None of us is immune to the storms of life. Another reason to ensure you have proper insurance coverage.

Q. Tell us a little about yourself (your name, title at company, where you are from, etc.)

A. My name is Joel Kleist and I am an Account Executive at Allied Insurance Managers, Inc. I was born and raised in Michigan, and I love this state. I am married to my beautiful wife Dayna, and we have a pooch named Brisket. She is a Portuguese Water Dog. In my free time I enjoy exercising, spending time with my wife, playing sports and just being outside and active. 

Q. How did you first learn about Allied Insurance Managers?

A. I heard about Allied Insurance Managers through their internship program in spring of 2013.

Q. What do you like most about Allied Insurance Managers?

A. When I first started as an intern, it was very clear to me that the agency valued their employees, and operated with integrity. I believe that is imperative to running an agency, and I am glad to be a part of such an ethical organization.

Q. How do you define success?

A. I believe success is dictated simply by the accomplishment of goals in both your personal life and in business. So consequently, success varies from individual to individual. As I accomplish the goals I have set for myself, I find satisfaction overall in my life.

Q. What are your top three life highlights?

A. Getting married, the day we started our child adoption process, and being casted with my wife, as an extra in the Batman v. Superman movie (we made it into the movie).

Q.What does a typical day look like for you?

A. Wake up, get ready, drink my coffee and my protein shake. In the morning, I tackle my emails and the tedious tasks of putting in applications and then spend the rest of the day prospecting or taking care of my clients. What I enjoy most about my job is meeting new people and learning about their business: what they did to build it or survive different setbacks and then coming through it all stronger. It’s extremely interesting and motivating.  

Q.What is the most important thing you have learned in the last five years?

A. There are two answers. In my personal life it would be letting my wife know how much I appreciate her. In business I would say the most important thing would be that, regardless of the situation always operate with integrity.

Our friends at Hagerty^® have put together their list of five classics that you probably haven’t given much thought to, but are quietly gaining a following:

• 1981-91 Isuzu Trooper II – Boxy, utilitarian early SUVs have an undeniable appeal as anyone who has lusted after a Land Rover Defender 110 or an early Range Rover can attest. A first-gen Trooper ticks some of those boxes – square, upright and simple, with decent off-road prowess, manual locking hubs and a manual transmission added appeal, as did an optional turbo diesel. Early Troopers are almost extinct in rust-belt states, but still turn up with some regularity on the West Coast. Nice ones can bring north of seven grand.
• 1986-95 Suzuki Samurai – Believe it or not, these capable little off-roaders are in demand. Asking prices are surprisingly steep – rust-free but ratty tin tops start at $3,500 for decent runners. Asking prices over ten grand for low mileage examples that haven’t been trashed by mudders, are not uncommon. You can’t make this stuff up.
• 1989-94 Nissan 240SX – Anyone not into drifting has likely either forgotten this car, or never knew it in the first place. A shame, it’s the Gen-X/Millennial 240Z. While not related in any way to the classic S30 Z car, it followed the same formula. Light weight, rear wheel-drive and a decent multi-link independent rear suspension made the 240SX genuinely entertaining to drive. The hatchback is what you want, although there was also a notchback and a rare ASC-built convertible. Good luck finding one that hasn’t been amateurishly modded or isn’t running on a salvage title.
• 1987-92 VW Golf GTI MK 2 – If you’re talking collectible GTIs, you’re almost invariably referring to the MK 1. Whether it’s the vastly superior German-built, round headlight GTI or the Pennsylvania-built U.S. version, it’s what gets all the love. But the MK 2 is a vastly superior driver’s car, and quietly, among the younger enthusiasts who cut their teeth on these cars, or wanted to, the MK 2 GTI is becoming a genuinely desirable, if elusive car. Volkswagen fan-boy site VW Vortex named it the best Golf of all time. Like most of the cars on the list, the survival rate is low. If you’re expecting to snap a good one up for under five grand, good luck. That ship has sailed.
• Long roof BMWs with manual transmissions – This trend is in danger of popping above the radar. BMW wagons are hot. They’re called “Touring” in BMW-speak, never a “shooting brake.” E30 3-Series wagons from the 1980s and 1990s (which were never sold in the US) are now importable under the 25-year rule and they’re adding another option in the already frothy E30 market. The cooler still E36 3-Series wagons will soon be legal too. U.S. market E39 5 Series wagons offer a bit more space but are every bit as sporting at the 3 Series cars. All were available with manual transmissions. They’re not quite unicorns, but manual wagons are scarce and they positively fly off of Craigslist or Bring a Trailer when they appear and they sell for large premiums over the more common two-pedal wagons.