Guild Insurance Group – it’s a name chosen with purpose. A guild is defined as an association of people with similar interests assembled in pursuit of a common goal, formed for mutual aid and protection. We often use another word for that same concept; a word that’s the backbone of what we do and why we do it. Family.
Our business is a family. Our clients are family. And we’re proud to say we represent the collective strength of many other companies who have joined us throughout the years because they are now part of that family.
We are an insurance brokerage with a history that goes back well over a century. We’ve seen a lot of changes throughout the years. The world is bigger and faster. Technology has revolutionized every industry several times over, including ours. And personal connections are harder to come by but more important than ever.
Our roots date back to the bonds forged by simple handshakes in 1947. Our company has been built by always taking the time to understand our client’s needs and offering them products of real value. We pride ourselves on our dedication to the communities we serve and we embrace the technology that allows us to grow that community beyond physical boundaries.
We have never been focused on building a customer base, we build relationships. We do that through a unique combination of personal service, convenience, tradition, and innovation. We do that by being honest and always protecting our client’s interests. We do that by staying current so we can always offer the products and services our clients expect.
At our core, everything we do is guided by the fundamental principle that insurance is about people. We offer a level of knowledge and dedication that can only be achieved through generations of experience, and we work together as a team and with our clients to develop tailor-made solutions through both in-person and digital platforms.
At Guild Insurance Group, we really do love our business – not because of what it does for us, but because of what it allows us to do for others. We believe insurance is a fundamental part of health, security, and success. We believe in the products we sell or we wouldn’t sell them. We’ve believed these things – and lived these things – for over a hundred years, and we will continue to do whatever it takes to protect our clients and what matters to them most.
After all, that’s what family is for.
OUR ROOTS: WHERE WE STARTED
HMS Insurance Agencies
Moffat Agencies (George Moffat) was purchased by Garth Haubrick in the late 1970s. Kneeshaw Agencies (Howard Kneeshaw) was purchased by Jim Marnoch in 1981. Jim and Garth joined to form Haubrick and Marnoch Insurance Agencies.
Don Scott become an equal partner in 1987 and the brokerage became Haubrick, Marnoch & Scott Insurance Agencies. Garth Haubrick retired at the end of 2004 and at that time the name changed to HMS Insurance Agencies. In 2005, HMS purchased an insurance brokerage book from Carly Robinson Austin, MB.
The Douglas location was purchased from Fred & Alice Wilmont by George Moffatt in the early 1970s. Garth purchased Douglas from George Moffatt in 1975. The location was moved to Sprucewoods (Shilo) in 1992 and then moved into the Canex Mall right in Shilo in 1997.
HMS Insurance merged with Guild Insurance in 2014. During the merger, McLean Agencies in Wawanesa was purchased and Guild Insurance in Virden was formed.
Wallis Agencies Ltd.
Wallis Agencies was formed in 1947 when Luther Wallis signed a contract with Halifax Insurance Co. & Crown Life Insurance Co. In 1949 Luther purchased the E.C. “Bung Cartmell” Agency (Obtained access to Wawanesa Insurance) & in 1950 the A.S. “Bert” Hames Agency (Obtained access to Portage Mutual). Luther then recognized the potential of the business and invited his son Roy Wallis to join him in 1953.
Through the 1960s & 1970s, Wallis Agencies purchased various small brokerages in the surrounding area. In 1980 Roy’s son Randy joined the family business followed by Brent Pringle in 1990 and Cindy Pringle (Wallis) in 1992. The most recent expansion was the purchase of DePape Insurance in Holland, Manitoba. In 2008, the fourth generation joined the business with Kirby Wallis joining the business part-time. On January 1, 2016, Randy Wallis sold his shares to a newly formed company called GHW Investments (Guild/HMS Insurance Group & Kirby Wallis).
They have 3 locations in southwestern Manitoba including Glenboro, Holland, and Baldur.
Guild Insurance Brokers
Guild Insurance Brokers was formed in 1990 when Tramer Andrews Insurance Agency amalgamated with another agency to become Guild Insurance Brokers Inc. In 1994, Guild purchased another local firm (Peters Insurance Agencies), giving the company four Autopac and general insurance outlets and a commercial lines office. In 1997, the commercial lines and two of the Autopac/general insurance outlets were combined at a new home office at 24th Street & Victoria Avenue. Guild relocated its home office to its current location at 2830 Victoria Avenue in 2006. The late Neil Andrews lived by the Golden Rule – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” – remains at the forefront of the organization.
At the end of the day, what separates one broker from another, is their ability to proactively service their policyholders, and their knowledge of the insurance industry, products, and different situations that may present themselves to their clients.
Vision Statement
A Risk Management Brokerage dedicated to exceeding expectations and prioritizing the well-being of our clients, employees, and communities.
Vision Roadmap
TEAM: We are team focused vs individual focused. We attack problems as a team and handle
client needs as a team. We challenge each other and are fierce competitors. We work hard to
create and maintain a culture of teamwork. We work together to create the best solutions for our
team and our clients.
KNOWLEDGE: We are constant learners and students of business and risk management. We
believe that learning includes business acumen, sales and service skills, technology, and
insurance knowledge.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: We recognize the three competing financial components are
profit, services, and individual compensation. We believe profit is non-optional for a healthy
organization. We also believe in maintaining a sustainable balance of industry-leading services
and competitive individual compensation.
WORK/LIFE BALANCE: We care deeply about our employees and understand the importance
of a well-balanced life; mentally, physically, and emotionally. We promote a positive work/life
balance through self-awareness, healthy communication, and human compassion.
PRODUCTIVITY: We understand the world of business and the increasing need for productivity.
PRODUCTIVITY: We understand the world of business and the increasing need for productivity.
We encourage the partnering of technology and process improvement to increase efficiency.
We understand the importance of innovation and are willing to change the ways we have done
things in the past. We celebrate new and better ways of doing things.
CLIENT DELIVERY: We deliver our value through Assessing, Advising, Intellectual property,
Training, and through our network. We measure the success of our advice by tracking and
monitoring client desires to actual results, as well as tracking the individual success stories that
happen throughout the year.
We believe in the mindset of making current products obsolete
because new products and services bring greater value. Innovation is critical.
GROWTH: We believe in leading the industry norms and best practices. This will happen by:
- Understanding the strengths of every team member and how to utilize their natural talents.
- Our team understands the importance of maximum productivity and the need for good time management to be able to have time to grow the business.
- We believe upselling and cross-selling are ways to look after and allow our clients to make informed decisions.
- We understand our skills must improve every year to remain valuable and relevant. We are purposeful in our developmental strategies.
PARTNERING WITH TECHNOLOGY: We believe technology is part of the solution to being
highly competitive in the future. We desire to partner with the right technology. We will be
active learners in the technology space and will implement technology that makes us more
efficient and that instigates profitable growth.
COMMITMENT TO CHANGE: We are committed to driving positive change with courage and
adaptability. We recognize that growth comes from learning through challenges and mistakes.
By fostering a culture of trust and continuous improvement, we empower the team to innovate,
take risks and turn mistakes into opportunities for success.
ACCOUNTABILITY: We believe in personal accountability. We will measure performance and
accept ownership and accountability for our actions. Results are what matter; activity is
appreciated and respected, but it will not be rewarded. We accept that being part of this
brokerage is an opportunity, not an entitlement.
COMMUNITY: We believe in giving back to the communities that support our business. We do
this through volunteering, sponsorship and creating job growth and opportunities.
In the province of British Columbia, all insurance business is conducted under our licensed name, Guild Insurance Brokers.
