More Than Just Business

Myren “Mickey” Rohde Jr. has been in the insurance business for as long as he can remember. Born into an insurance family, he started working for his father at just 12 years old, doing odd jobs around the office. Now, as the owner of Rohde Insurance, Rohde continues to carry on the legacy his father started in 1978. 

But while he takes his work seriously, Rohde is not your typical insurance agent. For one thing, he doesn't golf, which he admits is a departure from the norm. Instead, he prefers spending time with his family at one of the many lakes in his hometown of Perham, Minn. When the weather allows, he likes to go barefoot skiing, even though it numbs his feet. 

"I'm not much of a traveler," Rohde admits. but that doesn't mean he doesn't look forward to going on the Grinnell Mutual President’s Club trip to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, this June.

For Rohde, running Rohde Insurance is more than just a business; it's a family affair. His father, Myren "Mike" Rohde, started the agency with Charles Lindstrom in 1978 as the Lindstrom Rohde Agency. After Charles retired in 1991, Mike and his wife, Dianne, changed the name to Rohde Insurance Services (RIS). Today, Mickey Rohde’s son is also an agent at the company, continuing the family legacy. 

Rohde and wife Susan spend a lot of time with their kids at their sporting events, a huge part of their lives. In his free time, Rohde likes to relax with his wife, often watching true crime or murder mystery shows. He recently bought a Harley Davidson, and they enjoy taking rides together.

But while family is important to Rohde, so is giving back to the community. Rohde Insurance is committed to helping organizations like Sertoma, which provides quality of life services to those with hearing loss, the William Syndrome Association (which his 19 years old son Jaxson lives with), and Dough 4 Joe, a yearly event in Fergus Falls, Minn., to raise money for cancer patients.

The Rohde family, together with Sertoma, has also given away $70,500 to high school seniors through a scholarship program. The scholarship is a tribute to Rohde's father who did not finish high school but got his GED. This along with being able to award a few Road to Success scholarships has been an honor.

When asked what he loves about his job, Rohde's answer is simple: "Being able to help people with their insurance needs and get their problems solved is a blessing. I'm grateful that I get to do this job."