Summit Shield Insurance Opens in Former Red’s Office Downtown
BIG RAPIDS — A familiar insurance office at 223 Maple St. is welcoming a new name and a new face as Red’s Insurance transitions to Summit Shield Insurance Agency under 22-year-old owner Jordan White.
White officially moved into the downtown office this week, taking over the book of business built by Ed Eckert, who has worked at Red’s Insurance since its founding and took over operations after purchasing it from founder Patty Redburn in 2023.
“Red’s Insurance has been around Big Rapids since 2012,” White said. “Ed has grown it significantly and was ready to step back and semi-retire, so I came to him looking to purchase a book of business and an office space.”
White, a recent Ferris State University graduate with experience in the insurance industry, launched Summit Shield six months ago, initially operating out of his kitchen while writing policies and building relationships with clients. After connecting with Eckert — thanks to an introduction from Deb Lipnicki at the neighboring Deb’s Pet Salon — White saw the office and client base as a natural fit.
“I think it was just the right place at the right time,” White said. “Ed didn’t want to sell to just anybody. He wanted someone who would take care of the people and knows what they’re doing.”
White has spent the past two months working in the office alongside Eckert, learning the ropes and introducing himself to clients ahead of the official changeover. “There are roughly 200 clients already, and everyone I’ve met has been fantastic,” White said. “We’re keeping the same phone number, the same carriers and the same system. The only thing that’s changing is the name on the door and the person behind the desk.”
While Eckert will stay on during a six-week transition period, White is already making moves to grow the agency. He plans to hire staff within six months and expand into commercial, home, business, life and small health policies, in addition to the office’s existing auto offerings.
“This office only did auto and motorcycle before,” White said. “Now I can really insure anything. I have contracts with carriers like Travelers, Nationwide, Liberty Mutual, The Hartford, Merchants, Guard, Progressive, Cure and more. It’s a competitive edge, and it makes it fun.”
Despite being one of the younger business owners in the area, White said the experience has been both rewarding and humbling. “I haven’t got to this point by myself, but it’s definitely taken a lot of hard work and it’s taken a lot of determination to really bounce back and get to a situation like this,” White said. “I’m looking to hire, I’m looking to grow, I’m looking to create great-paying jobs for this area.”
Community involvement is also a major priority for White, who said he hopes to partner with local events like the fair and downtown activities in the months ahead. He’s also working on launching a website and building a digital presence.
“I want Summit Shield to be a household name,” White said. “I want people to come here not because they’re assigned, but because they want to — they come here because they know they’re going to be taken care of and told the truth.”
White added that now is an ideal time for residents to shop around for new insurance options, with many carriers beginning to lower rates again after years of increases. “We’re just starting to come out of that hard market,” White said. “2025 is probably the best time to shop your insurance.”
Summit Shield Insurance Agency is open at 223 Maple St. in downtown Big Rapids. A website is expected to launch in the coming week.
“I think when people give Summit Shield a try, they’re going to understand that this is really a unique experience,” White said. “We’re looking to be around for a long, long time.”
