The History of Standard Insurance, An Independent Agency in Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Howard H.
Strandberg, Sr.
Manager
1935– 1964

Howard H.
Strandberg, Jr.
President / CEO
1952– 1979

Howard H. Strandberg, III
President / CEO
1979– 1997

J. Buckley Strandberg
President / CEO
1982 – Present

January 1985
Agency's first in-house computer system was installed. This changed many procedures and required much staff re-education. It streamlined routines and increased efficiency.

July 1995
Standard acquired former Mixon Insurance Agency. This was the agency's first acquisition and improved the quality of insurance companies represented.

October 1997
J. Buckley Strandberg appointed President.

October 2000
J. Buckley Strandberg becomes 100% owner of the agency.

June 1998
Gus Tulloss affiliated with Standard.

April 2001
Standard purchased the building where irs corporate office resides today at 1000 Benvenue Road.

November 2001
John T. Smith joined the agency as a partner, and opened our Wilson office.

August 2005
Dawn Etheridge moved to outside sales as a Producer.

March 2006
William H. Pitt, III– AIC, SAKU joined Standard as our third partner, and opened our Wilmington office.

March 2008
Georgia "George" Wojcik joined the agency and helped get the new Nags Head office off the ground.

Standard Insurance & Realty was incorporated in1917as an independent agency in Rocky Mount, North Carolina by a group of local business men to provide property management and insurance to themselves and their community.

In 1935, Howard H. Strandberg, Sr. (grandfather of current President J. Buckley Strandberg) was employed as the manager. He employed M. W. Ivey as his associate. Strandberg and Ivey operated the business with Strandberg concentrating on insurance sales and service and real estate sales, and Ivey concentrating on real estate and property management.

In 1952, Howard H. "Stran" Strandberg, Jr., returned from college and military service and entered the agency with his primary emphasis in the area of insurance.

Upon the death of Howard Sr. in 1964, ownership of the agency became vested equally between Stran and Ivey. In 1975, Stran purchased the interest of Ivey and became the sole stockholder.

Stran became very proficient and knowledgeable in all lines of insurance. Through his efforts and leadership, both within the business and the community, the agency grew and was recognized as one of the three premier insurance agencies in Rocky Mount.

Stran was fortunate to handle insurance for some of the areas finest companies and public entities: Hardee's Food Systems, NC Wesleyan College, The City of Rocky Mount, Rocky Mount School System, Boice Willis Medical Clinic and Nash General Hospital.

As Standard Insurance & Realty continued to grow, it became obvious that we were well on our way to fulfilling the concept of a complete agency – with markets, personnel and expertise to service the broad spectrum of insurance needs for the entire Rocky Mount area – it also became obvious that we had outgrown our existing office location. We began construction of a new office building on Franklin Street in March of 1979, and moved in to the new building in October of 1979.

At Stan's untimely death in July of 1979, responsibility for the agency was left to Stan's wife Betsy Strandberg and Howard H. Strandberg III, Stran's oldest son. Howard III began work in the agency upon graduation from college in 1977. Howard became president upon Stran's death. Stran's other son J. Buckley Strandberg, joined the agency upon graduation from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1982. Howard assumed the internal operations duties and Buckley focused on sales.

In October of 1997, Howard III resigned to pursue other business interests.
J. Buckley Strandberg was appointed President and Kim Bletsas was promoted to Secretary and Office Manager. In August and October of 2000, J. Buckley Strandberg completed the stock purchase of the other two shareholders to become the 100% owner of the corporation.

In November of 2001, we opened our second office in Wilson, NC.
In March of 2006, we opened our third office in Wilmington, NC.
In March of 2008, our fourth office opened in Nags Head, NC.

In the summer of 2008, we re-evaluated our corporate image and developed the logo and tagline in use today.

TODAY: We continue to grow both in size and service, quality and expertise. We look forward to meeting tomorrow's challenges, setting new goals and reaching new heights in the years ahead.

We are a United States company. We are licensed to sell Business Insurance in the following states: NC, SC, VA, GA, FL, PA, IN, MD
We are licensed to sell Personal Insurance in the following states: NC, SC, VA