Michael Froehlich has been lucky, he says, to find positions with stable companies and great managers. “That is the secret to my resume that shows only three companies in 20 years. I know that’s pretty unheard-of in this day and age but seriously, I just got lucky.”

Mike spent six years in the Farmers Property Unit then took a field position in Commercial Claims for two and a half years, and then became a supervisor. As his knowledge and confidence in his claims handling ability increased, he searched for another challenge to his work day, and found it at GuideOne Insurance under John Morgan in 1998.

At GuideOne, he supervised Auto and Property adjusters and, after four years, reorganization put him in charge of the Property adjusters. “It was interesting,” Mike says, “we insured churches and schools along with personal lines in towns I didn’t know existed in the 15 states that my team was responsible for. It was a constant challenge to stay current with the state regulations with which we needed to comply.”

Mike has an easy, unflappable manner that serves him well in the often hectic claims business. He tries to be aware of the pressures that adjusters on the front lines face and to gear his management style to providing support and guidance where needed. He tries to channel the qualities that he found most helpful in his previous managers as he tries to emulate and to pay forward the support and understanding he enjoyed.

“Both Frank Philipps and John Morgan trusted their people to do the job and they let us have the freedom to do the best job we could. They respected us and our ability to do the work without micromanaging.” Mike states, “I try to remember that when I interact with the people on my team.”

Currently, Mike has added another feature to his resume. He is the Western Regional Claims Supervisor for Philadelphia Insurance and is charged with dealing with the first party claims not only in the West, but anywhere in the country as needed. “Philadelphia Insurance has an interesting, diverse book of niche businesses from Non-Profit and Social Services; Homeowners Associations and the Health Club/Spa industry. It’s a wide range of business taking in a wide range of social and economic entities so the experience has been very challenging.”

Mike met his wife Teresa Mitchell at Farmers when she was hired to fill in during the freeze claims of the early 1990’s, and he was as impressed as the Farmers’ management with her business acumen. They will soon be celebrating their 14th wedding anniversary and Mike is still impressed with his accomplished wife and loves their life that centers on their daughters and their varied sports activities.