About Us
Welcome,
PJC Insurance Agency is an independent agency located in Springfield, Missouri. Throughout the Agency’s almost 50 years, it has evolved from the largest transportation independent agency in the area, offering products in 17 states, to one that offers various insurance products and services. These are provided through markets and carriers in the four divisions of Commercial, Transportation, Personal Lines and Life and Health.
We are proud of our growth, strength and sustainability, which is due to our greatest assets, the PJC family, our long-term company relationships and our valued customers. PJC represents more than 120 insurance carriers, which allows us to represent many of the top markets in the insurance industry. In September of 2016, PJC Insurance Agency became a member of the Sunstar Insurance Group, which proudly made us one of the top 100 largest independent agencies in the United States.
As a subsidiary of the Sunstar Insurance Group, we will continue to grow on our strengths and maintain our history of high integrity, commitment and service.
Raylene Appleby
CEO
PJC Insurance Agency
History
PJC Insurance Agency was established fifty years ago, with a clear focus on insuring the transportation industry, leading to its long time reputation as one of the largest independent trucking insurance agencies in the Midwest. In 2001, Raylene Appleby joined the Agency as President and part owner. With her background in bank risk management and employee benefits, PJC began expanding departments and services to include Commercial Business, Life and Health, Personal Lines, Loss control and Risk Management, while continuing to be an industry leader in Transportation.
In 2008, Raylene and Lance Smith became partners and co-owners. The Transportation Department lead by Lance Smith, offers products and services in 17 states.
In September, 2016, PJC Insurance became a proud member of the Sunstar Insurance Group. Some things never change, and with all the growth and excitement, PJC’s greatest assets remain its core values of loyal customers, long-term employees and established insurance company relationships.
Acquisition Strategy
Our parent company, Sunstar Insurance Group, plans to grow its revenues through an aggressive acquisition strategy that will be funded by the invested capital of our balance sheet. We are interested in acquiring reputable agencies in the Springfield area or that are located in the geographical footprint of the southern and midwestern states. To become a hub agency of Sunstar, candidates should be at least $2 million in commission revenue, and smaller agencies of any revenue size will be considered as a fold in opportunity or stand alone sales office. Our criteria is to have a majority equity ownership interest in the agencies that we purchase as we are not interested in a minority position or in providing debt capital.
Sunstar seeks to acquire agencies that are financially successful, and we are not inclined to purchase financially distressed or turn around situations. After closing of the acquisition, the purchased agency’s principals and other key personnel must be willing to remain employed by Sunstar for a reasonable period of time. An attractive agency candidate should be compatible with Sunstar’s entrepreneurial sales culture and partnership management philosophy. We are knowledgeable about the current market for selling price valuations and other deal terms and are prepared to make competitive offers to qualified prospective sellers. Principals and other key employees of an acquired agency are provided the opportunity to roll over a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their agency equity into Sunstar equity on a tax deferred basis at closing.
Sunstar is a compelling alternative to the option of selling an agency to a national broker or other strategic buyer with a bureaucratic management style and autocratic approach to integration. There are many distinguishing features of the Sunstar business model that makes us a preferred buyer of choice for an agency:
• our entrepreneurial spirit and operating autonomy of affiliated agencies
• a regional geographical focus and partnership management philosophy
• the retention of your agency’s brand name, compensation scheme and management team
• competitively priced sale valuations and market driven deal terms
• the financial strength of Sunstar & access to its capital to fund your agency’s future growth
• the addition of contracts with more carriers and greater clout with underwriters
• an opportunity to own Sunstar stock and build wealth