History
What we know today as the Gallaher Insurance Group, began back in the 1920’s with two families and two agencies.
Gallaher Family: James W Gallaher first began insurance services in the 1920’s when he owned Farm & Home Savings and Loan Bank in Mexico, MO. It was customary at the time that besides loaning money, banks offer insurance as well. For many years James Gallaher ran both a bank and insurance agency. In 1977 John Gallaher, the grandson of James Gallaher, opened an insurance agency called Gallaher Insurance Agency. He worked very hard at becoming the most professional agent he could be and continued to expand the agency for the next 30 years.
Rodes Family: Similarly, a second insurance agency began in Mexico in the 1920’s by a husband and wife team, J.R. (Doc) and Genevieve Rodes called the J.R. Rodes Insurance Agency. Although both were working at the agency, Genevieve was the true heart of the agency and a wealth of knowledge and both ‘Doc’ and Genevieve were well liked and respected in the community. In the 1940’s, Edward L ‘Bud’ Rodes joined the agency and the younger Rodes proved to be an excellent businessman. He was admired for his willingness to go ‘over the top’ for his clients even sitting down with presidents of companies to get things right for customers.
In 1978, with Genevieve’s health failing, the Rodes Agency was sold to Citizens Savings bank. Bud remained head of insurance operations while numerous salespeople and employees were hired. In the early 80’s, Community Federal took over Citizens Savings and the bank discontinued insurance operations. The result was the spin-off of two insurance agencies. The Rodes Insurance Service Center opened it’s doors on Love Street and the Gallaher-Tangora Insurance Agency opened it’s doors on Monroe.
In 1988, the two largest agencies Mexico decided to quit competing against each other and join forces. They merged together to be known as the Gallaher-Tangora-Rodes Insurance agency. The agency first opened it's doors on Monroe Street, but then moved to it’s current location of 110 N Coal in 1991.
Today, the agency is known as the Gallaher Insurance Group. It employs 23 in the Mexico and Columbia offices….and nearly 30 in its extended family of offices. Because of its deep insurance roots, the agency boasts the knowledge of a veteran insurance staff while adding fresh ideas of a younger generation of employees. There are 3 partners that now own the agencies together- -John Gallaher, Rusty Brett, and Barrett Hutchinson.