Starting a business can certainly be a scary thing, and that is exactly what went through the mind of Jill Duncan when she started her business 17 years ago in Carrollton.
After graduating from Auburn University in 1990, Jill started her career in Birmingham, Alabama; and then a short time later Atlanta State Farm operations came calling. With twenty-nine years of service at State Farm, Jill expresses her strength of character by giving back to the community. She opened her agency in Carrollton on April 1st, 2002. She tells The City Menus, “After visiting Carrollton, seeing all it had going on, even 17 years ago, we decided this would be a perfect place to raise a child and be part of a community. One of the reasons why I am proud to be part of the State Farm community is the company’s steadfast support of local communities through education, and giving back.”
Helping customers recover from ‘the unexpected’ is something that the team at Jill Duncan State Farm Insurance Agency put into motion. The entire team is physically in the community, so for example when a tornado hit Bowdon in May 2008, they brought clothes and food, helped people with their insurance, and provided folks with a place to stay. Jill chimes in, “A few weeks ago a customer needed to pay her insurance before the close of business, her work would not allow her to leave, and she only had cash, so we went to her to make sure the premium did not cancel.” She explains, “Helping our customers is the importance of being a small business owner.”
The impact of Jill Duncan’s business goes further into the community than one might know. For example, the plaques in her office tell the story. Her achievements range from being Rotarian of the Year in 2018 to being President of the Board for the Carroll County Emergency shelter for six years. She currently serves as the co-chair of the Workforce Development committee with the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce. In 2017 she won the Horizon Award along with being a recipient of the Environmental Excellence award from Keep Carroll Beautiful! Additionally, Jill writes children’s books. She published her first book in 2015, “Where Fairies Dance” which benefited the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.
Now, fast-forward to 2019, Jill has launched a new initiative, Barks & Books which has received grants from Power of the Purse and Alice H Richards Foundation. Dog and handler teams are currently in training to become certified by the Alliance of Therapy Dogs and receive their Reading Education Assistance Dog (R.E.A.D.) certification. She explains, “Dog and handler teams will go into local elementary schools where students will read to the dogs. There are several key indicators of education success throughout the school career of a student. One of them is ensuring students’ reading matches their grade level by the third grade. The goal of Barks and Books is to help increase the reading levels of students who may have found reading challenging.”
Jill Duncan’s passion for the community is truly at the heart of everything she does. Her role would not be possible if it were not for her staff. Her team, Alex, April, Christy, and Stephanie, all enjoy meeting new customers and helping personalize plans for their needs. The team notes, “We take the time to explain all lines of the policy to make sure the client is comfortable and leaves with the highest level of understanding. When the time comes to file a claim, we want to make sure you are prepared so you can take care of your family and we can take care of you.”
For all your insurance needs, visit Jill Duncan State Farm at 1654 Maple Street in Carrollton or call 770-834-6570. Click here to visit their website.
