This story original appeared in the “Progress 2017” section of North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG — 2017 marks the 60th anniversary of the Forsythe Family providing insurance in Ogdensburg and the surrounding areas.

The agency was founded and started by Donald Forsythe, who started in the insurance business in 1944 as an agent in Canton.

In 1957, He and his partner Fred Wilder, flipped a coin to see who was going to move to Ogdensburg and managed their new expanded location joining the Fox McDonald Insurance Agency.

Donald Forsythe retired in 1989 and sold the business to his three sons Robert, John and David, who have steadily moved the business into the 21st Century.

In 1995, the business started a partnership with Lee Jones, who started in the insurance business in 1977 and is owner of Jones Insurance Agency. The Jones Insurance Agency is located at 612 Hasbrouck St. in Ogdensburg and is a highly respected office in the area.

In September 2011, the business started a partnership with Wayne Santamont. Wayne started in the insurance business in 1978 and is owner of Santamont Insurance Agency. The Santamont Insurance Agency is located at 9 Montgomery Heights in Waddington. The business is helping to serve a larger area of St. Lawrence County.

Robert Forsythe retired after almost 43 years in the business at the end of 2016. David and John Forsythe continue to run the day to day operations. David Forsythe started in the insurance business in 1987 and his brother John started in 1989. David and John are helped a great deal by their bookkeeper/customer service representative Barbara Ferguson. Barbara is in her 28th year of keeping the office straight.

Conversations are underway currently for a third generation of Forsythe’s to join the business in the coming years. We would be more than proud to see the Forsythe name continue for another generation. It would provide another opportunity for our family to stay in the area and continue the success we have been able to achieve as a family business over the years.

Wilder Forsythe Insurance and its partnering agencies are primarily property and casualty companies providing auto, home, recreational vehicles, farms, and commercial insurance products.

The agency with their affiliation with SANNY gives access to over 20 companies and enables Wilder Forsythe to compete with any company.

Although the insurance business over all these years has seen many changes. The focus of Wilder Forsythe and the Forsythe family has not changed. Customer service combined with a large selection of competitively priced companies, and friendly honest service our customers have come to appreciate.

Call us today at 393-4990.