Our History
Our History
In 1977 David Shepherd founded the agency in Carmel, Indiana. Today Shepherd operates with 26 locations in 6 states with over 350 employees. From the humble beginnings of selling life insurance, Shepherd now is among the elite 50 largest independent insurance agencies in the nation selling products in commercial, benefits, personal, and financial.
Fresh out of Ole Miss University, Carmel High School grad and former Indiana Mr. Basketball, Dave Shepherd teams up with his father William “Coach Bill” and launches Shepherd Insurance from Dave’s basement. The duo’s first sales strategy: Knock on as many doors as possible. They got their start selling life and disability insurance for Franklin Life. Every family member and friend was a potential prospect.
Read moreAfter five years of steady success, Shepherd Insurance was contracted by a regional insurance company to begin offering auto, home, and small business insurance options in addition to their ongoing life insurance business. Dave seized the opportunity to relocate, moving out of the basement and into…a garage. A renovated one-car garage attached to a small, standalone house was now the new headquarters of Shepherd Insurance. Being the only house amongst a growing number of high-rises lining Meridian Street, the staff affectionately referred to the office as “Shepherd Tower.” Coincidentally, today Shepherd’s home office is across the street at one of those true Meridian Street towers.
Read moreAfter graduating from Ohio State University with a golf scholarship, Jeff Kweder forwent qualifications for a PGA Tour card and joined Dave as Shepherd’s first sales advisor. His nickname, Q-Man, was coined as a result of people mistaking the spelling of his last name. A beat-up, ’77 Chevy with a touch of rust was his signing bonus. Today Jeff serves as Shepherd’s president and partner.
Read moreWith great enthusiasm and pride, Shepherd relocates a few blocks away from their garage on Meridian Street into a 1,000 square foot office fit to house 6 people.
Shelby Howard was our first client to take a risk on our Shepherd Shield products. The Shepherd Shield was designed to wrap all necessary insurance and financial products into a single solution. Shelby Howard, a visionary, quickly grasped our concept and directed us to become specialists in the truck dealership industry. Shelby would go on to be one of Dave’s best friends as they both watched their businesses grow side-by-side.
Read moreRequiring more room and anticipating further growth, Dave buys land and builds a 10,000 square foot office building located at 1200 W Carmel Drive. At the time of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the 10-person staff occupied only half of the space. However nearly five years later, Shepherd would grow to inhabit the entire building.
Read moreThe new millennium incorporated employee benefits, health & wellness, 401k, and wealth management to round out Shepherd’s current offerings of personal and commercial insurance. Shepherd’s forward-thinking approaches lead to an unprecedented evolution of the independent insurance agency model: the selling of not one, but several insurance and financial products under the same roof.
Read moreShepherd Insurance wins its first Agency of the Year award, from the Independent Insurance Agents Association, based on Trusted Choice® advisors criteria. It came as a complete surprise, most of those nominated for these awards had several insurance companies to compete with. At the time Shepherd only had but a few. It was this awared that inspired Shepherd to grow as a true independent agency. By now, many of the Shepherd Insurance innovations had been replicated by independent insurance agencies across the nation. This distinction was given to Shepherd in recognition of its ability to deliver value to customers through strong insurance product expertise and its responsive service culture.
Read moreNational Underwriter magazine recognizes Shepherd as a top agency in the United States. This distinction was given in recognition of our teamwork and client-focused philosophy. Receiving this honor marks the agency’s first national recognition.
Read more2005 birthed Shepherd’s first successful merger & acquisition. Today Shepherd Insurance Evansville remains one of the top performing Shepherd agencies.
In 2007 John Moore Insurance Agency merged with Shepherd.
The agency’s strong growth and crowd appeal catch the interest of nationally recognized magazine Rough Notes. Featured in the August 2007 cover story “Insurance.”
To solidify benefits offerings, Shepherd Insurance and DeTrude & Company join forces to launch a new employee benefits division.
The expansion of Shepherd Insurance continues with the acquisitions. Drew Denny, Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified 401k Professional, joins the team along with the highly respected Dirk James Agency. The two offices merge and become the fourth Shepherd Insurance location. A sentimental accomplishment indeed, as Dave Shepherd’s family roots trace back to Columbus, Indiana.
Read moreAttaining its fourth branch office, Shepherd acquires Hancock county’s largest agency in Greenfield. Dating back to the early 1900s, the agency was once known as “Wood Brothers Insurance.” With the birth of Pence Brooks & Shepherd Insurance, a tidal wave of expertise boosts the company’s value.
Read moreQuinn Shepherd started an initiative to encourage Shepherd and its staff to give back to our local communities. Each employee is given two full days off of work each year to volunteer with the organization of their choice. We have also had multiple company wide initiatives to benefit organizations like Prevail, Alzheimer’s Association, Turning Point, Humane Society for Hamilton County, United Hope Foundation, Wisdom & Grace Ministries, Susan G. Komen, American Heart Association, Riley Children’s Hospital, and many more. Learn more about Operation Shepherding.
Read moreTwenty-five years after Dave and his dad William “Coach Bill” Shepherd had sold their first life insurance policy, the agency had grown to over 100 employees. Requiring yet again more space, Shepherd Insurance moves into its new headquarters at 111 Congressional Boulevard in Carmel. The office more than doubles the space of the prior location to over 30,000 square feet. A crowning achievement for Dave, who from his garage office in the early 80s, had promised his young daughter Kelly that one day they would move into the “big building” across the street.
Read moreChappell Insurance became part of Shepherd in 2012, with Ray Chappell moving into the Carmel headquarters to help lead the Personal Lines department.
Led by Deirdre Fisher, family-owned Fisher & Associates agency of Noblesville joined Shepherd marking our sixth branch expansion. This December 2013 merger moved the company’s Midwest reach into the heart of Hamilton County.
In 2014, F.C. Tucker Company, the largest independent real estate firm in Indiana, and Shepherd entered into an exclusive relationship and began doing business as Tucker Shepherd Insurance. Two of the oldest and most reputable family-owned companies in Indiana both strengthen their client service even further by offering their services to each other’s clients and employees.
Read moreDavid Shepherd and Rex Early joined forces when Shepherd brought on Consolidated Insurance Services, one of Indiana’s largest independent insurance agencies at the time. By teaming with Consolidated, Shepherd added extensive experience in motorsports, residential property, and hospitality risks.
Read moreFor the second time, the Independent Insurance Agents Association (or Big “I”) selected Shepherd as the 2014 Agency of the Year, an award presented to an agency that exemplifies leadership and innovation in the insurance industry. Shepherd also earned the Agency of the Year Award in 2003.
Read moreBill Bolander and his team from Bolander Ianni Insurance joinsed Shepherd’s Greenfield team in April 2015.
Broadstreet Partners joins as a capital investor with an evaluation of over a billion dollars, Shepherd develops new vision for mergers & acquisitions with a veracious appetite for growth.
Crabdree gives footprint to Arizona.
Al Purmort, Jr. Patrick Del Medico, and their team of 25 at Al Purmort Insurance joined Shepherd, marking our eleventh branch expansion at the time. The January 2016 Merger moved the company’s reach into southern Florida.
Shepherd won The Independent Insurance Agents of Indiana’s 2017 Agency of the year award. This is the second time Shepherd has won this award in the last four years. To see our recognition in the FOCUS magazine for Trusted Choice, click the “Full Article” link below to read more.
Read more2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 Shepherd is named to Inc. magazine’s prestigious Inc. 5000 list, an exclusive ranking of the America’s fastest-growing private companies.
Dave Shepherd was inducted into the 2018 class of Hall of Fame members by Insurance Business America, a leading publication within the insurance industry. Dave was one of 29 insurance professionals inducted into the 2018 class of Hall of Fame inductees, which recognizes each inductee and their distinguished careers that have helped shape the insurance industry into what it is today. According to Insurance Business America, the 29 insurance heavyweights who comprise IBA’s 2018 Hall of Fame are a testimony to the fact that having a profession you love can lead to decades of success and fun. The 2018 Hall of Fame inductees join the previous inaugural classes of industry titans and pioneers who have paved the way for thousands of others to find success in the insurance industry.
Read more2018, 2017, 2016, 2015: Shepherd is listed among the Top 50 Elite Agencies in the U.S. by Insurance Business America. This recognition is awarded to the most innovative, efficient, and successful independent agencies in America. Out of 38,000+ eligible agencies, Shepherd is ranked among the top 50.
For the second year in a row, Shepherd Insurance is named to Inc. magazine’s prestigious Inc. 5000 list, an annual ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America. We moved up the rankings from #4111 in 2014 to #3959 in 2015.
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