Offenhauser & Co. True to Its Roots: Serving our Clients and Community

In 1882, with business savvy and handsome handwriting, Fred Offenhauser and his partner Kelsey founded Kelsey and Offenhauser (Insurance) in the first brick building in downtown Texarkana. It was a rough-and-tumble town in the early years, so many insurance companies shied away; but with perseverance, the agency grew.

In the early 1900s in what is now the Museum of Regional History at Third and State Line, Offenhauser & Co. shared office space with the Texarkana Board of Trade, which later became the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce, and with local Boy Scouts Troop 18, which the people of Offenhauser formed. We bought the building but never forgot our roots with the Chamber and Boy Scouts, and our desire to serve the Texarkana community with great insurance and service to others.

In the library of our current office hangs this 1939 photo taken of Boy Scouts Troop 18 in front of the then-Offenhauser Insurance building. Pictured with future Offenhauser partner and Scoutmaster Sam Shuman is future agency president Josh Morriss Jr. Other Scouts in the photo became civic leaders. Do you recognize any of them? (Texarkana’s favorite son Ross Perot was later a member of this troop.)

In 1971 we moved two blocks north to 518 Pine St., where we are located today.

Offenhauser & Co. supports the Four States Area and beyond with great insurance

For home, auto and life; Business insurance including property, liability and workers compensation;

Risk management services for larger businesses;

Employee benefits, including group health insurance; and

All types of bonds, from contractor performance and payment to probate and motor dealers.

These are all backed by great claims and loss control services from well credentialed professional people who are ready to serve.

And service to others

Past and current principals and associates of Offenhauser & Co. have chaired nine annual United Way campaigns and served seven times as the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce chair, among other important community roles. Seven partners have been awarded the C.E. Palmer Award, Texarkana’s award for a lifetime of civic service. This tradition of service to the Four States Area forms a legacy that continues to grow with each new generation.

Today we are proud of our growth into four branches: North Texarkana at 5602 Richmond Road; Atlanta, Texas; Mount Pleasant, Texas; and our newest branch in San Antonio, Texas, plus an El Dorado, Ark., affiliate, United Insurance Agency. We access the top insurance companies from all over the world to meet virtually any insurance need at an excellent price.

Agency President Don Morriss said, “We are most proud of are our talented associates. People like claims manager Bill Gordon, with 51 years of experience, 35 with Offenhauser; April Muldrow, our fabulous small business insurance specialist; and Michael Wright, our rising star in bonds, to name three. We are also proud of super agents like Jennifer Smith and Korey Keith in Texarkana, Travis Ransom in Atlanta and Ross Ormond and Blake Walsh in San Antonio. These young sales professionals have the same selfless commitment to clients and community that has been Offenhauser & Co.’s trademark and heritage for 135 years.”

Offenhauser & Co. is growing through e-commerce channels as well. Fwoins.com or Offenhauserinsurance.com is a great way to reach us. Watch for the roll out of Offenhauser’s updated website at fwoins.com and postings on social media.

It’s a great history and future at Offenhauser. It’s simply great insurance at the right price from people that care about you and the Four States Area. That’s Offenhauser & Co. Insurance!