How We Got Here
The story of a Family Business!
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!
August 2021: Tony Truitt recognized by Birmingham Business Journal in their “Who’s Who In Insurance & Risk Management” issue.
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.