You’ve probably seen the name on the history center or heard it whispered in discussions about the city’s skyline. But if you think Tom Hagen is just another wealthy executive with a penchant for old buildings, you’re missing the actual story.
Most billionaires in his position—running a Fortune 500 company in a rust-belt city—would have packed up for Pittsburgh or Charlotte decades ago. Tom Hagen Erie PA didn’t. Instead, he doubled down.
Honestly, the way he climbed the ladder at Erie Insurance sounds like something out of a mid-century novel. He started as a part-time filing clerk in 1953 while he was still a student at Penn State Behrend. Basically, he was the guy moving folders in the basement. Forty years later? He was the Chairman and CEO.
It’s a trajectory that doesn't really exist anymore. You don't see many people stay at one company for seven decades.
The Business Logic of Staying Put
There’s a specific moment in the 1980s that defines Hagen’s impact on Erie. The company was growing fast. They needed a massive new headquarters—a "signature building."
The consultants did what consultants do. They suggested moving to a suburban office park or a bigger city like Pittsburgh. It would have been "efficient." It would have been the standard corporate move.
Hagen said no.
He made the conscious decision to build the F.W. Hirt-Perry Square Building right in the heart of downtown Erie. That wasn't just a real estate choice; it was an anchor. Had Erie Insurance moved its headquarters to the suburbs, the downtown core might have looked very different today.
More than just Insurance
While most people know him through the Erie Insurance lens, his business footprint is actually much weirder and more local than that.
- Custom Engineering Co.: In 1997, he bought this fabrication company.
- Preventing Consolidation: Out-of-town firms wanted to buy it and move the expertise elsewhere. Hagen bought it specifically to keep those jobs in Erie.
- The Navy Connection: He’s a retired U.S. Navy Reserve Captain. That "command presence" people talk about? It didn't come from the boardroom; it came from 30+ years of service and time spent on the USS Harwood.
What People Get Wrong About the History Obsession
If you walk down West Sixth Street, you’re walking through Hagen’s personal mission. People often assume his interest in historic preservation is just a rich man's hobby. Like he's collecting oversized toys.
It’s actually more about "adaptive reuse."
He doesn't just buy these mansions to look at them. He buys them to keep them from being mown down for condos. He once convinced a local college that was planning to demolish a historic mansion to literally pick it up and move it instead.
Take the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory. It was built in 1920. Most developers would have seen a drafty, expensive nightmare. Hagen saw a tech hub. He renovated it, and now it houses over 150 Erie Insurance technology employees.
That’s his "secret sauce." He blends 19th-century architecture with 21st-century payroll.
The Secretary of Everything
Hagen’s influence hit a peak in the mid-90s. He served as the 28th (and final) Pennsylvania Secretary of Commerce under Governor Tom Ridge.
But here’s the kicker: when they restructured the state government, he didn't just leave. He became the very first Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). He basically wrote the blueprint for how Pennsylvania handles business growth today.
He’s now in his late 80s—actually pushing 90—and he's still the Chairman of the Board. Most people are lucky if they can remember where they put their keys at 90, yet Hagen is still steering the only Fortune 500 company headquartered in Erie.
The Philanthropy Gap
There’s a lot of talk about his wealth. Forbes puts him in the billionaire category—around $4.2 billion to $4.3 billion depending on the year.
But the real "Erie" part of the story is where that money goes.
- Hagen History Center: He didn't just donate; he transformed the campus.
- Mercyhurst University: A $1.5 million gift to the history department (now named after him).
- Wittenberg University: A $10 million gift with his daughter, Sarah, to renovate Koch Hall.
- The Erie Community Foundation: He established the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Transformational Philanthropy, named after his late wife who was Erie Insurance’s longest-serving director.
Why This Matters to You
If you live in Erie, you're living in a city that was largely preserved by one man’s refusal to follow the "suburban flight" trend of the 20th century.
Whether you're looking for a job at Erie Insurance or just wondering why the downtown hasn't been leveled for parking lots, the answer usually leads back to Thomas B. Hagen.
He’s a reminder that "local" isn't just a buzzword for coffee shops. For Hagen, it was a 70-year business strategy.
Actionable Insights for Erie Residents and Investors
- Watch the EDDC: Hagen is a major force behind the Erie Downtown Development Corporation. If you’re looking at real estate or starting a business, follow where they are investing.
- Support Adaptive Reuse: If you own a historic property in Erie, look into the Historic Erie Preservation Trust. There are resources for maintaining the city's architectural integrity without losing modern functionality.
- Career Longevity: Hagen is proof that the "ladder" still exists if the company culture is right. Erie Insurance remains one of the largest employers in the region with a notoriously high retention rate.
The next time you pass the Watson-Curtze Mansion or the Erie Insurance arena, remember it’s not just about the buildings. It’s about the decision to stay when everyone else was leaving.
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To truly understand the modern landscape of the city, look into the specific projects funded by the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Transformational Philanthropy. It provides a roadmap for where the city's social and economic resources are being directed over the next decade. You should also visit the Hagen History Center on West Sixth Street to see the literal blueprints of the city he helped save from the wrecking ball.