Smith-Kandal continues to prosper through four generations
The insurance and real estate firm known today as Smith-Kandal was founded by Stanley
Quay Smith in 1934 as S. Quay Smith Real Estate and Insurance Agency.
Stanley’s father, Charles W. Smith, was a “land man” who was a real estate broker for the Southern Pacific Railroad in the western United States and Mexico in the late 1800s and first acquired land for the family at what is now the intersection of Interstate 15 and Interstate 10 in Ontario.
Stanley Smith settled in the Imperial Valley in the early 1900s and moved to the township of Brawley in 1911 operating the Alamorio Store, a general store near Highway 78 and the Alamo River.
As municipalities grew and agriculture developed in the region, the need for real estate and insurance services was prevalent, and with it came the Smith family’s first foray into those businesses.
Stanley Smith was a true pioneer who loved this community deeply, and would pass this devotion to the next three generations. His son, Sherman M. Smith, later joined the business, and with partner Clair W. Mitchell, he continued to build the agency with the addition of several hundred clients. In 1959, the firm became Smith- Mitchell Insurance and Real Estate.
In 1971 after graduating from UCLA, Kevin C. Smith, Sherman’s son, joined the agency and the stage was set to move the company to the next level. In 1983, Mitchell retired, and Sherman’s youngest son, Greg, joined the firm.
Raised in Brawley, Greg Smith graduated from Stanford University in 1975 with a chemistry degree and completed his Master of Business Administration from Claremont Graduate University. There Greg was fortunate to study under Peter Drucker, the noted management consultant and author.
The three Smith family members -Sherman, Kevin, and Greg -- expanded the business reach outside the borders of Imperial County, enabling it to serve thousands of clients throughout the Desert Southwest. In 1995, Smith- Mitchell merged with Kandal Insurance Agency to form what is known today as Smith-Kandal Insurance & Real Estate, providing 85 years of service to the Imperial County and beyond. Kandal had already merged with Kuiper Insurance, who continues to work with Smith-Kandal.
Today Smith-Kandal has nine licensed real estate agents, seven licensed insurance broker agents and four licensed account managers. The three principals hold licenses for both real estate and insurance as do other staff members. Kevin Smith’s three sons are in the real estate and insurance business, with Darren joining in 2005 after graduating from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego and Blaise in 2018. Oldest son Quay has a real estate business in Tucson.
Darren Smith and his wife Melissa, also a native of Brawley, along with Blaise Smith have introduced new emerging technology and marketing to the firm.
The natural link between the real estate and insurance business was best explained by Greg Smith: “Real estate is a high value asset and the need to protect that asset means insurance.”
After working with a client to find the right property, the Smith-Kandal team understand the insurance needs of that client. As Imperial Valley has increased its participation as a source for energy for the community and beyond, Smith-Kandal has been involved in various land transactions for renewable energy, both solar and geothermal.
One aspect of the insurance business for Smith-Kandal is the ability to provide employee safety training courses to the local agricultural community. While other insurance companies have access to training personal from outside of the Imperial Valley, Erasmo
Gonzales has been a full- time employee of Smith-Kandal for 16 years. A graduate of Imperial Valley College, Gonzales conducts training that includes heat stress safety, the most current California Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
“Working for Smith- Kandal is a pleasure,” Gonzales said. “I enjoy the opportunity to assist in providing education to both supervisors and employees to improve the safety and quality of the work environment.”
Smith- Kandal still has the long-term and extensive commitment to the community originally instilled by Stanley Quay Smith. Three Smiths – Sherman, Greg and Darren – as well as Gonzales, have been presidents of the Brawley Chamber of Commerce. All but Darren Smith at this point have received the chamber’s Branding Iron Award for community service.
Smith- Kandal also is a supporter of the Imperial County Historical Society and the Pioneers Museum in Imperial. Greg Smith, like his father before him, is a Rotarian. Gonzales was active in the Brawley Lions Club and, later, the Brawley Kiwanis Club.
As a fourth- generation business, Smith-Kandal Insurance has maintained a strong presence in the Imperial Valley and beyond, owing in no small part to the core values set by founder Stanley Quay Smith.