Mike Gardner grew up in Ashtabula and attended Kent State University. After graduation he stayed in the area and began a career in sales, working in retail until 2014. He then moved into the insurance industry, spending eight years with Allstate in a variety of roles- first in life and health, and later in auto and home insurance.

In 2024, a representative from American Family Insurance reached out to him on LinkedIn. The company had lost an agent and needed someone to serve the existing clients. Mike had always wanted to own his own business, and the more time he spent in insurance, the more he enjoyed the work and understood its impact. When the opportunity to open his own agency presented itself, he knew it was the right next step. He opened his American Family Insurance office in September 2024.

At his agency, Mike focuses primarily on home, auto, and life insurance. His approach centers on a simple truth: “People don’t know what they don’t know.” Most clients are familiar with their premium and a few details of their policy. Mike walks them through what their coverage actually includes so they understand what they are paying for and can see the value. For him, the purpose of insurance is protecting the investments and income people have worked hard to build by transferring risk from themselves to the insurance company.

When he’s not working, Mike enjoys spending time with his 14-year-old son, Grant, and their cat, Champ. Mike and Grant love being outdoors and staying active together through activities like hiking and cycling. They are currently training for a 30-mile bike ride!

What Mike finds most rewarding is knowing that someone is better protected because of the work his agency does. One case that stands out involved a client going through a divorce. Mike rewrote the man’s policy and later when the client was ready to remarry, Mike wrote coverage for the engagement ring and new home, and then updated the policy again for his new wife. Being able to support the client through such a full-circle chapter of life was especially meaningful.

Mike’s agency is located at 1474 N. Portage Path, Akron, OH 44313. You can reach him at (330) 368-7000, visit gardneragencyohio.com to request a quote, or scan the QR code in his magazine ad.