A Fortune 100 company has its sights set on planting an office in Oxford.
‘We’d like to be downtown,? said Thomas Chartrant, an Oxford resident and partner with New York Life Insurance Company. ‘We’d like that presence.?
This summer the 161-year-old national corporation, which sells a wide range of insurance and financial products, launched a program called Main Street USA.
‘What this Main Street initiative is about is putting a New York Life sign in every community,? said New York Life Agent Mark Pernicano, an Oxford resident since 1998. ‘They would love to have a presence in every community in the country.?
‘The idea is where there are successful agents, let’s help them put a local office,? Pernicano said. ‘I happen to be a successful agent that lives in a small town.?
Under the Main Street USA program, New York Life agents, like Pernicano, are given a ‘substantional amount? of financial assistance to help them open local offices. Money is available for everything from signage to community involvement to advertising.
‘It’s thousands of dollars for each agent,? Pericano said.
While Pernicano will handle the sales end of the Oxford office, Chartrant, a 1981 graduate of Lake Orion High School and member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, will handle recruiting new agents.
‘Obviously, we’re looking for residents,? said Chartrant, noting his recruiting relies heavily on ‘who knows who? around town. ‘The best referrals come from local people.?
New agents will be recruited in Oxford and trained in Southfield.
As far as job potential for area residents, Chartrant said, ‘I would tell you it’s unlimited? as New York Life is looking to recruit agents not only to cover Oxford, but surrounding towns like Lake Orion, Ortonville, Leonard, Metamora, Romeo, Richmond and Marysville.
Agents serving surrounding areas would work out of the the Oxford office, which would be a satellite office for New York Life’s Greater Detroit General Office which occupies the 12th floor of the Town Center in Southfield.
Between agents and support staff, Pernicano said ultimately there could be anywhere from 24 to 36 people working out of the Oxford office.
Even if other agents open offices in surrounding communties, the Oxford office is here to stay.
‘Oxford would be a primary office,? Chartrant said. ‘We’re not going to come in here and then leave. We want a permanent location here.?
Due to the fact they both live here and the area is growing, Chartrant said, ‘Oxford sort of became a target spot.?
‘This area has quite a large number of ? we call them middle market ? fairly affluent people who have need of the type of products we sell,? Pernicano said.
Chartrant and Pernicano said they’ve just started looking around for office space in Oxford, preferably in the downtown area.
‘The immediate downtown area is quaint,? Pernicano said. ‘It’s a draw. People know what’s downtown.?
‘As this community continues to develop, which I think it will, the actual downtown crossroads will become that much more important,? he added.
When and where the new Oxford office will open in still up in the air.
‘As soon as we can put everything together we will,? Chartrant said.
‘We’re not waiting except to find the right spot. The money is there,? Pernicano noted.
For more information contact Chartrant or Pernicano at (248) 352-0620.
Visit the company’s website at www.newyorklife.com.