Phillips celebrates 40 years, launches Phillips-Gray

GLEN ROSE — The Glen Rose Somervell County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting this month to celebrate Phillips-Gray Insurance Brokerage and honor longtime local business owner Marilyn Phillips, who is marking the 40th anniversary of Sunrise Properties of Texas and Marilyn Phillips Insurance Agency.

Chamber President Brian Thomas opened the ceremony with a nod to his long history with Phillips, recalling that he first met her in the early 1990s when he served as an administrator for the city.

"I think I was on the chamber board with her back in the 1890s," Thomas joked. "She was the bigwig of it back in those days. I learned a lot from her… she probably didn't know that, but I did look up to her."

The event, held on Nov. 13 outside Sunrise Properties off Big Bend Trail, drew chamber ambassadors, business owners, clients, and community members who gathered to recognize Phillips' four decades of service and celebrate her latest partnership with the newly formed Phillips-Gray Insurance Brokerage.

Phillips thanked the crowd and emphasized that the milestone belonged as much to the community as it did to her businesses.

"Today is really marking more," she said. "The 40th anniversary is our way of saying thank you to all of our clients and customers. We could not have done this, or continue to do it, without our valued clients and friends."

As part of the celebration, attendees enjoyed lunch, entered drawings for prizes, and joined in a formal ribbon-cutting photo opportunity recognizing Phillips-Gray's launch. According to the business, the new brokerage reflects a commitment to expand offerings and add more companies to better serve customers in Somervell County and beyond.

The Chamber echoed that sentiment in its social media remarks, thanking Phillips "for four decades of supporting, protecting, and uplifting the Glen Rose community" and congratulating her on both her anniversary and her new partnership.

"Cheers to 40 years of service and heart," the Chamber posted. "We're grateful for your commitment and proud to celebrate this milestone with you."

Phillips, known for her longstanding presence in local real estate and insurance services, is now bolstered by her collaboration with Phillips-Gray.

The anniversary event served as both a look back at the legacy she has built and a look forward to the future of the expanding brokerage.

"Come on down," her invitation read ahead of the celebration.