SPRINGHILL One of the community’s quiet supporters was brought into the limelight as the Springhill and Area Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year.
Joe Laurie, born and raised in Springhill, began providing insurance coverage in the community exactly 30 years ago in 1981. Ten years later he became a broker, leading to his current position with Keybase Financial. His success as a business person and volunteer, however, has been a shared story.
Laurie has been a supporter of many of the community’s endeavours; supporting the fundraising efforts of the skateboard park, music festivals and sporting events and teams. Laurie has also sat as a committee member of the Cumberland Regional Economic Development Association and, in more recent years, became the major sponsor of the local Jr. B hockey team, the Cumberland County Blues, ensuring future success of the team and its players by creating a scholarship in memory of his brother.
“I really enjoy helping these kids and that I am in a position to help them,” Laurie said.
Receiving the award, Laurie said he was humbled but the true success of his story, he says, was the support he had from home.
“Early in my career I worked 60-hour weeks, which was hard on [my wife Joanne] as she raised two children,” Laurie said. “Thirty years in the business, so many things have changed, but she’s been by my side all the way.”
The investment market had been rocked by the economic downturn, but Laurie imparted to the audience at the chamber’s annual general meeting Thursday that people can trust their brokers to give them professional advice and build for their future.
“Don’t be afraid to contact your advisor or your bank and ask questions,” Laurie said.
