By Anna Grace Usery
Editor-in-Chief
anna.grace.usery@hottytoddy.com
Melanee Pinion strives to provide the LOU community with not only quality insurance, but a quality conversation. Growing up in the Delta she wanted to become a veterinarian, but her first sight of blood redirected that path. Now she owns her own insurance business, as does her husband, Freddie, that she wants to pass down to her now 9-year-old twins. HottyToddy.com’s Anna Grace Usery sat down with Pinion to discuss her story.
Usery: Tell me a little bit about growing up in the Delta. Thinking back on growing up there, what did you see in your future?
Pinion: I was born in Clarksdale. My dad was a welder and my mom was a nurse. They are both retired now. Insurance had never occurred to us, and I actually wanted to be a veterinarian. I hadn’t really chosen a career path, and when (my husband) Freddie went into insurance I followed along behind him.
Usery: How did you get to Oxford?
Pinion: Freddie was in the military. When he got out and came back to Clarksdale we started dating. He also has a nursing degree, so he took a job at the ER here in Oxford. The Delta is nice, but if you have kids there aren’t many opportunities. That’s been 23 years ago.
Usery: Tell me why you decided to pursue insurance as a career.
Pinion: I was in accounts payable. Freddie decided he was going to go into insurance. When it started picking up he needed some help. That’s how I came into the picture. I had no prior insurance experience. The only knowledge of it was I had car insurance.
Usery: So you practice what kind of insurance?
Pinion: I practice property, casualty and life insurance—auto, home life, commercial, etc.
Usery: What would you say is different about your agency than others?
Pinion: That’s how I came up with the name ‘Pinion Family Insurance.’ I’ve always joked that we don’t have customers. We just have a really huge, dysfunctional family! I know everything going on with them, and they know everything going on with us. They have seen our kids grow and vice versa. Honestly, I think our customer service stands apart from the rest. We care about our customers. When people say they want to go on bank draft I say, ‘But you don’t want to do that. Then you won’t come in every month and sit down and visit with me.’ (laughs) I really love people and love to talk. This is a good profession for me.
Usery: Is there a specific customer or experience you’ve had that comes to mind when you think about how much you love your job?
Pinion: I don’t have one specific example, but with all our customers, they have my cell phone and know where I live. They know they can contact me for anything. We’ve had people who have run out of gas. I’ll take them gas.
Usery: Aside from insurance, what else are you involved in in the community?
Pinion: I try to be very active. We have 9-year-old twins, and our little boy is nonverbal autistic. His official diagnosis came before his 3rd birthday. I spend a lot of time researching his condition. One of the things I enjoy doing the most is sharing my experiences with other parents. Many times they don’t know what their next step is. I help many parents find the next step when they get the diagnosis. Whether that’s phone calls, emails or going to lunch, I just try to be a support system to other special needs parents. I also try to be very active in the school.
Usery: There are several parents in the community who have children on the autistic spectrum. What’s a point of advice you offer them?
Pinion: If you’ve met one child with autism, you’ve met one child with autism. The spectrum is huge. I don’t really have a go-to piece of advice – it all depends on the family. We are extremely blessed because we have a great support system. My mom and dad are both retired, so they help with the kids. I think what I generally tell people the most is to try to build that support system. Also – ask for help. I have no problem asking for help. We’ve been so blessed in Oxford with amazing teachers. My son is in fourth grade now and we’ve had him at the Scott Center since he was three. So, we’ve been in school for many years. I also tell people that the autism center in Tupelo has a long waiting list so they better go ahead and get on it as soon as possible. George Hall, where the speech and hearing center is on Ole Miss’ campus, is also a good resource. Oxford has a lot of good resources. I think we could have more for special needs kids, though.
Usery: Do you want your children to follow in your footsteps with this business?
Pinion: Honestly, when I decided to start this, that was my biggest thing – it would be something to leave them. One of my biggest objectives is to build something they can take over one day. Our little girl comes here twice a week after school and we’ve already started her on the customer service side of things (laughs). When people walk in she’ll ask them if they want something to drink, she’ll hold the door and she’ll entertain kids when parents need to concentrate. Nine isn’t too early to start!
Usery: What’s your favorite thing about Oxford?
Pinion: There’s not many places like Oxford where you can find the array of people that live here. Like I said, I like to talk. I like to hear where folks are from. We may have people come into the office and say they’re moving here from California. My next question is always ‘Why?’ so I can get to know people better. Oxford is a melting pot. I like that.
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