By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
James Mangold Jr. was many things in the Burlington community – a businessman, a volunteer, a pilot and an outdoorsman.
But he – along with his wife, Barb, his son, Jamie, and other family members – helped put together one of the area’s flourishing insurance companies in Mangold Insurance.
“My grandfather, it was literally just run out of his home,” said Jamie Mangold. When his father, Jim, took over, he “grew it to where we are today.”
Jim Mangold died at home Aug. 28 after an extended illness, with family surrounding him. He was 77.
Jim’s wife, Barb – a long-time office manager for the business – preceded him in death in 2014. But the business remains in the hands of family, with Jamie as president of the company, his sister Laurie as vice president and two other family members – Krista Hintz and Stephen Quist – also involved.
Quist is the fourth generation of the family to work at Mangold Insurance, which started in 1933 as a side business for James Mangold Sr. He ran the insurance company out of his home.
Jim Mangold Jr. took over the company in the 1950s, and moved the company to its current location on Milwaukee Avenue about 25 years ago.
Jamie said one of his father’s proudest moments was taking the old and empty Piggly Wiggly building on the site, and transforming it into the small business complex that now houses Associated Bank and Webly Chiropractic as well.
“When the building was purchased, I remember the ceiling was caved in,” Jamie said. “It was a disaster. He hated driving into town every day and realizing this big, vacant building was the first thing people saw.”
Now, the insurance company has grown into a business with 15 employees, thousands of clients and more than a dozen insurance companies available for clients.
But as successful as the business remains, Jamie Mangold and Laurie Weinhammer both stressed their father enjoyed working hard in the community around him.
Jim Mangold Jr. supported farming and “had a passion” for it his entire life. He raised bison and grew a herd to more than 75 animals. He also supported 4-H in the area.
Jim also was a financial supporter of the Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce, ChocolateFest, Love Inc., youth sports, the fire department and the Burlington Area Rescue Squad.
“He was very involved with things here,” Jamie explained, adding that his father left a legacy of a family that cared about the community, with a belief of keeping business local and making investments in family.
Weinhammer added, “He was very hard working.”
“An honest and trustworthy person,” she said. “I think he set a really good example for all of us. Family was very important to him.”
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