Bernard Williams & Company is celebrating 90 years in business this year. Founded by Bernard F. Williams during the Great Depression, the 100 percent locally owned company continues to serve the insurance and risk management needs of businesses and families throughout Georgia and the Southeast.

Beginning as a one-man agency on Historic Savannah's Bay Street, the company now has more than 35 employees, many of whom have been with the company for decades, according to CEO Dick Williams and CFO Alan Williams, sons of Founder Bernard F. Williams. Dick and Alan Williams noted that before they joined the firm, their sister, Celia W. Dunn, helped their father run the office for several years, and the firm's culture is still very much like a family, regardless of whether fellow employees share a last name.

"The people who have joined the company have worked as a group and everybody has contributed to where we are today," Dick Williams said. "We care about our customers, and our company has stood for integrity, honesty and hard work for all of its 90 years…we try to continue that by taking care of our customers in the best manner possible."  

Over the years, many area firms have been sold to national companies, yet Bernard Williams & Company has chosen to stay locally owned. "Our father was very entrepreneurial…the fact that he was willing to go out in the midst of the Depression and start a new business set a high standard for us,” Alan Williams said, adding that another reason the firm has chosen to remain local is their commitment to the community, from serving its customers to helping those in need. "From employee volunteer efforts to our company contributions, Bernard Williams & Company helps countless individuals and dozens of charitable organizations each year," he added.

Robert Daniels, COO, noted that "by being locally owned and growing organically, our firm is able to retain our founder's ethical and business standards while remaining customer focused…that’s of utmost importance to us." Bernard Williams & Company has made investments in key resources that help the firm continue to offer excellent products and services to its customers. For more than a decade, the firm has had an investment in Keystone Insurance Group, a collection of agencies from around the country. "While we remain locally-owned, having an investment in Keystone allows us to have access to exclusive resources and many different carriers,” Daniels added. Bernard Williams & Company is also associated with a third-party entity, BizAssure, which allows their customers to have free access to human resources, legal assistance and risk management advice for day-to-day operations.

In addition to these investments, the company has been committed to stellar customer service, ensuring that an actual person, not AI or a voice recording, is available 24 hours a day. Daniels went on to say that “If it is after hours and a customer needs to report a claim, even if they don’t have their policy number, the representative can look them up by their name, pull their policy number, and either connect the customer with the insurance carrier or send the information to us. If the claim is urgent, it is forwarded to the claims manager or a member of management."

From caring about its customers and employees to giving back to the community, Bernard Williams & Company is poised for the future. "We've been very blessed to continue the legacy of my father… Savannah and the Low Country are experiencing a lot of growth right now, and we're excited to be a part of it as we look to the future," Dick Williams said.

Established in 1934 by Bernard F. Williams, the agency is independently owned and serves the insurance and risk management needs of over 4,500 customers throughout Georgia and the Southeast. Headquartered in Savannah, Bernard Williams & Company offers clients a winning combination of quality, service and value from a carefully selected group of financially sound, reputable insurance companies. For more information, please visit bernardwilliamsinsurance.com.