TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Insurance, It's A Family Affair

ADVERTISEMENT

By LOIS KINDLE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 27, 2007

APOLLO BEACH - When Liz Travis founded East Bay Insurance 35 years ago, all she had was a desk, a chair and the dream of owning her own agency.

Started in a small space rented from Bob Remke Realty in Apollo Beach, Travis built her one-woman company into an independent insurance agency that has weathered more than three decades of economic swings and attempted buyouts.

Although Travis has turned over day-to-day operations of the family business to her oldest daughter, Elizabeth Whidden, and marketing to her middle daughter, Lisa McCorkle, she remains active in the company as its president.

'This is my baby, my fifth child,' Travis said. 'I just couldn't imagine not being here.'

The 68-year-old follows every piece of insurance legislation working its way through Tallahassee and is the primary customer advocate in the office.

'If you've got a problem, if you're not happy, I'm on the phone with somebody, and it's not going to be pretty,' she said.

'We have to shut her door sometimes,' McCorkle said, smiling.

Before getting into the insurance business, Travis took a basic insurance course and was discouraged by the instructor about becoming an agent.

'I was told that women were only supposed to be support staff,' she said.

Undeterred, Travis went on to attend the Florida Insurance School in Tallahassee, which was run by Andy Beverly, who actually encouraged women to become agency owners.

But back in the early 1970s, few women actually chose to do that, Travis said.

All of Travis' children got started in the business during their high school years - Whidden in 1982; McCorkle in 1985; her son, Phillip Moss, in 1992; and youngest daughter, Susan Moss, in 1994. The family's collective experience in the business is 113 years.

'They had to start in the file room and work their way up,' Travis said.

The business specializes in personal lines insurance - homeowners, flood, auto, boat and high-net-worth individual coverage. It also offers life, annuities, long-term care, disability-income insurance. The agency sells about $12.5 million in premiums per year.

'We try to keep the mom-and-pop atmosphere,' Travis said.

Over the years, Travis' grandchildren - 11 of them - have been partially raised at the agency. The walls of her office are adorned with their photos and those of her children.

'We had a nursery right here in the office,' she said. 'Our focus is on family and the community.'

'We're a fixture here in Apollo Beach, one of the oldest businesses here,' Travis said. 'Most of our clients come from referrals. We have three generations of some families as clients.'

GET TO KNOW

WHO: Liz Travis

WHAT: Founder of East Bay Insurance

WHERE: 117 Flamingo Drive, Apollo Beach
STARTED: 1972

EMPLOYS: Nine, including Travis' four adult children

INFORMATION: (813) 645-2502 or www.ebinsure.com

Reporter Lois Kindle can be reached at (813) 865-1553 or lkindle@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT