bump heads. But you can’t let it eat you alive,” she said. “Hugh’s got everything he needs, and so do I. So why fuss? At the end of the day, it’s not worth losing your family over.”
They market themselves by making contacts, obtaining referrals, bringing calendars to their neighbors and doing the old-fashioned footwork that many are unwilling to perform today. Hugh also emphasizes the importance of service, as opposed to just selling the cheapest rate.
“Some people will leave you for a nickel, but they don’t understand the value,” he said. “A lot of our competitors don’t have a local agent. They’re not there to protect customers in times of need. It doesn’t matter what you’re paying until you need it.”
“I was talking with a lady just a few minutes ago and I asked her who her agent was, and she didn’t know,” added Fitz. “I guarantee our customers know who their agent is.”
The strategies have paid off. The Cain siblings have been ranked the top selling Allstate agents in the state of Florida. Fitz, in the meantime, enjoys retirement to the fullest. He and Gale, his wife of 48 years (who assisted Fitz until Hugh joined his company), enjoy traveling and recently made a trip to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl. He also has more time for his second love, cattle ranching. It is a side business he has enjoyed for 15 years, and his efforts have resulted in several prized cattle (including one Grand Champion).
The Cain family’s surname is also well known in efforts to better the community. All three regularly contribute money to youth activities, sponsoring everything from sports teams to school bands and even saving a yearbook from cancellation.
Fitz was a member of the mounted posse with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office in the late 1960s and 1970s and assisted with lost children, parades and distressed campers in the woods. Hugh has been on several high school athletic boards and coached many youth athletic teams in the area (including those of his children, Taylor, Kayla and Payton) and is actively involved with the Fightin’ Gator Touchdown Club. His wife, Traci Cain, is the Alachua City Manager.
Cathy has volunteered with the Chamber of Commerce for many years, serving as president, past-president and the chair of several fundraising events. Her efforts spearheading the chamber’s golf tournament resulted in the renovation of the former Roland Green School to become the Hal Brady Sports Complex.
The Cains are able to make such contributions thanks to the success of their business, which is the result of personal service, hard work and – Fitz’s most important lesson to his children – the right attitude.
“One thing I’ve always believed in is being positive” he said. “Keep a good, positive attitude. It’s so true. I’ve worked for people who were very negative, and they went down.”