Our History is Protecting your Future
Hickok & Boardman Insurance Group traces its roots back to 1821 when Aetna Insurance Company was searching for representation in the state of Vermont. It was at this time that Aetna signed a contract with William Follet of Griswold & Follet, marking the beginning of what is known today as Hickok & Boardman Insurance Group. Although numerous changes have taken place since 1821, our company’s focus on providing superior customer service has remained the same.
A number of people led the charge in maintaining this level of service over the years. George Shaw (who ran the company from 1846 – 1857) was followed by Samon Wires, then Charles Frizzle and Elmer Bailey. Julius Hickok joined Elmer Bailey in 1888. In 1893, Henry Hickok joined his father and after a brief relocation to Vergennes, the agency was re-settled in Burlington.
In the early 1920s, I. Munn Boardman was working as Henry Hickok’s chauffeur while working his way through college. Upon graduating from UVM in 1922, he joined Mr. Hickok and became a partner a few years later. In 1925 the name of the agency was changed to Hickok & Boardman. At the death of Mr. Hickok in 1931, I. Munn Boardman purchased the agency.
In 1968, I. Munn Boardman Sr. sold his business to his three sons, Munn, Jr., Bob, and Dave. By this time the company had expanded to include real estate and life insurance sales, as a supplement to the existing property and casualty insurance business. Those expansion plans later became the launch platforms for three other vibrant businesses which bear the Hickok & Boardman name. In 1971, the company built our present headquarters office at 346 Shelburne Road and then began expanding throughout the state. The St. Albans office came first in 1979, followed by our Stowe office in 1988.
In 1994, Hickok & Boardman, Inc. was purchased by Scott Boardman, Mike Boardman, Munn Boardman, Paul Plunkett, and Carla Boardman Smalling. On April 3, 2000, Denis, Ricker & Brown became affiliated with Hickok & Boardman and the Hickok & Boardman Insurance Group was born. With offices in Lyndonville and Montpelier and a legacy dating from 1865, Denis Ricker & Brown was a perfect partner agency.
While some of us bear the names of the founders of this company, we are built on many individuals and families who reach out to our clients every day. We are very proud of our team, and to this day we have multiple generations of family members who have worked for this company over the years, each passing down our tradition of superior service.
Superior customer service, centuries of experience, integrity with heart…Thank you for sharing in our legacy.