PAGE A6, KEIZERTIMES, AUGUST 21, 2015
Agent already liking change of scenery
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
Temperatures have been
warmer than normal this sum-
mer in Oregon.
Neal Buenz doesn’t mind.
After all, Buenz originally
hails from Iowa and was most
recently in Minnesota before
moving to Keizer in May to
take over the American Family
Insurance agency at 103 Mc-
Nary Estates Drive from the
retiring Marlene Parsons.
When you’re from the Mid-
west, hot temperatures are really
10 to 15 degrees warmer than
the reading due to humidity.
And that’s to say nothing of the
wind chill in the winter.
“It was tough to be in winter
for nine months,” Buenz joked.
“That’s a big part of coming
here. Back there, when it’s nice
out it is really hot.”
Buenz and his wife had been
eyeing an eventual move west
for some time.
“We had been wanting to
get to the West Coast for three
years,” he said. “Originally we
were looking at San Diego or
something else in California,
but the pricing is absurd down
Neal Buenz
(right) has
taken over
the American
Family
Insurance
agency
formerly
owned by
Marlene
Parsons,
assisted by
Nicki Gates
(left).
KEIZERTIMES/
Craig Murphy
there. Plus I’m a huge basketball
fan and the Blazers have a huge
following. The district manager
out here said we have a town
looking for an agent.”
Buenz fl ew out here and
interviewed for the agent posi-
tion. A couple of weeks later he
was offered the job. In May, he
drove a Penske truck with his
belongings west for a fi ve-day
trek.
“I was chosen to succeed
Marlene, who retired after she
got married,” Buenz said. “I
joined an agent-in-training
program in Minnesota in July
2013. I interviewed here in
March, had one shot and got
it. It worked out really well. It
was between here and Phoenix.
I researched this town and the
agency, weather, people, and this
fi ts better. I’m 32; the average
age here is 36. It’s a good demo-
graphic for me to grow with.”
While in Minnesota, Buenz
was a car fi nance person for
Ford when a friend in the in-
dustry suggested he look into
insurance. After working for
a State Farm agent for nine
months, he found American
Family had an offi ce a block
from where he lived, much
easier than the 45-minute com-
mute he had at the time.
“The agent and I hit if off re-
ally well,” Buenz said of his fi rst
American Family experience. “I
worked with that agent for two
years. Things worked out.”
The same was true for the
current role.
“I talked with Marlene quite
a bit,” Buenz said. “She stayed
a month longer than she had
planned to integrate me with
the agency and the community.
We got acclimated really fast.
Marlene stayed through June
and I took over July 1.”
Things got off to a good
start, as Buenz and assistant
Nicki Gates – who formerly
worked as the assistant to Par-
sons – were named agents of the
month in July.
“In Minneapolis, it’s so big
that you don’t see the same
people,” Buenz said. “Here you
see the same people over and
over in the grocery store. Ev-
eryone is so laid back and nice
here. Everyone is so cool and
calm. I can’t see myself moving
now.”
Senior
mentors
sought
Peer mentors to assist se-
niors become more self-reli-
ant and independent are being
sought by Northwest Senior
and Disability Services.
Volunteer mentors should
be adults 45 years and older
who have patience, nonjudg-
mental attitude and empathy
to coach older adults and peo-
ple living with disabilities ex-
periencing depression, loneli-
ness, anxiety and grief. The
volunteers work with care-
givers and people facing end-
of-life challenges. The typical
mentor volunteers about 10 to
12 hours each month.
Training is provided.
For more information or to
apply contact Tara Manitsas at
503-304-3414.
Breaking news
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Find out more at…
Business&Services
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Attorneys at Law
503-304-4886
Nigel
Guisinger
• Personal Injuries
Owner
• Wrongful Death
3800 River Rd N
in Keizer
503-390-0161
Richard
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5845 Shoreview Ln. N.
Suite 100, Keizer
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ATTORNEY
Law Offi ces of McGinty & Belcher
694 High Street NE, Salem
www.mcginty-belcher.com
CR
NC
ATTORNEY
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Koho & Beatty
Attorneys at Law, PC
DENNIS
KOHO
• General Practice
• Family Law
• Business Law
• Government Law
Building Materials Bargain Center, Inc.
775 Front Street NE • Salem • 503-363-9070
503-390-3501
5305B River Road N, Keizer, OR 97303
ELEANOR
BEATTY
B M
B C
www.koholaw.com
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AUTO REPAIR
www.keizerautomotive.com
6558 Wheatland Rd N - Keizer
Our home is our single biggest
investment and we want to keep it
maintained. Sometimes we also want to
do projects around the home to make
it better for us or increase the value
when it comes time to sell it. For those
do-it-yourselfers who like the feel of a
hammer and a saw in their hands, the
fi rst step of a home project is to stop at
Building Materials Bargain Center on
Front Street near downtown Salem.
Founded in 2003 the business has
been owned since 2010 by Gene Vliet.
Mike Oglevie serves as manager of the
center.
Building Materials Bargain Center
offers a variety of construction
materials, building materials and
building supplies to customers. “We
503-390-2850
1225
AUTO SERVICE
BARKDUST
Brakes! Tires!
Batteries!
DELIVERY OR U-HAUL
• Hemlock Mulch
• Sawdust
• Decorative Rock
• Top Soil
• Sand & Gravel
• Fir Bark Mulch
Full Service Oil Changes!
Best tire prices in town… Guaranteed!
Open 6 days per week —
No appointment necessary
We Service
ALL MAKES & MODELS
THE
BARK BOYS
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BARBERSHOP
CONSTRUCTION
COLLECTION SERVICES
Larry’s
Barbershop
W E P ROTECT Y OUR
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f.
WE CARE ENOUGH TO BUILD IT BETTER
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GET YOUR
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5036 RIVER RD N, KEIZER • 503.551.6198
HOURS: TUESDAY – FRIDAY, 10 AM TO 3 PM
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INC.
1375 13TH ST SE – SALEM
help wanted: barber / stylist
1030
have a large selection of unfi nished
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Their products and services include
construction
materials,
building
materials, building supplies, cabinets,
doors, windows, plywood, fencing,
hardwood, fl ooring, lumber, moldings,
paneling, walls, insulation and much
more! We have most standard sizes in
stock and yes, we deliver.
“It’s the best place to get your
improvement materials and save real
money doing it,” said Vliet.
Building Materials Bargain Center
is located minutes from Keizer at 775
Front St., building D. They are open
seven days a week. Have a question?
Call them at 503-363-9070.
2840 Cherry Ave. NE • 378-7379
3555 River Rd N • (503) 304-7555
0904
BUILDING
MATERIALS
BARGAIN
CENTER, INC.
503.364.9607 –
(503) 364- 0455
cascadecollections.com
CR
cvcgoregon.com
132 GLYNBROOK ST N – SUITE 100 – KEIZER
1009