By Sara Aeikens, special to the Tribune

Behind every successful businessperson stands a crucial support person.

For State Farm Insurance agent Nancy VanderWaerdt, that support happens to be her husband.

Dick VanderWaerdt often works several hours each evening at the insurance office on the corner of Marshall Street and Bridge Avenue, providing marketing services for his wife&8217;s State Farm Insurance agency.

He works diligently contacting perspective customers to offer insurance options, which may include providing new services or expanding present services.

Dick has filled this role in varying capacities in the office since his wife opened it in 1983

&8220;It would be very hard for my wife to find someone to just work in the evenings for several hours,&8221; he said.

For over three decades, he served as an educator or a principal in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota, always working with people and relationships. &8220;In half my educational career I was a school principal dealing with people of all states of mind,&8221; Dick said. &8220;The position I enjoyed the most as an educator was teaching third- and fourth-grade elementary student gym for 11 years, with no night responsibilities.

&8220;My variety of education positions with human interactions helps me immensely with connecting with people when phoning them,&8221; he said. &8220;The shell shock came with retirement from the educational system in 1997, when I realized I went from a 24-hour on-call, go-go position to a life of very little interaction with others.&8221;

After retirement, Dick drove a transport van for a while and also worked almost two years at a halfway house, while still working for his wife. When she first opened the business, he set up a customer base.

His marketing work now provides him with an opportunity to relate to people and their differing situations and needs.

&8220;I never, ever pressure or drive people when I market. They are totally in control of the outcome. I am just an information-option provider.

We don&8217;t even keep track of the outcome of my marketing activities, yet it works. I get my feedback in the office,&8221; he said.

In 1995, Dick was in an alcohol-related car accident, which changed his life. He drove into a ditch

one evening on the way home from Austin and experienced his first blackout.

Previously, Dick said he felt he could choose not to drink when he had to be in a responsible position, such as coaching a game.

The accident was a wake-up call and a segway into the AA program which is part of his support system.

&8220;Going to AA once or twice a week is like going to church and I also go to church,&8221; Dick said.

Other supportive activities include his daily prayers, meditations and affirmation practices, all of which he likes to do in the afternoon before he goes to work. He is able to identify how these disciplines aid him in being a more effective marketer.

&8220;It is really important,&8221; he said, &8220;for me to just sit down and let my mind rest and the answers I need are there for me. When I tend to be compulsive, I just slow down my mind and my body and give myself time to process.&8221;

Dick&8217;s phone conversations may start out with similar questions at the beginning. &8220;Since I talk to a lot of farmers through State Farm Insurance, I am able to use my farming background and connect with topics they care about, like the weather, corn crops or grain prices, and by doing this I am able to really nurture the different needs of people,&8221; he said.

The agency takes photos of every place it insures, and this is another area where Dick is able to help. &8220;When Nancy gets bogged down I go out and take pictures, which means I also get out in the country, which I like,&8221; he said.

When Dick combines all his skills and background experiences it adds depth to his marketing and to the business. &8220;I really appreciate the fact Nancy is successful,&8221; Dick said.

His wife also appreciates what he is doing for the business.

&8220;When we first started it was very important to have his support,&8221; Nancy said. &8220;There were not a lot of women in the business and without the emotional support it was very lonely. About 10 years into the business, around 1993, I finally got to know women agents and now we get together often with the spouses too and we all get along.

It&8217;s funny, but I think my husband is the only one who is working in the wife&8217;s office, but they are all extremely supportive.

&8220;Dick picks and chooses what he wants to do and when he does it,&8221; Nancy said.

&8220;Obviously with the people he is calling he has one of the best ways to get new clients. He is very good at cold calling and when people call and say no, it&8217;s only for awhile. I&8217;ve had other agents phone and hear his work track record and want to know how he does it.&8221;

State Farm brings in several outside speakers each year for training and some agents hire others to come when they see their business is going through a lot of marketing people.

Nancy said, &8220;I have actually never sent Dick to any of these sessions.

He has his own system and it works very well, so why ruin a good thing? I&8217;ve got the best caller around and it happens to be my husband.&8221;