The Whorton Agency’s founder Bill Whorton always had a quiet dream in the back of his mind to work alongside his close friend and fellow independent insurance agency owner, Craig Crews of ACT Insurance Agency. As many are aware, Bill passed away in July of 2020, and his daughter, Abigail Whorton, is carrying on his legacy at their family’s agency. That continuation is now seeing her Dad’s dream unfold.
In late April of this year, Abigail and her mother, Linda Whorton, met with Craig at a local coffee shop to discuss the idea of acquiring ACT Insurance Agency’s book of business. No more than an hour passed before all parties walked away with an even greater plan set in motion–not only would The Whorton Agency be purchasing the 22-year-old book, but Craig would be coming over along with his clients.
By June 1, that plan to expand operations here in Carrollton had fallen into place. The paperwork was signed, desks were cleared, and boxes were moved in.
“We are thrilled with this new opportunity for The Whorton Agency and for ACT Insurance, both personally and professionally,” says Abigail. “What Craig has allowed us to do is become his perpetuation plan, and that means that his clients will be taken care of when the time comes for him to retire. And in the meantime, we’re looking forward to bringing him into the agency to work with us.”
She continues, “This acquisition was substantial, and our goal is to continue with this pattern of quality growth as we merge our two agencies together. In fact, doing so allows us to better care for our clients across both books, and it’s our core sentiment of ‘Better Service’ that will continue to generate new opportunities as we grow with our clients and generations to come.”
“I think it is all a magnificent puzzle coming together, which I love,” Craig comments. He then goes on to elaborate on the benefits of this purchase for his long-standing client base.
“If anything, the client experience has improved,” he says. “I now have a broader opportunity to service my clients because The Whorton Agency is bigger than what my agency was; and with a larger team in place, there are more people here to help them–-without sacrificing the relationships that we’ve all built.”
Craig and Bill regularly encouraged each other as they both grew their own agencies over the years, tossing ideas back and forth and lending a listening ear or helping hand. It’s that sense of camaraderie and respect that comes alongside this particular acquisition.
“This is a really special way to continue my Dad’s legacy,” says Abigail. “The reason that this will work so well on all sides, client and agency alike, is because we hold the same core values for operating a business and rigorous standards for serving clients. We just fit.”
With this major business milestone marking the upcoming second anniversary of Bill’s passing, The Whorton Agency is flourishing. So much so that they’re looking to add to their team again, sooner rather than later, and are currently seeking a client relationship specialist. This new teammate will work to take care of clients and support day-to-day operations.
“Most importantly,” Abigail states, “we’re looking for someone that is an all around good human. Someone who cares about people and is focused on building authentic, quality relationships with our clients and our team.”
To get in touch with The Whorton Agency, Inc. regarding this exciting new chapter and how you can be a part of it as either a client or teammate, please call 770-832-8998 or email them at [email protected].
