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Richard Ollis, president; Karen Shannon, director of human resources and business consulting; and Jeff Chronister, senior adviser
Richard Ollis, president; Karen Shannon, director of human resources and business consulting; and Jeff Chronister, senior adviser

2015 Economic Impact Awards 30+ Years in Operation Finalist: Ollis & Co.

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Ollis & Co. was founded in 1885 to serve the insurance needs of Springfield businesses, farmers and homeowners. As it celebrates 130 years in operation, Ollis & Co. continues to assess risk and offer insurance, updated for the 21st Century.

“Over the past 130 years, we have continued our tradition as an industry leader in innovative solutions to help our clients reduce risk and control costs long term,” says Carly Pierson, marketing and communications coordinator.

“We learned early in our history how important it is to know our clients’ business and for our clients to understand their risk and potential solutions.”

Ollis & Co. traces its origins to three brothers from Peoria, Ill., — Richard, Alfred and Charles — who followed the railroad to Springfield because they believed the area represented growth and opportunity, says Richard Ollis, CEO, president and Richard’s great-grandson.

The company was based on Commercial Street for 90 years before relocating to a more central location.

With more than 2,700 clients, Ollis & Co. is licensed in all 50 states, but operates predominately within 100 miles of its Springfield base, Ollis says.

Whether working with an individual, family or business, Ollis & Co. conducts a risk analysis. Are all assets, for instance, titled correctly, or does a family owned company have enough life insurance to fund a succession plan if the leader becomes disabled or dies? The firm also will assess a company’s needs, such as employee benefits, and it offers tools to help manage programs, such as online insurance enrollment.

Ollis & Co. also has a consulting arm that covers human resources, wellness and safety. Clients can receive help with human resources compliance, from hiring, retention and termination to HR outsourcing, Ollis says.

“We can engage in a number of ways with our clients,” he says.

Wellness has been an internal emphasis at Ollis & Co. for years, and it is committed to helping other businesses encourage behavior that can lead to happier employees, better productivity and a decrease in absenteeism, says Ollis, who serves on the board of the Wellness Council of America, a national nonprofit workplace wellness organization.

“We impact the local economy by taking on the role of advisers to our area’s businesses – small ones, large ones, new ones and old ones,” Pierson says. “We shape and add to the local economy by focusing solely on supporting our fellow businesses. We create resources that will drive success for Springfield.”

With its longstanding roots in Springfield, Ollis & Co. encourages community involvement.

It’s part of the company’s culture, Ollis says.

“Where we get really jazzed up is when somebody says, ‘I’m serving on this board and I’m becoming the incoming chair.’ Not everyone has to do this, but we really support leadership,” he says.

Because Ollis & Co. has been employee-owned since 1984, there’s an added level of engagement on behalf of clients, Ollis says.

“We are completely locally owned. All of our employees are owners of our company,” he says.

“We have been investing in this community for 130 years. We’re not the biggest, but if you would look at 130 years of investment in this community – not just a few people but by all of our owners – that’s a pretty powerful story to tell.”

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