Standing The Test Of Time
For over nine decades, customer advocacy has ‘insured’ continuous growth for The Norton Agency
The greatest danger to the survival of a family business is often in passing from one generation to another, with barely more than one in 10 surviving into the third generation of ownership.
Where other businesses have suffered in transition, however, The Norton Agency has thrived.
What began in 1928 as a local insurance agency founded by W.L. Norton, a Georgia State Senator, is now in the hands of his grandsons and has grown into a regional enterprise with 19 locations across Georgia and South Carolina.
“We started as a local insurance agency and grew from there to include real estate,” says Bob Norton, CEO and grandson of the founder. “We added real estate development with our first subdivision in Gainesville. My father (Frank Norton Sr.) joined the firm when he got out of college in 1954. My mother joined in 1976. As more family got into the business, the business got bigger.”
Stepping into the Shoes
In 1982, Bob graduated from Georgia Tech and joined the family-owned company. Four years later, his brother Frank Jr. joined him. The brothers had grown up in the business and knew it well, but they also had plans for expansion and growth.
“My brother and I bought our father out of the company 19 years ago and have continued to grow the business,” Bob says. “We’re still a real estate, development, property management and insurance firm. When we purchased it from my dad, the agency was in the neighborhood of $9 million in sales. We’re now somewhere in the neighborhood of $600 million in total sales with 300 people in the firm.”
A Wider Net
The breadth of services marketed by The Norton Agency is one of the key factors in its growth and success. The company offers personal, business and life and health insurance. But in concert with its expanded operations in real estate development and property management, it also provides surety bonding for contractors and construction companies, along with mortgage and title services, facilities management and financial services.
“The interesting thing about our business is marrying insurance with the real estate world,” Bob says. “Typically, insurance agencies specialize in one or two things. We’re a multi-line agency offering business and construction specialties. Much of what we’ve learned about insuring risks was garnered through our service of our own accounts or our own developments. As my father developed projects, I would follow along and insure the deals he was doing. As we expanded our real estate development interests, we were able to provide insurance services to all the contractors working on our projects and expand from there.”
In real estate, the company specializes in housing and in the medical field. The Norton Agency recently completed work on the Longstreet Clinic as part of the Highpoint Medical Center in Braselton, Georgia, and is currently renovating an old church into a nine-unit apartment building.
“One thing we’ve always done is continue to steadily grow,” Bob says. “Even in the downturn of the economy, I can’t remember a year we ever went backward. We’ve expanded through organic growth and acquisitions on our insurance side. On our real estate side, we’ve put together groups of investors and bought property and continued to develop projects ranging from ground up to renovation. Since my brother and I have taken over, the company has grown leaps and bounds.”
Bob also credits The Norton Agency’s relationship with The Blue Book Network for bringing in additional business opportunities.
“Our relationship with Blue Book has been good,” Bob says. “The insurance world is all about meeting new people and offering your services. Through The Blue Book Network we’ve been introduced to people we can serve in the construction industry through bonds and general insurance, which are both strong businesses in this market. Being able to do both gives us more opportunities to help those contractors who need our services.”
What began in 1928 as a local insurance agency founded by W.L. Norton, a Georgia State Senator, is now in the hands of his grandsons and has grown into a regional enterprise with 19 locations across Georgia and South Carolina.
Deep Roots
For all of its growth, particularly in the past two decades, Bob says The Norton Agency has been careful not to lose track of its roots or shift away from the foundations of its success. It began as a local insurance agency and that origin, as a part of the larger community, has been vital to its longevity. As Bob says, part of the value The Norton Agency brings is a more familiar, long-term relationship with its clients.
“You buy insurance, but when you need it, you need an advocate,” Bob says. “Our job isn’t just selling insurance; it’s selling the right insurance. I’ve had clients with me for 20 years who look at me like their CPA or attorney, because I’m trying to protect their assets. That’s the overwhelming theme throughout our company—we’re not just here at the front end to sell you a product, we’re here throughout the process.”
Service to the client and embracing its role as part of the community come naturally to a company with a culture like the one Bob and his brother Frank Jr. promote. Involvement in the community is a quality the firm’s leadership encourages in employees. Employees set the tone recently when, to honor the company’s 90th anniversary, they built a home and donated it to Habitat for Humanity.
“We have a family culture,” Bob says. “That’s the most interesting dynamic of our business. Out of 150 people (on the insurance side), 50 or more are related to someone else in the company. They don’t work for me; they work for their corporate family. We strongly believe in the family culture and do a lot to sponsor that. We have employees who’ve been here for 40 years.”
Bob adds, “Our culture and our roots are what set us apart. Our roots are where we started—in small towns. Our offices are mostly in small towns throughout Georgia and South Carolina. Our business requires us to have that caring, consultative approach, to be friends with our clients. We see them at the grocery stores and our kids’ ballgames. Part of our job is to be part of the community we serve. We preach being part of our clients’ businesses as well. We’re a family business that’s always been there to do the right thing. We have a good name and integrity. It’s hard to stay around and grow for 91 years if you’re not doing the right thing.”