Wayne Insurance Group [Daily Record, The (Wooster, OH)]

Reliability, predictability and consistency are traits that help insurance companies be successful when life becomes chaotic, unpredictable and interrupted.

The Wayne Insurance Group has been helping people recover from unintended losses, catastrophes and disasters for more than 100 years, and it is this year's Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce's Business of the Year.

The company emerged from an idea of two men back in 1908. When the company turned 50 years old, A. Louise McCoy, a director, said it emerged from the idea of two men, W.E. Jarvis and J.S. McCoy.

"It was hard to get insurance in Wayne County," said Tod J. Carmony, who is chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of the company. "Wayne Township farmers got together, and in the course of a year started the insurance company."

Those farmers were looking for a way to protect their properties, and they met to discuss the formation of a mutual protective association. The company was incorporated on Jan. 1, 1910, and the founders established how the company would conduct itself during a meeting on Dec. 19, 1909.

From the minutes of that meeting, it was noted, "There was no desire on the part of anyone to antagonize any other company, or to ally ourselves with any other, but to work quietly and aggressively for the insurance of those who were contemplating a change, and whose risks would be of an excellent kind. To this end, caution was counseled as well as careful investigation of applications for membership in this association, and while a good-sized membership is desirable, yet only such a one from which as much of the hazard is eliminated as possible: for it is not the number of policies issued, but in the kind of risk incurred, wherein our safety lies. If we can have safe and at the same time inexpensive insurance the growth of the Association is assured."

Like many insurance companies, Wayne Mutual began as an assessment company, meaning its members paid in arrears. The insurance company would tally up how much it paid out in claims and distribute the costs among its members through assessments. Over time, the company switched to an advanced premium mutual association and no longer assesses policyholders.

When the company was incorporated, it was the Wayne Insurance Association. In 1963, when it switched to an advanced premium company, the company reorganized and renamed itself Wayne Mutual Insurance Company.

In 2009, the board signed an affiliation agreement with Lakeville- based Washington Mutual Insurance Association. The agreement called for the company's board of directors and officers to lead both companies. From this agreement emerged the Wayne Insurance Group.

The McCoy family has been tied to the company from the very beginning. The very first offices were in the home of founder J. Stewart McCoy, who also was the first agent. When the company opened an office in the People's Federal Building on the Public Square in Wooster, J. Stewart McCoy's son, Grover, took over management of the insurance association. Grover McCoy became sick in 1949, and D.M. Langell, a board member, took over management of Wayne Insurance. When Grover McCoy died in 1952, his son, James McCoy, joined the board, extending the family's relationship with the insurance company into the third generation.

James McCoy would serve only four years. He died suddenly at the age of 42. His wife, A. Louise McCoy, became a director of the company. The McCoy tradition is now in its fifth generation. After the death of Louise McCoy, her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth McCoy, was named a director. Matt McCoy, the son of J. Stewart and Elizabeth McCoy, is running the family's insurance agency.

"It's nice to have the history; it's special to us," said Elizabeth McCoy, whose husband, J. Stewart McCoy, was named after his great-grandfather, who was one of the founders. She also is appreciative that her son is continuing the tradition of having an independent insurance agency in the basement of the family home on the family farm.

"After college, Matt began working with his grandmother," Elizabeth McCoy said. And after her death, he bought the business.

As the company continued to grow, Ralph Gresser, a former dairy farmer from Smithville, became the Wayne Insurance's full-time manager.

"He pretty much ran the company forever," Carmony said. "From 1956-1996, he was the face of Wayne Mutual."

Gresser was so intricately connected to the company that Carmony views himself as "a caretaker for Mr. Gresser's company."

When Carmony, whose father, Lloyd, served as president of the board of directors from 1963-1970, joined the company in 1978, it was filled with World War II and Korean War veterans. "Now, we have the Boomers," he said. "We try to continue to refresh the employee base."

In 1952, the company moved into a converted home in the 200 block of North Market Street. By the 1970s, more space was needed. The board decided to purchase five acres off of Cleveland Road north of Wooster. The board purchased the land in 1971, construction began in 1972 and the staff moved into the new headquarters in 1973. Additions were constructed in 1986 and 1994.

At this point, Carmony is uncertain whether Wayne Mutual will have to build any more additions right away if the company's growth continues, and it is due to changes in the industry.

A walk through the company's offices will reveal a lot of empty space. The floor space was needed for filing cabinets before the company moved to a paperless process.

"At the time, computers were just giving you more paper, and we were saving that paper," Carmony said. "When we went all digital, we didn't need (the space)."

Wayne Mutual once hired several workers who wore tennis shoes and did not do anything except pull files. Others were experts in finding lost files and did nothing but that.

"Digital changed our environment, along with mobile connectivity," Carmony said.

Adjustors are never in the office anymore; they are out in the field. They take digital photos of claims, and then email notices of loss into the company. Others work from home.

Even though the headquarters was designed for a second floor, because of computer technology, Carmony predicted, "We'll never add another brick."

The company might never add another brick, but it added another insurance company into the fold. Wayne Insurance Group began 2013 with an announcement Jan. 1 that it had entered into an affiliation agreement with the Marion Mutual Insurance Association in Cassella. The company's headquarters will remain in Mercer County, however, Wayne Insurance's directors and officers will lead the company.

Elizabeth McCoy said when board members were considering the agreement, it had all of the facts and figures before them. They had been wanting to get into the western part of the state. However, on paper, it is not possible to see everything.

When the board went to visit the staff and offices of Marion Mutual, Elizabeth McCoy said she was so impressed. "They have a heritage, too. When they first started, their policies were written in German. On paper you can't see it, but the people love their jobs."

Elizabeth McCoy also is impressed with the people running Wayne Insurance.

About 130 independent agents across the state sell Wayne Mutual policies, said Dale Tschantz, marketing manager. At first, the company wrote policies that covered property damages on homes that were "well rodded." Today, the company offers a full-line of policies, including automobiles, homeowners, farms, mobile homes, fire, commercial, rental, dwelling, boat and umbrella coverages.

Before entering into the agreement with Washington Mutual, Wayne Mutual was writing about $18 million in premiums annually. It jumped from $18.6 million in 2008 to nearly $27.2 million in 2009, when the figures from both companies are combined. In 2012, Wayne Insurance Group wrote more than $32.6 million in premiums in 2012.

Dale Tschantz said he likes being part of a company that is really serving the community and not beholden to stockholders. "We serve our policyholders, employees and agents," he added.

Kevin Day, the new president of the Western Reserve Group, said his company and Wayne Mutual have had a long-standing working relationship. At one time, Western Reserve processed its policies and sort of acted as Wayne Mutual's IT department.

"I think there is a mutual respect between the companies, and like us, they have a commitment to the policyholder," Day said.

Among the independent agents selling Wayne Mutual policies are the Taylor Insurance Agency and Whitaker-Myers Insurance Agency.

"Having represented the Wayne Mutual Insurance Group for over 25 years, I have enjoyed watching the carefully managed growth and expansion they have experienced during that time," said Dave Taylor of the Taylor Agency. "They have had a very positive impact on our area through the ongoing development of their products, services, facilities and professional staff.

"Under current President Tod Carmony's excellent leadership, they have greatly enhanced their value to the agents who represent them, the customers they serve and the many other communities around Ohio in which they operate. I congratulate them on this well-deserved honor."

"Wayne Insurance Group does a superior job for our clients, handling claims fairly, quickly and with extreme integrity," said Scot Allen, president of Whitaker-Myers. "They truly care about people, and want very much to do the right thing at all times. That's their goal, and we believe they do an excellent job meeting it.

"Their people are first rate and truly toil away every day in relative anonymity, I believe, yet they are very involved in this community. Their leadership team quietly goes about running a darn good little insurance company."

Company officials have shared their expertise in their communities, bringing their business experiences to help boards and organizations, Dale Tschantz said. His brother, David Tschantz, serves on the Green Local School District board and Tim Suppes serves on the Southeast school board.

"Wayne is far from the largest insurance company we represent, but we're proud to be their agent, wholeheartedly recommend them to our clients, and find their selection of Business of the Year as entirely appropriate and long overdue," Allen said.

Pat Neyhart, who was chairman of the Chamber's board of directors when was selected as Business of the Year, said the company is just a solid citizen of the community.

"It's one of these companies that has been around for a long time," Neyhart said. "They are very helpful to the community.

"They are kind of like a Wooster Brush. You never hear about them much, but they are always there. A lot of companies come and go, but you can always count on Wayne Mutual. I hope they are here for another 100 years."

"We're proud to be a local company," Carmony said. "You can do insurance anywhere. When you buy insurance from Western Reserve, Mennonite Mutual or Wayne Mutual, you are not only supporting that agent, but local companies."

Reporter Bobby Warren can be reached at 330-287-1639 or [email protected]. He is @BobbyWarrenTDR on Twitter.