How We Got Here

The story of a Family Business!

Construction Site

Feb 1938 – May 1956: John Truitt grows up PLOWING THE MULE outside of Tallassee, AL.

Dec 1941: Gail Ward is born in Owassa, AL outside of Evergreen, AL.

May 1956: JHT Graduates Reel Town High School, moves to Montgomery to join the working world.

1959: John Truitt meets Gail Ward in Montgomery. Turns on the charm.

Jan 30, 1961: John Truitt & Gail Ward get married at Brownville Methodist Church in Owassa, AL.

Feb 12, 1962: John Truitt’s first day in the insurance business. Begins a career with Gulf American Insurance Company in Montgomery, AL.

July 1965: Alan Truitt is born. Years later he will become the black-sheep of the family, foregoing his right to be in the insurance business, to become a high-fallutin’ Birmingham attorney. None of us know this yet but we remind him of it often in coming years.

June 1968: Tony Truitt enters the world to lots of fanfare for this package of personality, looks & smarts.

July 1970: JHT moves Truitt family to Birmingham for a$166 per month raise to work with Insurance Company of North America (INA).

July 1970 – 1985: Grinding

1985: Mailon Kent & John Truitt exit Molton, Allen & Williams to purchase Houseal Insurance Agency, renaming it Kent-Truitt Insurance Agency Inc.

June 1991: John H. Truitt founds John H. Truitt Insurance Agency Inc. On Day 1 the agency has 3 things: John Truitt, Gail Truitt and a post office box.

Aug 1991: Moved into our first office at 3520 7th Ave South behind Carlisle’s BBQ on Birmingham’s Southside.

1991: Tony Truitt receives his Property & Casualty insurance license and real estate license after receiving his college degree.

July 1, 1991: Truitt Insurance Agency is appointed to represent our first insurance carrier, Aetna Insurance Companies.

1994-ish: Tony’s hair is falling out. Pretty much a touchy period.

1996: Moved into our current address at 3004 7th Avenue South.

1999: Tony Truitt recognized as one of the Top 40 Under 40 by The Birmingham Business Journal.

July 2002: Don Adams & A.A. Adams Insurance merge into Truitt Insurance Agency Inc.

2006: Tony Truitt becomes President of Truitt Insurance Agency Inc.

2007: Appointed to represent Cincinnati Insurance Company.

2009: The Great Recession begins. Yuk!

April 2010: Truitt Insurance Agency Inc. officially changes our name to Truitt Insurance & Bonding Inc. to better reflect the focus our firm has had on surety since our beginning.

February 2012: John Truitt reaches a milestone of working in the insurance industry for 50 years.

June 17, 2012 : Father’s Day article in The Birmingham News – On The Record with John and Tony Truitt

November 2012: Truitt reaches a deal with the J.Wayne Smith agency to join Truitt Insurance & Bonding Inc.

February 2014: Truitt reaches a deal with Connie Bengtson to have Baldwin County Insurance Agency LLC.in Daphne join Truitt Insurance & Bonding.

December 2015: Dolan Fannin & The Fannin Agency located in Tallassee, AL join Truitt Insurance & Bonding.

June 2016: Truitt Insurance & Bonding celebrated our first 25 years in business.

March 2017: Rick Gibb & Beacon Insurance Group became part of Truitt Insurance & Bonding. 

August 13, 2018: Truitt recognized by The Birmingham Business Journal as a finalist for their 2018 Small Business of the Year Award.

November 26, 2018: Tony Truitt recognized by The Birmingham Business Journal as a finalist for their 2018 CEO Awards.

March, 29, 2019: Received Top Tigers Award from Auburn University Harbert College of Business.  The Top Tigers Awards recognize fast-growing companies led by Auburn University Alumni. 

June 2019: Truitt Insurance & Bonding has been recognized as a Platinum Partner with United Fire Group. This puts us in the Top 10% of agents nationwide with UFG.

January 2020: Truitt Insurance & Bonding recognized by Encompass Insurance as their Top Producing Agent in Alabama for 2019.

March 2020: Truitt Insurance & Bonding receives a Top Tigers Award from Auburn University’s Harbert College of Business. The Top Tiger Awards go to fast-growing companies led by Auburn University alumni

May 2021: Truitt Insurance & Bonding recognized for a 3rd straight year (2019, 2020, and now 2021) with a Top Tiger Award from Auburn University’s Harbert College of Business!

June 2021: We are celebrating 30 years in business. Where did the time go? Wow!

July 10, 2021: Our first-ever TRUITT NEWS RADIO SHOW hits the airwaves on Birmingham’s Talk 99.5.

August 2021: Tony Truitt recognized by Birmingham Business Journal in their “Who’s Who In Insurance & Risk Management” issue.

January 2023: TRUITT NEWS RADIO starts airing on Mobile’s FM Talk 106.5 every weekend.

March 2023: TRUITT NEWS RADIO starts airing on Huntsville’s 103.9 The Ump.

February 2038: John Truitt anticipated retirement. He has been talking about moving this back to February 2044 but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.