When I asked Janice Salapich, Farm Bureau Insurance agent in Walsenburg, what hobbies she has and what she does in her spare time, her answer was short and to the point, “Nothing,” she replied.
It was probably a silly question.
I had asked it at the end of the interview and I already knew that the Aguilar born and raised Salapich, who was Farm Bureau Agent of the Year in 2021, also had an office in Trinidad.
And I also knew Salapich was an Agency Manager over five branches in Canon City, Salida, Pueblo, Monte Vista and Alamosa. And, I knew she was a single mom with three children.
So, it was probably a silly question.
More germane to who Salapich is lies in her past, and not what hobbies she has.
After graduation from Aguilar High School, she attended Trinidad State Junior College and got endorsed in the Farm and Ranch Management Program. She then moved to Texas with her new husband. When their second child was born, doctors discovered that he had a liver disease that required a liver transplant.
When her son was 18 months old and had a liver transplant her insurance cancelled, for financial reasons. She sought out answers from her insurance agent who worked for Farmer’s. He encouraged her to become an agent which would allow her to participate in Farmer’s group insurance. In 2011, she got her license. Her son got the needed post-transplant care and both her career and her son prospered.
In 2013, Salapich returned to Aguilar and heard of a position with Farm Bureau in Walsenburg. Now supporting three children by herself, she took the position; and those three children, now 25, 20, and 15, are the motivation that gets her out of bed and to work.
Salapich loves working with people and indicated that was her favorite part about the insurance business. She also loves helping the other agents she gets the opportunity to mentor to grow their careers.
But working with people is a two-edged sword. Dealing with underwriters who have the final say, and rate increases she had no say in, fall into the things she dislikes in the business.
Salapich is supported by an experienced and solid staff. Jennifer Lopez was actually in the Walsenburg office before Salapich took over. She has served the company since 2012. Samantha Kolbebstetter also works in the Walsenburg office. Sofia Gonzalez takes care of the dayto- day items in the Trinidad office.
In addition to supporting her family, Salapich is very competitive and loves trying to win company sponsored contests which usually have trips as prizes. She has won trips to Boston, San Diego, New Mexico and Florida for achieving results that benefit her customers and company.
Despite her Texas sojourn, Salapich shared that the transition back to the Trinidad-Walsenburg area was smooth. She describes the communities as close knit and that her family name was familiar and respected.
While she deals out the traditional insurance lines of home, auto, life and commercial, Salapich does it with a personal touch.
“When you deal with a smalltown company it is very personal,” she shared. “Every time you call a large company you talk to someone different. With us it is possible to build a relationship. We pride ourselves on getting back to our clients and prospective clients very quickly. In three hours or less we can get you a quote on the insurance lines we carry. We want to get to know you, while you get to know us.”
Salapich can be reached at (719) 738-1612 or at Janice.Salapich@ cofbic.com.
Or watch for her ads in the View, the second week of each month.