Ollis & Co. president on leave after surgery

After undergoing cardiac bypass surgery on New Year's Eve, Ollis & Co. President and CEO Richard Ollis is taking time off to recover while his business continues under the supervision of two senior officers.

Ollis sought care Dec. 27 after experiencing shortness of breath while walking in his neighborhood. The Dec. 31 surgery was preventive in nature, according to Kevin Robbins, director of sales for the Springfield insurance firm.

"As we've said with him and he feels as well, we're lucky that it was caught the way it was," Robbins said, noting Ollis didn't have a heart attack or take damage to his heart.

As Ollis recovers, Robbins and Dick Pogue, director of finance - the two other members of the firm's executive team - are charged with running the business.

"You have Dick Pogue, who really handles the operations side of the business, or our support staff, and I handle the sales side of it, so we really have that management in place to handle both aspects," Robbins said, adding the plan already was in place in case of death or illness.

Robbins said Ollis plans to return on a part-time basis as early as February and full time April 1.