News
April 12, 2018Austin & Co., Inc. Celebrates 165 Years
History of Austin & Co., Inc.
1853
The earliest record of business we can find is from the Home Insurance Company’s historic files under our original name, Austin and Wolverton. In the late 1800s Thomas Austin’s son William joined the business and we became known as Austin & Company.
1943
We remained owned by the Austin family until William Austin sold to John Heather and Charles Liddle Jr. in 1943. Charles Liddle III (Chuck) inherited his father’s shares in 1957 and in 1964 Chuck and Howard Rutherford bought out John Heather.
1976
The Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) was created. Austin & Co. continues to be an employee-owned company today.
1978
Austin & Co. moves from State Street to the carriage house in downtown Albany.
1983
Austin & Co. acquires Frank G. Coburn, Inc. in Albany. Then in 1984 acquires the Stevenson Agency in Chestertown.
1991
Austin & Co. was awarded “Top 10 Companies to Work for in the Capital Region” by Capital District Personnel Association in 1991 & 1992.
1993
Employee Benefits became a new service offered to our clients. In 1994 we moved to 20 Corporate Woods Boulevard.
2003
Celebrated 150 Years! We had 28 employees with more than 80 independent school clients. We were also named the 5th largest Property and Casualty and 8th largest health and life insurance agency in the capital region.
2008
HR Consulting services were offered for the first time. Benefits Administration Technology was provided in 2012.
2013
We have been named a Best Practices Agency since 1995, but in 2013 we were awarded Best Practices Agency “Top Performer”.
2018
Celebrating 165 Years! We now have more than 60 employees and serve more than 180 independent and charter school clients.
