Insurance agencies to merge

The Larkin Group and Fawcett Dopke insurance agencies will be joining forces effective April 1.

The combined agency will be headed by Justin Looyenga, Bryan Taggart, Steve Merten, Dan White and Mark Priskorn. Both company names will be marketed for the time being and both offices will remain open. The commercial division will operate out of Larkin’s Front Street location, and the personal lines, employee benefits and financial services divisions will be run out of Fawcett Dopke’s West Royal location. The current location in Lake Leelanau will remain open. “We are ecstatic about this merger and the opportunity it brings to northern Michigan,” said Looyenga. “Two well respected agencies coming together allow additional opportunities to provide exceptional service to our customers.”

The combined agency will employ more than 30 and will eventually create new customer service positions.

Looyenga and Taggart purchased Larkin in 2006. The next year, they merged with White’s agency in Lake Leelanau. Merten has been an owner of Fawcett Dopke since 1994. It’s been serving the Grand Traverse area since 1894.

“We’re excited about the opportunities this will create for our team members, customers, companies and community partners,” Merten commented.