A senate RESOLUTION

 

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR HUTSON-ETHERREDGE COMPANIES AND TO CONGRATULATE THE OWNERS AND STAFF AS THEY CELEBRATE ONE HUNDRED FIFTY YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF AIKEN COUNTY AND THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA.

 

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina Senate are pleased to learn that Hutson-Etherredge Companies has established a one-hundred-fifty-year tradition of providing insurance services to Aiken County and the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) and is set to continue its proud legacy; and

 

Whereas, Aiken's oldest and largest independent insurance agency, Hutson-Etherredge Companies was founded in 1876 by John C. Hutson (1855-1929) as the John C. Hutson Agency. Mr. Hutson would travel to Ellenton, South Carolina, by horse and buggy to get on a train and go as far away as Yemassee south of Hampton toward the coast, stopping at various small towns along the way to conduct business; and

 

Whereas, J.W. Ashhurst, another prominent Aiken insurance agent, formed a partnership with Mr. Hutson, and the business became known as Hutson & Company. This partnership dissolved in 1889, and Mr. Ashhurst formed the J.W. Ashhurst Agency. The two firms competed; however, nearly one hundred years later, they merged again. Over the years, a series of mergers took place that carried the company through many years of business. Its name became, successively, the John C. & O.B. Hutson Agency, O.B. Hutson Agency, Hutson-Etherredge Agency, Hutson-Etherredge-Brown Inc., Hutson-Etherredge-Brown-Ashhurst, and Hutson-Etherredge-Brown-Ashhurst-Lyon-Croft-Weeks & Hunter. Notably, the merger with Lyon-Croft Weeks and Hunter in 1995 made the company the largest independent agency in the CSRA and one of the largest in the State; and

 

Whereas, in 1996, the business became known as Hutson-Etherredge Companies and continued to grow with the purchase of Seigler's Insurance Agency on March 1, 1997. Seigler's Agency had been operated by Broadus Seigler since 1961. Broadus' son, Wynn Seigler, joined Hutson-Etherredge Companies at the time of the purchase and worked at the agency until his retirement; and

 

Whereas, over the years, many prominent Aiken residents have worked for and/or owned an interest in the business including O.B. Hutson, John C. Hutson, Cecil M. Etherredge, Lewis E. Brown, Ferrel L. Holley Jr., Rickie K. Thornton, David L. Derrick, John R. Thomas, Daniel P. Bacot, Harry O. "Spooky" Weeks Jr., Philip R. Merry Jr., and Kelly Frontroth. Today, Rickie K. Thornton is the company's president with Philip R. Merry Jr. and Kelly Frontroth as vice presidents. H.O. "Spooky" Weeks Jr. continues to work as a long-time producer for the agency. All together, the agency employs more than twenty capable and outstanding staff; and

 

Whereas, in 2026, the commitment of Hutson-Etherredge Companies to customer and community is as strong as ever. Staff members serve customer insurance needs with a combination of old-fashioned courtesy, modern technology, and advanced techniques, all delivered with the same customer-first approach that brought them successfully through their first one hundred fifty years of business; and

 

Whereas, to mark this important milestone in Hutson-Etherredge Companies' history, the business will host a special celebratory event for friends, family, clients, and neighbors on July 2, 2026, in downtown Aiken; and

 

Whereas, appreciative of the high standards upheld by Hutson-Etherredge Companies, as well as of this legacy business's many years of service to the Aiken County and to South Carolina, the Senate takes great pleasure in celebrating Hutson-Etherredge's one hundred fiftieth anniversary and in extending warm wishes for many more years of distinguished service. Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the Senate:

 

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, recognize and honor Hutson-Etherredge Companies and congratulate the owners and staff as they celebrate the incredible feat of one hundred fifty years of excellence in serving the insurance needs of Aiken County and the Central Savannah River Area.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Hutson-Etherredge Companies.

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