Cousins Gordon and Brent Clark grew up in Dumas, Texas and farmed an operation their fathers started in 1965. In 2010, when Cam Silveus approached them about buying insurance and then about selling it, Gordon and Brent made the decision on both fronts together.
“We first bought insurance from Silveus Insurance Group (Silveus) and not long after that, at Cam’s prodding, we got our licenses and began to sell it and it’s become a big part of what we do,” said Gordon. “I don’t even farm anymore; I just do this.”
Younger cousin Jared Clark joined the pair five years ago and has taken on the bulk of responsibility for managing Silveus Financial services for clients. Silveus Financial is the sister agency to Silveus Insurance Group and Jared works in lockstep with Gordon and Brent to offer both insurance and investment services, providing a total risk management solution.
“When Brent and I started, we decided no matter who the agent of record was, we would take care of customers as a team,” said Gordon. “Jared is part of that and we’ve taken on several other people who work with us as well.”
The Clarks work with clients in the Texas Panhandle, Colorado, Kansas, southern Texas, and Georgia. Many times, two of the three cousins will travel together, see different clients during the day and then regroup in the evening.
“We’ve all had a lot of farming experience and I think that is one of the great advantages in building trust with customers,” said Gordon. “We’ve been on the other side of the risk management equation and we have found products that work really well for us – and we believe they will work well for our clients.”
Jared enjoys the comradery of working with family and cites teamwork as an important component, noting, “Having each other’s backs is invaluable and difficult moments are few and far between.”
“The Clark family is like a lot of families in agriculture,” said Gordon. “We’ve grown up with and been taught by several generations how to work hard and take care of the land, our business, and our family. We have a similar work ethic to our fathers and grandfathers. In our office, you never have to worry whether someone is going to step up and do the work; we know it will get done.”
Future plans for the Clarks include adding Brent’s son-in-law Lawrence to the mix after he completes college, enabling them to serve more customers and continue to grow their business.
To learn more about Silveus agents and the services they offer clients call 800-531-9909.