February 2024
Vol #2 Issue #2
Ice-amegeddon Leaves a Trail of Destruction & Outages
Downed Trees, Utility Poles, Icy Conditions & Loss of Power Wreaks Havoc for Thousands Across the Region
More on Pages 8 & 9
Zolezzi Insurance Agency; A Legacy
February 14th
Editorial........3
City Desk......5
Community....6
Veterans ......10
Rural..........10
Business.......11
Crossword.....12
Weather..........12
School News..13
Entertainment..14
Classifieds......15
Story by Rusty Savage
Gordon Zolezzi started working for Travelers
Insurance in Portland in 1966. Gordon and his wife
Jean had 2 children including, Craig, his older sister
Janice and a few years later a younger brother,
Paul. At the age of 4, Craig found himself moving
with his family to the small town of Drain Oregon
when Gordon purchased the Jack Randall Insurance
Agency. At that time, Randall Insurance was located
a few doors down from the present Liquor store
on 2nd St. It was 1968 and Zolezzi Insurance was
established. From that location, Gordon Zolezzi
began to build his customer base and business style.
After a few years the business moved across
the street into a small brick building next to the
old Bank. Still another move, a while later, found
the Agency over next to the Post Office. Soon
Local Roots Run Deep for Craig Zolezzi
afterwards Gordon was able to buy the lot next
door and built the office building at 208 West C Ave,
where it currently resides.
Gordon worked to build his local reputation
and expand the business. He was committed to his
clients, neighbors and the community that he lived
and worked in. He was a volunteer fireman and
whenever there was a call, he was diligent in getting
out on the fires and often he found those suffering
fire damage were clients and he was always service
oriented towards their needs. Said Craig, “I can
remember many times riding along in my Dad’s
station wagon to get to a fire call.” Craig grew up
in this local environment of small town Oregon and
under the umbrella of his Dad’s Insurance Agency.
At the age of 9 Craig remembers a teacher assigned
the question, “What do you want to do when you
grow up?”
“So, I drew a picture with crayons and wrote at
the bottom that I wanted to be an Insurance Agent”,
says Craig. “My father framed it and gave it to me
many years ago. I proudly display it in my Florence
office!”
Although he grew up in the Insurance business
and often worked part time and summers at the
office as a kid, it was in 1988, at the age of 24, that
Craig began his formal journey into the insurance
business. Initially working for North Pacific
Insurance, which later became Liberty Mutual, in
Cedar Hills, Portland Oregon. His start at North
Pacific was an 18 month training program and at
the end of his tenure he returned to Drain and the
Continued on Page 4