Newsletter Issue 2

Serving the Ozarks for 40 Years

40 years ago, a native son of the Ozarks began to pursue his dream and opened a small, one-man independent insurance operation in the Ozarks. Today that dream has evolved into a dynamic and growing insurance agency that continues to serve the insurance and risk management needs of the greater Ozarks community – Connell Insurance.

Pat Connell grew up in a family that was entrenched in the tri-lakes culture. His father Bob's entrepreneurial spirit included:

• Running the "Betty C.", a tourist excursion boat that departed from what is now Branson Landing and was named after Pat's mother, Lisbeth.
• Operating the Kimberling City ferry while Table Rock was becoming a lake.
• Building the Kimberling Cove Resort Marina, now part of What's Up Dock.
• Founding Waterhouse Houseboats, which became the third largest houseboat manufacturer in the U.S. in the 60's.

Ironically it was the Waterhouse Houseboat operation that became a watershed event that impacted Pat's future in insurance. Tragedy struck in the late 60's and fire engulfed the manufacturing plant. Unfortunately the business did not survive due to insurance difficulties.

Driven to help others avoid similar misfortunes, Pat opened Hollister-based Connell Insurance to provide the protection individuals and businesses needed. With his marine history, Connell Insurance quickly became and remains the largest provider of marine-related insurance in southwestern Missouri.

Growing with the Area

As the years passed, the agency grew in both size and scope. The area was changing quickly and the agency began serving the needs of the hospitality and entertainment industries, along with construction, banking, professional services, non-profit agencies, and government. Today, the agency provides services to a wide range of businesses, governmental entities, and individuals, ranging from property/casualty and workers' compensation to group health, benefits, financial services, and personal home, auto, and health.

In the mid-80's Pat's younger brother Tim joined the firm, followed by Pat's son Chad in the mid-90's. During this time the agency adapted to meet the needs created by the explosive growth in theaters, hotels, resorts, restaurants, condominiums, marinas, and vacation-related industries. Approaching 30 employees, Connell Insurance is one of the largest agencies in southwest Missouri today. However, founder Pat Connell was quick to add, "Although we've become a large agency, our focus is still on protecting our clients and treating them in the same way we would want to be treated."

Changing with the Times

The fourth decade brought a lot more changes to the agency, including ownership. In 2005, Tim and Chad purchased Pat's ownership of the agency. As Pat explained, "Perpetuation is a difficult issue for any small business, but we were blessed. Tim and Chad had already become integral to our operations and it was time to give them the opportunity to pursue their passions and dreams in taking the agency to a new level."

President Tim Connell explained, "Pat provided us with an unbelievable opportunity to assume ownership of a thriving agency with a solid reputation within our community. Our challenge is to continue that tradition, while embracing the opportunities of providing greater service, utilizing technology to its maximum potential, and furthering our mission of serving the businesses and people in a myriad of ways." Tim and Chad have since expanded the ownership to include Randall Gammill, Mike Nangle, and Randy Holm as partners in the firm.

Serving the Stakeholders

Tim's mention of "service to the community" is not taken lightly. The agency is heavily involved in a number of activities throughout the region, ranging from the disability community and other non-profit charities, to economic development and numerous associations within a number of arenas.

According to Chad Connell, "Our family believes that success is only possible by our nurturing support of the three major stakeholders in our business: our clients, our employees, and our community."

That philosophy has also made Connell Insurance a preferred employer in the area with long-time employees who appreciate the agency's commitment to service, education, and personal growth. Aside from continuing education to better prepare employees to serve the clients, the agency also supports employee activities in numerous charitable endeavors throughout the year. "One of our most popular events," says Tim, "is serving holiday dinners to the workers at Tantone Industries at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our staff looks forward to planning and participating in serving these dinners every year. In fact, it's hard to find someone willing to stay in the office to answer the phones on those days. Everyone wants to help dish out the food!"

As for the clients, Chad talked some more about his dad, "Growing up, Pat taught me that it wasn't just about insurance, it was about helping other people – helping them to get the best value for their premium dollar, but also helping them to be successful in their ventures. He was sort of the 'go-to guy'. Friends and clients would come to him with their problems or concerns and seek his advice."

Tim explained how that philosophy has carried forward to today, "As an independent agency, we work with a large number of insurance carriers. That enables us to effectively shop our clients' needs for the best value and coverage in the marketplace. But insurance is only a small part of what we do. We want to help them build a strong, thriving business. That's why we have a long list of value-added resources that they can access for expertise and direction: workers' comp audits where we uncover overcharges, healthy workplace, human resources, educational seminars, as well as technology, communications, marketing, and more."

Like many of the multi-generational entertainment families in Branson, Connell Insurance remains a multi-generational family operation with plans for many more decades of service to the greater Ozarks community.

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