Insurance—that life necessity many people dread paying for. But it’s necessary—for cars, houses, health, and life itself. Many laws, whether state or federal, compel residents to buy insurance, but many of us buy it willingly.
Insurance is usually purchased from an insurance agency, such as Morris and Garritano, a San Luis Obispo-based company that recently opened a Santa Maria office on Feb. 6.
Many employers buy insurance policies for workers compensation, health insurance, or retirement plans through companies like Morris and Garritano, which is not an insurance company, but rather an insurance agency.
Even more specifically, think of the agencies as a friendly liaison between a large corporation and the community as a whole. They put actual names and faces to insurance, and they’ve been doing it for years.
“We’re a local connection for people to get the best deal with their insurance,” said marketing coordinator Sara Holloway. “We’re kind of like the middle man and we’re more connected to the community.”
Before it was Morris and Garritano, the agency was simply known as “Lands, Loans, Rents, and Insurance,” and was started by Archibald McAlister in 1885. At the time, his office was located on Higuera Street in SLO. Despite its unassuming name, the company holds a place in local historical events.
After more than 15 years in business, McAlister was invited to participate on the committee that was responsible for starting Cal Poly.
Later, McAlister was elected as mayor of San Luis Obispo. McAlister’s son-in-law, Ernest Vollmer, began working at the company that year.
Vollmer brought a wealth of personal experience to the company. He had served as vice-consul to China in the Theodore Roosevelt administration, and later partnered with associate Pete Bachino to steward the land of several SLO County Japanese-Americans while they were held at internment camps during World War II.
In 1948, San Francisco native Harry Morris began working for the firm, which was then known as Ernest Vollmer, Real Estate and Insurance.
Then in 1975, Gene Garritano entered the agency and later became the owner. Morris passed away in February 2016, although his son and daughter, Brendan and Kerry, both now serve as chief executive and chief operating officers, respectively.
The new Santa Maria office for Morris and Garritano is located at 2721 Santa Maria Way, Santa Maria, and can be reached at 361-1750 or [email protected].
Highlights
• After 51 years at its previous Oak Street location, SM Tire has moved to 619 S. Oakley in Santa Maria. The company plans to hold a ribbon cutting celebration along with an industry tour of one of the tire retreading manufacturing plants on the Central Coast on March 21. The event runs from 7:30 to 10 a.m., starting with the ribbon cutting. Industry tours are open to everyone and there is no cost to attend. However, an RSVP by March 19 is required. For more information, call Alex Magana at 925-2403, Ext. 814, or send an RSVP to [email protected].
• The board of trustees for the Santa Barbara Foundation announced on Feb. 17 that it awarded $750,000 in grants to six local nonprofit organizations. The recipients include the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, the Carpinteria Arts Center, and the Riviera Theater Project of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Foundation President and CEO Ronald V. Gallo said the grants “will reach thousands of people in Santa Barbara County and truly reflect the very heart of what the foundation has done for close to 90 years and will continue to do for generations to come.”
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
