The Cole Agency: Niche Lines Thrive in South Georgia
Since the early 1970s, the growth of the nation’s poultry industry has been nothing short of phenomenal. Georgia has regularly ranked among the leading states in terms of total economic value – topping a $28 billion impact in 2021.
Rusty Russell, Kevin Cole and the Cole family have built the Cole Agency from the ground up in Montezuma, Georgia. Cole not only insures the region’s poultry farmers, but literally helps them strengthen the foundations of their operations. Founded in 1984 by Les Cole, the Cole Agency has grown from insuring four poultry houses into a multi-line agency covering a wide range of clients in 30 states specializing in, of course, poultry insurance.
“The industry had an awful loss ratio, historically,” Kevin says. “There were widespread issues with how the poultry houses were built – electrical, structural, mechanical. My dad, Lester, was an insurance man and a former Army technician. He was interested in helping growers lower their risk by building better houses. I think this approach to risk management was unheard of at the time, but he gave it a go and off we went. Rusty, Dad and I purchased the Cole Agency from my brother, Les, in the late ‘90s.”
The agency has grown right along with the poultry industry. It’s worked with some of the largest growers in the industry to the smallest family-owned farms.
“Dad did a lot of the research into improving the poultry houses for our clients,” Kevin says. “He also went out and created great carrier relationships. He knew many of the manufacturers of poultry house equipment and the builders of the structures. He was a great go-between and so he was able to create this business model to better serve the industry.”
Now entering its fourth decade of business, Cole maintains long-term relationships with many farm and poultry carriers and is a leading producer in farm and poultry insurance.
Cole provides a full range of risk management services and coverage options for the agribusiness sector, from site prep and construction to equipment, vehicle and general liability. It’s leveraged its historic strengths to expand across the country.
Kevin and Les – both aviation enthusiasts – built a niche covering the unique needs of pilots and aircraft owners. Today, Cole quotes and binds jets and jet prop aircraft, as well as repair stations and maintenance facilities and farms. For nearly 30 years, Kevin has dedicated his out-of-office time to restoring vintage aircraft. He holds a pilot’s license with an instrument rating.
Rusty comes from a poultry family. His grandfather and his uncle Jim Arthur both had careers in the poultry industry. An industry leader, he has been instrumental in Cole’s national growth and, along with Lester, co-authored of a guide on poultry house construction widely used by the industry. He is a partner in a Honduran coffee farm and is building a pecan farm with his son, Kyle.
When asked about their partnership with Oakbridge, Kevin says, “We needed to grow. We’ve been looking for the right partner for about five years. We’d been in acquisition mode but realized we needed resources to better focus on our clients and their needs. The industry is undergoing another seismic shift, and we wanted to be ready to help cover the upcoming building boom as houses built in the ‘80s and ‘90s reach the end of their lifespan. Oakbridge fit the model we were seeking – a like-minded independent agency that was an integrator, not an aggregator.”
For Kevin, a key determining factor in the partnership was Oakbridge’s approach to growth: “They’re focused on letting us do what we do best. We’ll be able to better support not only our clients, but our team. Our employees are the whole reason we’re here. They’re why we’re successful. Oakbridge supports that and we’re excited about what the future holds!”
The Cole Agency will enable Oakbridge to gain invaluable insight and experience in key sectors of the Southeast’s economy. Cole’s approach to risk management and specialization matches the company’s emphasis on providing value for its clients. New coverage lines such as aviation will strengthen the agency’s offerings as well.
“Rusty and I will continue to grow this business,” Kevin says. “It’s an exciting time for us, and we’re well positioned to take on new lines and new accounts. We’re happy to lend our knowledge and experience to the team. Best of all, our folks will be better supported in everything they do.”