An Entrepreneurial Spirit

Category: "Inspire" Stories

Date: March 31, 2022

Business savvy comes naturally to our Integrity Partners. During a recent episode of “Inspire”, we learned that The Health Insurance Place’s Joe Fortunato has been exercising his business skills for most of his life.

Joe’s entrepreneurial spirit began at an early age. His father owned a gas station where Joe spent after school hours learning business skills and the value of hard work. In 1977, Joe and a few friends opened a bagel shop in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. However, the very next day, the store was damaged by the biggest flood the area had seen in over fifty years — and when rebuilt, the business was destroyed by a fire.

Not one to be deterred, Joe saw the value of owning a business. At one point, he even owned five hair salons despite, as he jokes, knowing nothing about cosmetology. Eventually, Joe found his true calling in insurance. It combined his business skills and his desire to be connected with the community. That desire inspired The Health Insurance Place’s walk-in approach at consumer retail locations.

We love seeing all the creative ways our Partners have utilized their business know-how and leveraged it into incredible success. Check out the rest of Joe’s episode of the “Inspire” Podcast to learn more about this great new Partner and his unique approach to insurance sales.

Related Posts

Building Bonds, Breaking Barriers

Arnie Fulmer, CEO of Fulmer Insurance Group, knows what it means to face challenges and build something extraordinary from humble beginnings. Growing up with four siblings in a single-room home, Arnie learned the importance of hard work and determination early in life. Those lessons shaped the foundation for his thriving business today.

CONTINUE READING

A Recipe for a Sweet Partnership

The Integrity family is full of innovative and talented leaders, and we love seeing when their passion and energy gets poured into interesting hobbies. For Elka Soussana, President and CEO of Simpler Horizons Insurance Solutions, the same level of enthusiasm she gives to serving agents and clients is poured into baking for the people she..

CONTINUE READING

Resilience and Redemption

At Integrity, we honor individuals whose unique backgrounds and journeys contribute to the strength and spirit of our family. Today, we shine a light on Mike Pfeil, a remarkable partner who has transformed challenges into opportunities.

CONTINUE READING