John Hermans vividly remembers when the prospect of retiring in 2015 seemed far-fetched.

"It had to be 1971 or 1972, when I was first starting out," Hermans said. "We set up an IRA, and when I received the first statement, it said I'd retire in 2015 when I was 65 years old. It was definitely bizarre."

Hermans was reminded of that feeling recently when his daughter Sarah Hermans pointed out his retirement date was now less than a decade away.

"It's hard to believe it's been this long," John Hermans said, laughing.

For more than 25 years, Hermans has been the principal owner and operator of Duxbury & Hermans, a family-run insurance agency based in Millerton. Founded in 1932 by Hermans' great aunt Irene P. Duxbury, the business has been continuously run by the family ever since.

The life of an insurance man was not always a calling for Hermans, who at one time fancied himself an actor. His father, Walter Hermans, bought into the company in the 1950s, but growing up, John Hermans never worked in the office.

"I rode with my father on occasion when he would go to see clients, but that was more killing time than anything else," he said.

While insurance may not have been "in the genes" for Hermans, the entrepreneurial spirit certainly seems to be. His mother, Helen Hermans, put her mark on the developing company, working first out of the family home and then for a time running a satellite office in Pine Plains.

Other companies

In addition to the agency, Hermans and his brother Dick Hermans own Borderline Productions, producing alternative Texas country music shows. Dick Hermans also has his own business, Oblong Books and Music in Millerton and Rhinebeck.

Since 1984, John Hermans' wife, Marty Hermans, has been part of the agency, with daughter Sarah Hermans, 30, coming aboard just more than a year ago.

Millerton and its Northern Dutchess neighbors are the type of small municipalities where the support system for small, family-owned businesses remains strong. But just because the population density and geographic location has kept the big-box stores and national chains away, it doesn't mean life as your own boss is always easy.

Hermans said despite steady business over the years, his concerns for his own interests are tied directly into his hopes for the community he has called home his entire life.

"Here in Millerton, associations still mean a lot," said Philip Terni, proprietor of Terni's, a general merchandise store in Millerton which has been family-owned since 1919.

Terni and his family have been clients of Hermans and his family for as long as either man can remember.

"John is very involved in the community, very involved in providing service to his clients. It's not just selling a product, it's establishing a relationship."

Clientele changes

"When we first moved into this building, the school bus would stop at the end of the street and pick up 20 kids," recalled Hermans, motioning out his office window to Main Street, Millerton, where the Duxbury & Hermans offices have been located since 1984. "Now the school bus doesn't even stop here. There are no kids on the block anymore."

This concerns Hermans.

"We see our client base getting older and older, and that is of great concern for us," he said. "The young people of our community can no longer afford to stay here. That's not just a problem for us, but for every small business in town."

In Millerton there are a number of family businesses, many of which are clients at the agency, who can commiserate with the difficulties presented by the changing atmosphere.

Hermans describes them as businesses which are stable because of the personal relationships they have established but who understand the secret is remaining flexible enough to react to change.

Irene Duxbury founded the business to meet the needs of local farmers, selling National Grange products out of her home.

"We were primarily an agriculture-based business until the late 1980s when farms seem to just leave the area," Hermans recalled. "So what do you do? You have to be able to change to meet the needs of your market."

Over the past two decades, the focus has shifted to second homes and the contracting business.

"This has become a huge second-home community," Hermans said.

His own experiences have also left Hermans candid about the fact that the "family" end of the business may not continue after he makes his exit.

Working behind the scenes

Sarah Hermans, likened to a regular "Gal Friday" by her father, works with clients and behind the scenes with the more technical aspects of the business.

"Her generation knows its way around computers enough to keep us out of trouble," Hermans said. "I'm just happy if the screen is the right color in the morning."

While Sarah Hermans has quickly worked her way into her own position in the company, Hermans knows that doesn't mean she'll decide to take the reins when he retires.

"In any business, you have to have a plan for what happens when," he said. "Whether it is a tough time for business, or just time to retire, you don't want to worry about what is going to happen."

Ten years ago, Hermans joined with other brokers in the Hudson Valley to form the Main Street Group. With additional offices in Highland, Hyde Park and Rhinebeck, the individual members of the corporation have entered into a negotiable buy/sell agreement to protect the client base if any of the partners should decide to retire.

For now the contingency plan is just that. Hermans said he still enjoys coming into work every morning, meeting with the roster of loyal clients, some of whom have been with the company for four generations, but he'd like to cut back a little.

"I'm not ready to get out yet, but I'd be foolish not to think about what will happen when I am ready," Hermans said. After all, 2015 isn't too far away anymore.

Photo: Lee Ferris/Poughkeepsie Journal
The Hermans family is, from left, Marty, John, and Sarah, at their office in the Thornton Building on Main Street in Millerton Friday. John Hermans has been in charge of operations at the insurance company since 1979. Marty Hermans joined the company in 1984 and Sarah Hermans joined in 2004.

Duxbury & Hermans

Founded: 1932 by Irene P. Duxbury.

Where: 66 Main St., Millerton.

Phone: 1-518-789-3633.

Tips for success

Establish a personal relationship with your clients. Hermans remembers driving around with his father at Christmas time, delivering baskets of apples to clients and spending time getting to know clients.

Become involved in the community in which you and your business belong. Service to the community and the mutual respect that it develops between professionals and clients is important, according to Hermans. Whether it is helping out during street cleanups or holiday decorating, caring for the community is an important part of integrating your business into that community.

Be thoughtful about who you hire to work with you and represent your company. Duxbury & Hermans employs six other individuals outside of Hermans and his wife, Marty Hermans and daughter Sarah Hermans. With the exception of one recent addition, the rest have been with the company between 10 and 25 years. "People say that I must be a good boss," Hermans said. "I think it's just that I'm good at choosing who to hire to work for me. Even our staff that isn't family feels like family."

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