Former Hagerty Co-CEO, Chairman Kim Hagerty Passes Away

Kim Hagerty, the former co-CEO and board chairman of Hagerty and a long-time Traverse City philanthropist, passed away Wednesday after an accidental fall at home.

Hagerty, 64, "took a turn for the worse" and died Wednesday surrounded by family after being admitted to Munson Medical Center following a fall over the weekend, according to an email sent to Hagerty employees. "While this is an extremely sad moment for us, we are forever grateful and proud of Kim for her contributions to Hagerty and her impact in our local community," the email stated. "Kim was an avid collector of cars and boats and is pictured here with her '57 Thunderbird, Pinky...thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. We will all miss Kim dearly."

A statement from the Hagerty company to The Ticker highlighted Kim Hagerty's contributions in her 15-plus years of working for the organization after leaving a successful law career in 1996 to return to Traverse City and work for her family's insurance business."Besides being a beloved daughter, sister, wife, and friend, Kim was integral to the growth of Hagerty," according to the statement. "During her tenure at the company, Kim served in various roles including legal counsel, co-CEO and, most recently, chairman of the board before retiring in 2014. After retirement, Kim remained a passionate and active shareholder of Hagerty as well as a community benefactor, most recently donating, along with her husband Antonio Simão, $1 million to Northwestern Michigan College. Privacy on behalf of the family is being requested during this difficult time. Memorial details will be communicated once they are available."

Hagerty was a long-time philanthropist and supporter of various Traverse City nonprofits and causes. The $1 million contribution Hagerty and Simão made to Northwestern Michigan College this year will be used for scholarships and the college's unrestricted fund. Hagerty and Simão committed part of their gift to the Hagerty-Simão Family Scholarship Fund, which will annually provide scholarships to approximately 20 students, with preference to those enrolled in NMC’s Aviation program or the Commitment Scholarship program. As an endowed scholarship fund, the annual scholarships will be available to students in perpetuity.