In 1869 and 1870, two firms were founded in Wooster, Ohio – the W.G. Whitaker Insurance Agency (initially the Fullerton Agency until 1891) and the W.C. Myers Agency.  Both began building solid reputations based on the trust of their clients.  Men like Walter Whitaker, W.C. Myers, George Quinby, Francis Whitaker, George Wertenberger, Ivan Steiner, Dick Sheller, Robert Anderson and Richard Jones were respected and professional members of the Wooster area and were largely responsible for the growth and reputation for excellence of their respective agencies.  Today, those two organizations remain as ONE– Whitaker-Myers Insurance Agency Inc. — and maintain those same guiding principles which have earned the agency the trust of an entire community.  The firm now uses the trade name, Whitaker-Myers Insurance Group.

Over the years, the Whitaker-Myers Insurance Group has grown to become one of Ohio’s premiere privately-owned independent insurance agencies. Our clients range from homeowners and small businesses to well-known area, regional and national organizations.  We’re in a growth mode and while others around us are being acquired by larger agencies or banks, we are welcoming new clients and acquiring other agencies.  This plan fortifies our balance sheet and our independent position and secures the future for our employees and clients.

Within the past two decades, our plan has seen expansion of the Whitaker-Myers family.  First, with the acquisition of Badger Insurance Agency (Orrville) in 1984, and then in 1998, the merger of Insurance Showcase Agency (John McCord, CPCU) into Whitaker-Myers.  Mr. McCord’s 30+ years of insurance experience includes work as a field underwriter with Motorists Mututal Companies prior to becoming an independent agent.  The former Insurance Showcase Agency had included acquisitions of three smaller agencies, including the George Leedy Felt Agency in Shreve, Ohio.  The ownership of Whitaker-Myers Insurance Agency Inc. today includes John McCord and co-owner’s Scott Allen (22 years experience, owner since 1990) and Scott Young (17 years experience, owner since 1990). 

In 2002, the agency acquired the Ingmand Insurance Agency in nearby Ashland, Ohio — another outstanding college community (home of Ashland University) about 25 miles from Wooster.  The Ingmand Agency, founded in 1913 in Ashland by Mr. Ingmand’s grandfather, has long been regarded by Ashland Countians as the premiere source for insurance and risk management expertise and for sound judgement and service excellence.  Like Whitaker-Myers, Westfield Group/Ohio Farmers Insurance Company was the first of Ingmand’s 1913 contract appointments.  Former Ingmand principals Robert “Bud” Ingmand and Jack Ebert remained with the firm until their retirement in 2004 and 2006, respectively.  Though the Ashland office is now part of the Whitaker-Myers Insurance Group, the agency office building in Ashland continues to bear the Ingmand name — a name forever linked with a reputation for quality, professionalism and ethics in that community for four generations. 

Similarly, in 2003 Whitaker-Myers Insurance Group also acquired the Aten & Mennetti Insurance Agency, with offices in Mansfield and Ashland, Ohio.  The Ashland offices of Aten & Mennetti now share facilities with Ingmand Insurance, which gives Whitaker-Myers one consolidated Ashland location (20 E. Main St.).  Former A&M owners Emmett Mennetti and Donald Aten remained with Whitaker-Myers as account executives and consultants until their retirement in June 2007.

With our stated goal of remaining independent for our clients and employees, Whitaker-Myers Insurance Group remains open to other acquisition and partnership opportunities in northeast and northcentral Ohio and beyond, that might make sense strategically as a good match for our organization, its associates’ families and policyholders.