At 50 Years, Marvin Johnson & Associates Keeps On Rolling

In June, Marvin Johnson & Associates celebrated its 50^th anniversary. Over the past five decades, the agency has grown to become the largest independent truck insurance agency in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois by living by the Golden Rule.

“It may sound cliché, but treating people the way you’d like to be treated is the most important thing in this business,” says Anthony “Tony” Johnson, Executive Vice President. “We focus on doing the right thing at all times and hire people who live their lives by that philosophy.”

Third Generation

Anthony’s grandfather, Marvin Johnson, founded the agency in Columbus, Indiana, in 1971. “My grandfather started out as a life insurance agent,” Tony says. “He found that he really liked the atmosphere of the trucking business, so he made the switch to P&C, and the rest is history.”

Tony’s father, Steve, is the agency’s CEO. The agency also has an office in Akron, Ohio.  

Although trucking has been a constant focus at the agency, the trucking industry itself has undergone revolutionary changes over the past 50 years. “Transportation is one of the highest-regulated industries out there, and staying on top of all those rules and regulations is an ongoing process,” Tony says. “However, if you’re going to specialize in trucking, you need to demonstrate that commitment to education and give customers the confidence that you know what you’re talking about.”

The agency’s claim service is also designed with trucking in mind, placing emphasis on the immediate reporting of accidents, on-the-scene investigations, and speedy repairs to get drivers back on the road quickly. Claim reporting is supported 24 hours a day, every day. Also, when drivers call on policy matters, they get direct service from an agent familiar with the trucking business and their insurance needs. 

As an essential industry, trucking never stopped during the pandemic, and neither did Marvin Johnson & Associates’ service. “We were and are fully committed to being wherever our clients need us to be,” Tony says. “Our clients had to be flexible in how they ran their business and hauled freight, and we needed to be flexible as well in order to weather the storm.” 

The agency’s staff has also grown to 70 insurance professionals who value teamwork. “Our philosophy is that nobody is working here just for themselves,” Tony says. “There is friendly competition, but we also believe that if one of us is successful, we’re all successful. We are constantly helping each other grow.” 

Keep on Trucking

Marvin Johnson & Associates recognizes that achieving its future goals will rely on the efforts of its talented staff.

“First and foremost, we always need to be sure our employees are taken care of, through good times and bad. That same philosophy extends down to our clients and making sure they are taken care of as well,” Tony says.

“People know the name Marvin Johnson and what it stands for,” says Tony. “I believe we’ve been around for 50 years because of our customer care and our commitment to honesty and integrity, and we hope to continue in business for another 50 years and more.”