Our roots began in 1929 as the H.O. Stephens Agency. Established to provide personal and commercial insurance products with an emphasis on personalized service and superior product knowledge, the agency prospered under that name until 1975, when it was acquired by James M. Hardesty.
The agency was guided by James M. Hardesty for the next 22 years and carried his name during that span. Continued growth in commercial property and casualty as well as life and health made it an attractive business interest to South Side Trust and Savings Bank given the upcoming retirement of Mr. Hardesty.
In 1998, South Side Trust and Savings Bank purchased the agency and changed its name to Mid Illinois Insurance Services, Inc. The harmonious philosophies of personalized service to the customer made for an ideal partnering of the bank and the insurance agency. In 1999, Ron Murphy was hired as President to guide the agency into the 21st Century. His leadership has secured the continued growth that began more than 70 years ago.
