Our story is that of a family who built a business on the belief that success is derived from exceptional service to the customer and to the community.
The Otterstedt Insurance Agency was founded in 1919 by Fred H. Otterstedt. In 1948, Joseph C. Parisi Sr. began working for the agency as clerk with a salary of $32 a week. Under the diligent mentorship of Fred Otterstedt, Parisi thrived. Upon the retirement of Fred Otterstedt in 1955, Parisi acquired the agency and the rest is history. Our History. For the past 55 years, the Otterstedt Insurance Agency has been owned, operated, and grown under the experience and excellence of the Parisi family.
The bedrock of our agency was tirelessly built by Joseph Parisi Sr. and his wife, Lucille. Through hard work and a constant insistence on uncompromising customer service, they successfully grew the agency from a three-employee shop in Guttenberg to a 103 employee agency with 7 seven locations throughout North Jersey.
Although Parisi owned the agency for 50 years, he never changed the name, as a tribute to his late mentor, which is a testament to the kind of person he was. He never forgot where he came from or the people who helped him achieve success. The determination of Joseph Parisi Sr. and Lucille Parisi instilled the dedication and integrity that sets our agency apart from the rest.
Aside from being exceedingly business-minded, Joseph Parisi Sr. was equally civic minded. He was a veteran of WWII who saw combat in Italy as a Sergeant. He served as the Mayor of Englewood Cliffs for 30 years until his passing in 2005. He co-founded the Bergen County 200 Club, a service organization aiding the families of killed or injured police officers, first aid workers and fire fighters. He was an active volunteer and generous donor to Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck. In 1998, Joseph Parisi Sr. and Lucille Parisi received the Hospital’s Lifetime Achievement Award. It is his model of outstanding service to the community and the underpinning of exceptional business practices that make Otterstedt Agency such a special company with which to do business.
Lucille Parisi began working for the Agency in 1956 and served as its Vice President as well as Secretary of the Board of Directors from 1974 to 2009. Lucille is a mother of three, a grandmother of 6, a step grandmother of 2 and a great grandmother of one. She is a past President of the Independent Insurance Agents of Hudson County. Like her husband, Lucille is also undeniably civic-minded. She served on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross in the State of New Jersey. She has been honored by the Englewood Cliffs Chamber of Commerce as Woman of the Year. Lucille is a woman ahead of her time and has accomplished much both individually and with her late husband of 55 years. Joseph Sr. and Lucille were not only strongly committed to their agency and community but also to their family. With a strong foundation built on the principles of integrity and loyalty, it is no surprise that their son Joseph Jr. would continue this proud legacy.
In 1979, Joseph C. Parisi Jr. joined the Agency and since then he has brilliantly moved the agency into the 21st century. Joseph Parisi Jr. now serves as the Chairman of the Otterstedt Insurance Agency’s Board of Directors and is the Agency’s CEO. Like his father, Joseph Jr. was also bitten by the political bug and served as a councilman for the borough of Englewood Cliffs for 5 years. Upon the passing of his father, Joseph Jr. became Mayor of Englewood Cliffs and has served his community as Mayor since November of 2005.
In 1976, due to the increasing volume of business at the Agency, Robert J. Casazza was hired to assist Joseph, Sr. Casazza’s history is also one of service to his country and community. He served two years as a Sergeant Major in the US Army as a NATO advisor. Casazza is also active among his peers in the insurance industry - he is a past president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Bergen/Hudson. He also serves as a Director on the executive board of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of NJ. In 2010, Casazza was named President of Otterstedt, a testament to his nearly 35 years of service to the Agency.
Otterstedt’s Global Headquarters are located in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Its home office fulfills the following functions: agency operations, accounting, processing, claims, information technology, human resources, and legal.
Otterstedt operates 7 locations: Englewood Cliffs, Summit, Ridgefield Park (partnership with the GJEM Insurance Agency), Secaucus, Teaneck, Allamuchy and Hasbrouck Heights. Otterstedt also has two divisions within the Agency: Life, Health and Financial Planning and Surety. Because we can handle all aspects of our clients’ insurance and financial needs, we are truly their trusted advisors.
The team approach to solving problems for our clients as related to managing risk is a major factor in what sets Otterstedt apart from others. Agency principals, partners, and branch and department managers share their expertise to arrive at the best possible solution for our clients. Our experience as risk managers in both the public and private sectors helps to ensure that our clients receive the top-notch service they need and deserve. In addition, all account executives are licensed insurance producers, many of whom maintain insurance-industry recognized professional designations such as Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Associate in Risk Management (ARM), Certified Workers’ Compensation Professional (CWCP), Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), among others.
In addition, Otterstedt’s professional and experienced claims staff assists in reporting, analyzing and servicing our clients’ claim issues. Our claims department has an outstanding record of customer service and lives by the motto “We are always here to help.”
One of the positive by-products of Otterstedt’s many years of experience is its excellent reputation among the major commercial insurance carriers. In fact, Otterstedt is recognized by our insurance company partners as a key part of their operations by naming us to their agency councils and giving us preferred status with them.
Otterstedt is the proud employer of 103 superb employees who have long-standing expertise in the field of insurance. Our employees are also unique in that many of them are active in servicing their community. Our employees are members of the following clubs and organizations: UNICO, Summit Lions Club, Bergen County 200 Club, Teaneck Chamber of Commerce, Fort Lee Chamber of Commerce, Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, Holy Name Hospital Auxiliary, National Association of Insurance Women, Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce, Englewood Cliffs Chamber of Commerce, Knights of Columbus, Kiwanis Club, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of America.
In recent years, Otterstedt has been the recipient of many prestigious awards and recognitions. In November of 2009, Otterstedt was named in the top 50 personal lines insurance brokers and top 100 of property and casualty independent insurance agents in the country by The Insurance Journal. Otterstedt was the 2006 Travelers Insurance Company Agent of the Year. The Otterstedt Insurance Agency has also received many acclamations from NJ Biz magazine such as 50 Fastest Growing Companies in NJ in 2006 and the Top 50 Insurance Brokers in NJ in 2005. Otterstedt was also honored as one of the Top Family Businesses of the Year in 2010 by NJ Monthly Magazine and one of the top 50 Personal Lines Insurance Agencies in the nation.
“We still think of individuals by name and not as an account number,” states Joseph Parisi Jr. It is that mind-set coupled with a long-standing presence in the community and more than 91 years of incomparable skill in the insurance industry that makes us proud to say Otterstedt: Leading With Experience.
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