KAIA: 100 Years of Serving Independent Agents 2021 | Page 85

James W . Fee
James W . Fee ( Jim ) was president of the association in 1975 . In 1965 , Jim served as the chairman of the KAIA Disaster Committee . In March of that year , he sent out a very comprehensive and complete Disaster Planning Kit to all association members . In 1973 , Jim presented a session at the annual convention on the new " No-Fault Insurance Plan " that went into effect on January 1 , 1974 . In 1975 while Jim was president , the association ' s name was changed at the June board meeting to the Independent Insurance Agents of Kansas , Inc . The board , under his leadership , also approved sending $ 2000 to the national association to conduct a study on computer programs for the insurance industry . Jim served as the state national director from 1978 to 1983 . Jim received the Outstanding Agent Award in 1982 and the Distinguished Service Award in 1984 .
Jim graduated from the University of Kansas in 1954 . He was then commissioned as Ensign in the Navy and served as the radio officer aboard the USS Albany . In 1957 , he joined his father and brother in the Frank Fee Agency . It began the expansion of their business . The agency was later named the Fontron-Fee Agency , and Jim was the president . The Fee Agency history is noted above and has roots in Hutchinson , Kansas , back to 1883 . James W . Fee died on August 9 , 2003 .
of 1994 , the Fees sold 50 percent of this agency to Larry K . Williams of Halstead . Grant Williams managed the new Williams Agency , Inc ., and Fee Insurance Agency , Inc . maintained 50 percent ownership . In April of 1990 , Brad Rayl joined this agency and also retained ownership . In September 1990 , the Fee Agency merged with one of Hutchinson ’ s oldest insurance agencies , McNaghten Insurance Company , Inc ., to form Fee McNaghten Insurance . The merger left the Fees with majority ownership of the agency . John D . Coleman went over with the merger from McNaghten . In September 1994 , the Fees purchased Coleman ’ s interest in the agency and retained him for his expertise . In April 1994 , the agency hired Joe Heeney from Olathe to head up the agency ' s life , health , securities , and employee benefits section . This position continues to grow .
In 1995 , Fee-McNaghten purchased Jardine Insurance Brokers-Hutchinson Agency . The old Kline Insurance agency had been in business in Hutchinson for over 60 years . This acquisition was the largest in terms of premium volume that the Fees had purchased to date .
Over the years , the company continued to grow by merging with other local and regional companies . It has also expanded by opening new offices outside the city ' s boundaries - even starting an agency in McPherson from scratch . They then opened an agency in Salina and Wichita . They have an employee in Olathe who services rural hospitals throughout Kansas .
Fee Insurance Group is proud of its commitment to quality service . It has grown and prospered over the years and had no intentions of stopping or resting . Its success depends on the efforts of every member of its outstanding agency team . It had 30 business employees in five locations and was headquartered out of the First National Bank in Hutchinson .
100 Years of Service , 1921-2021 85