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Traverse City, MI – September 30, 2025 —
Michigan Planners is proud to announce a significant milestone in our growth and commitment to Northern Michigan: the purchase of a new office located at 603 Bay Street in Traverse City. This new space will allow us to combine our two existing Traverse City offices, Group Benefits at 417 S. Union Street and Medicare & Individual Insurance at 410 S. Union Street, into one cohesive location.
We anticipate completing renovations and moving in November of 2025.
This exciting transition reflects more than just a change in address. It represents over a decade of growth, hard work, and meaningful relationships built by our extraordinary team in the region—and it fulfills a long-held dream for brothers and owners, Michael and John DiLorenzo.
“When we first talked about expanding into Northern Michigan, our vision was to become a trusted, local partner that could provide the same level of white-glove service our customers had come to expect in Southeast Michigan,” said Michael DiLorenzo, CEO. “This move into a permanent, unified Traverse City location is a proud moment for our entire family and leadership team. It’s a full-circle realization of that original goal.”
A Decade of Growth Rooted in Community
Michigan Planners’ journey into Northern Michigan began in March 2014, when Kurt Swartz joined the team with a mission to expand our employee benefits services in the region. This marked a pivotal step for the agency, which until then had operated solely out of its headquarters in Washington Township. Thanks to Kurt’s strong performance and deep community involvement, we proudly opened our first Traverse City office at 417 S. Union Street in May 2015. In 2017, the team expanded again with the addition of Jill Elhart, the first official Traverse City-based teammate beyond Swartz. We are proud to brag that Elhart is still with us today.
Kurt Swartz has since become a well-recognized and respected name in the Traverse City community—not only for his expertise in employee benefits, but for his deep and ongoing local involvement. In addition to serving as a trusted resource for Northern Michigan employers, Kurt actively contributes to several local organizations, including the Almira Township Planning Commission, the Father Fred Executive Board, the Long Lake Base Ball Association, and Traverse City Little League. He also proudly supports Traverse City West High School’s wrestling and football teams as a devoted coach and father. His commitment to the community has helped solidify Michigan Planners’ roots in the region and exemplifies the values we bring to every relationship.
In 2020, Michigan Planners acquired the Geoff Harris Agency, enabling us to expand our services to include Medicare and Individual Insurance. This acquisition led to the opening of a third office for Michigan Planners at 410 S. Union Street, just steps away from our 417 S. Union Street location. Now, with our new Bay Street location, we are thrilled to bring both teams under one roof. This move supports our mission to deliver a seamless, personalized customer experience and strengthens internal collaboration.
A Unified Presence to Better Serve You
With the purchase of 603 Bay Street, we’re consolidating both Traverse City offices into one newly renovated space. Our team will now be able to work more closely together to streamline communication, enhance collaboration, and create a more cohesive and personalized experience for our clients.
“This isn’t just a business decision—it’s a team milestone,” said John DiLorenzo, President. “We’re proud of our people, proud of what we’ve built, and incredibly excited for what’s ahead in Traverse City.”
We look forward to welcoming our clients and community partners to our new space and continuing to provide the expert support and white-glove service Michigan Planners is known for.
Please note: This move affects only our Traverse City offices. Our headquarters remains at 59259 Van Dyke Ave, Washington Township, MI.