We are excited to honor one of the greatest legends in our industry — Jim Ash, founder of Ash Brokerage — as he celebrates an illustrious journey spanning 60 years of serving thousands upon thousands of families through insurance.
Jim is no stranger to hard work. As a boy, he helped in his father’s hardware shop and as a young man, he served our country as a Marine. But in 1965, he faced some difficult choices after being laid off from his job at International Harvester. While trying to decide what path to take, he was approached about joining the insurance industry — what he said next changed not only his life, but the lives of countless Americans: “Certainly that’d be better than drawing unemployment.”
On his first day as an agent, Jim was asked to deliver a claim check of $1,000. Instantly, he discovered what his work meant to his clients and how life-changing insurance can be. He knew this was the path meant for him, and he began a long journey that would one day lead him to become a founding father of the modern brokerage general agency.
In 1971, Jim reached a new milestone, laying the foundation of his most enduring legacy, Ash Brokerage. Starting with just three employees, he dedicated himself to teaching others about the power and responsibility we have in the insurance space. Jim made sure his team had a clear vision of what was possible and what he expected of them with one rule: “Do the right thing.”
Over the next few decades, Ash Brokerage continued to thrive under Jim’s leadership, growing from a small team to a thriving business. In 1997, his son, Tim Ash, continued in his father’s footsteps becoming Ash Brokerage’s CEO. Today, the business is proud to host three generations of Ash’s with Jim’s grandson, Austin, on the team.
Jim is widely recognized for his dedication to service within both the industry and his community. He was honored by NAILBA with the Douglas Mooers Award for Excellence! An award given to those who best represent what this industry can do, while demonstrating an outstanding record of community service.
Jim has been a wonderful leader in our industry and many of our partners have benefited from his incomparable wisdom and guidance. He has built a tremendous legacy in Ash Brokerage and we are honored to be their partner. We look forward to many more years learning from him and congratulate him on his impressive and impactful career. Learn more about Ash Brokerage on their “Inspire” Podcast here!