Photos courtesy of Colstan & Associates, Inc.
Merchants Insurance Group has named Colstan & Associates, Inc., of West Babylon, New York, as its 2024 Agent of the Year!
Since 2009, Merchants has presented this esteemed award to one outstanding agency each year, recognizing the agency’s consistent growth and profitability, strong relationship with Merchants, commitment to customer service, and demonstration of Merchants’ core values of integrity, respect, loyalty, teamwork, and the aspiration to improve. Merchants Insurance Group partners with more than 1,000 independent insurance agents.
“We are proud to present the prestigious 2024 Agent of the Year Award to Colstan & Associates,” said Charles E. Makey, III, President and Chief Executive Officer of Merchants Insurance Group. “Colstan’s consistent strong performance is commendable, and they exemplify Merchants’ core values in all that they do.”
Colstan & Associates, Inc., has been appointed with Merchants since 2018. The agency has qualified for President’s Club, comprised of an elite group of Merchants’ top performing agents, for two consecutive years.
Located in West Babylon, New York, Colstan & Associates, Inc., was established in 2000 when A Stanco Agency, founded in 1992, merged with Colstan & Associates, Inc.
Today, Colstan & Associates, Inc., agents are licensed in 22 states. They specialize in a variety of property/casualty protections, including but not limited to: auto, motorcycle, renters, appliance, private event, wedding, and pet insurance. The agency offers a wide selection of commercial and personal lines products and “strives to meet the varying needs of clients and provide top quality service and coverage at affordable rates.”
Chief Executive Officer Alfredo (Al) Stanco is a first generation insurance agent who leads the agency with the help of his son, Alex Stanco, Office Manager. The agency prides itself on “timely follow-up and impeccable service overall,” according to Al Stanco.
Colstan & Associates, Inc., continually invests in the professional development of its staff. Several agents have attended Merchants Insurance Group’s Producer Training School, a five-day sales intensive seminar tailored to enhance sales strategies, educate how to sell Merchants commercial lines products more effectively, and help build meaningful industry connections.
“Colstan & Associates, Inc., is an exemplary agency partner that has shown consistent growth, profitability, and engagement with Merchants, while also exhibiting the values and shared goals to which Merchants is committed,” said Mike Wolfe, Sr. Vice President, Regional Operations. “Thank you to our Merchants RVPs for the many worthy nominations we received for this esteemed accolade. We’ve been selecting an Agent of the Year for the past 16 years, and we are proud to have Colstan & Associates, Inc., join the list of agents recognized with this prestigious award.”
Similarly to Merchants, Colstan & Associates plays an active role in their local community through volunteerism and financial contributions. Colstan’s philanthropy primarily focuses on causes related to food insecurity and underserved populations facing socioeconomic barriers, especially children. Some nonprofit organizations the agency and its staff support include: Gary Brown Dream 68, Toys for Tots, PinkTie, and local food banks.
Colstan & Associates, Inc., was nominated by Merchants Insurance Group’s Eastern Strategic Business Center, located in Melville, NY. 2024 marks the second consecutive year that an agency from Merchants’ Eastern region, which serves the Lower Hudson Valley and Long Island, was named Agent of the Year.
In May 2025, Merchants Insurance Group presented the Agent of the Year award to Colstan & Associates, Inc., at a celebratory luncheon at Trento Italian Steakhouse in Farmingdale, NY.
“We are proud to work with such a talented team of insurance professionals,” said Mr. Makey. “We are honored to count Colstan as one of our elite agents and look forward to another successful year in 2025!”
About Colstan & Associates, Inc.
“With over 20 years of dedicated service in the insurance industry, Colstan & Associates was founded with a clear and unwavering mission: to provide individuals, families, and businesses with dependable, personalized insurance solutions without sacrificing affordability or service quality.
Recognizing a growing dissatisfaction with inflated premiums and the impersonal, one-size-fits-all service approach found at many larger agencies, Colstan emerged as a client-first insurance provider. The agency is deeply committed to offering comprehensive coverage that is thoughtfully designed to fit both the needs and budgets of its clients.
Colstan & Associates offers a wide-ranging portfolio of insurance products—including commercial, auto, cyber, bonds, and more —tailored to meet the distinct needs of small businesses, growing enterprises, and individual policyholders alike.
As a family-owned and operated business, Colstan combines the resources and reach of a large insurance agency with the personalized care and attention of a local agency. Every client is treated as more than just a policy number; they’re treated like part of the Colstan family.
‘Large enough to serve you, small enough to care,’ is more than just a slogan—it’s a daily promise.”
