Company History
The Essex Agency Inc was founded in November 1972 by H. George Kriener II and John I. Hynes. The two University of Vermont (UVM) graduates, agents for New England Life, initially split their time between selling life insurance and pursuing an appointment with a property and casualty company. Frustrated in their efforts, a break came unexpectedly at a holiday party at the home of John’s in-laws. Present at the party were Benton Haley and Bill Brooks of Vermont Mutual. When learning of John’s interest in an appointment, Mr. Haley soon delivered what the agency principals had been seeking: appointments with both Vermont Mutual and Peerless. An appointment with Aetna followed shortly thereafter, as well.
David Holton, yet another UVM graduate, joined the agency in April 1973 and became an equal partner with George and John two years later. Together, the three principals built The Essex Agency Inc into a full-service agency, providing both personal and commercial lines.
In 1980, George sold his interest in the agency to John and David so that he could return to his hometown of Buffalo, New York. The agency continued to prosper in the following years, adding CSR’s and fine-tuning its focus on customer relationships. Another key player – and UVM graduate – was added to the mix in 1983 with the hiring of John J. Handy as a producer.
In 1996, a branch of The Essex Agency Inc – T.S. Peck – was spun off and became an independent operation managed by John Hynes. John Handy, meantime, stepped into the role of principal of The Essex Agency Inc by becoming a partner with David Holton.