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While the offspring of Robert S. Rea and John D. Aiken may be exploring different career paths, their eyes remain focused on their roots in S.C.D. Rea & Sons Insurance.
The business is celebrating 100 years on July 1 in their office at 423 N. Main St. in Benton. Rea is the third generation in the business venture that has seen its share of expansion.
Rea and Aiken, related by marriage, will be joined by staffers Chris Hagerman, Wanda Kimmel and Sherri Wilson as they dole out hot dogs and commemorative tote bags to citizens and customers.
Rea, who serves as president of the Franklin County Historical Preservation Society and Benton Preservation Commission, said the business is steeped in tradition and history from its 1911 beginning as Rea Brother’s Realty on the Benton public square.
He said another longtime businessman, Dave Webster, will serve as grillmaster during the celebration being held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.
“Dave is setting up one of the tents that he rents on the front lawn of S.C.D. Rea & Sons Insurance,” Rea said.
The grandson of S.C.D. Rea said S.C.D. and his brother Hosea opened the real estate and insurance business that grew in prosperity for the two before Hosea move to California to pursue a career in land development.
“S.C.D. Rea Insurance started on the west side of the square in the Browning Bank building south of where The Buzz is located now,” Rea said. “The business was the first tenant to occupy the First National Bank building that is also known as the D.L. Wood Building. S.C.D. Rea moved to the second floor of that building in 1919. They occupied the southwest corner of that floor.
“S.C.D.’s sons, S. Jerome and Camden Duppe, joined their father’s agency after they returned from World War II in 1946,” he said. “My grandfather passed away in 1957 at the age of 72.”
Robert S. Rea assumed a leadership role in the agency after graduating from Eastern Illinois University.
“I returned to Benton after I graduated with a degree in business management from the university in 1975,” he said. “I purchased my father’s interest.”
John D. Aiken joined the business in 1980.
“My wife, Mary Ellen, and Bob Rea are sister and brother,” Aiken said. “I purchased Camden Duppe Rea’s interest in the business. I graduated from the University of Illinois in 1973. I was formerly an office holder with Benton Community Bank until I joined the agency.”
While the offspring of Robert S. Rea and John D. Aiken may be exploring different career paths, their eyes remain focused on their roots in S.C.D. Rea & Sons Insurance.
The business is celebrating 100 years on July 1 in their office at 423 N. Main St. in Benton. Rea is the third generation in the business venture that has seen its share of expansion.
Rea and Aiken, related by marriage, will be joined by staffers Chris Hagerman, Wanda Kimmel and Sherri Wilson as they dole out hot dogs and commemorative tote bags to citizens and customers.
Rea, who serves as president of the Franklin County Historical Preservation Society and Benton Preservation Commission, said the business is steeped in tradition and history from its 1911 beginning as Rea Brother’s Realty on the Benton public square.
He said another longtime businessman, Dave Webster, will serve as grillmaster during the celebration being held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.
“Dave is setting up one of the tents that he rents on the front lawn of S.C.D. Rea & Sons Insurance,” Rea said.
The grandson of S.C.D. Rea said S.C.D. and his brother Hosea opened the real estate and insurance business that grew in prosperity for the two before Hosea move to California to pursue a career in land development.
“S.C.D. Rea Insurance started on the west side of the square in the Browning Bank building south of where The Buzz is located now,” Rea said. “The business was the first tenant to occupy the First National Bank building that is also known as the D.L. Wood Building. S.C.D. Rea moved to the second floor of that building in 1919. They occupied the southwest corner of that floor.
“S.C.D.’s sons, S. Jerome and Camden Duppe, joined their father’s agency after they returned from World War II in 1946,” he said. “My grandfather passed away in 1957 at the age of 72.”
Robert S. Rea assumed a leadership role in the agency after graduating from Eastern Illinois University.
“I returned to Benton after I graduated with a degree in business management from the university in 1975,” he said. “I purchased my father’s interest.”
John D. Aiken joined the business in 1980.
“My wife, Mary Ellen, and Bob Rea are sister and brother,” Aiken said. “I purchased Camden Duppe Rea’s interest in the business. I graduated from the University of Illinois in 1973. I was formerly an office holder with Benton Community Bank until I joined the agency.”
The agency logo attracts attention, Rea said, although some are confused as to what it represents.
“Our logo is actually a flame from a fire,” he said. “I have had people stop me and ask what the logo represents and what S.C.D. Rea means. Recently, people stopped me on the highway and said they had followed me for 100 miles and had to know what the logo and the lettering meant.
“The flame signifies something that no one wants to see and is an excellent reminder as to why it is so important to have fire insurance,” Rea said.
The flame theme is visible inside the insurance office through the aging scene of the former W.E. Campbell and Son Hardware and Furniture Store that destroyed the south side of the Benton Public Square on Jan. 25, 1952.
The 1900s theme will also be replicated in part during the July 1 festivities, Rea said.
“We will be featuring music from the 1900s era to remember and recognize our company’s founders S.C.D. and his brother Hosea.
“There will be a 1926 Model T and my son-in-law’s 1937 tractor on display during the fun-filled event,” he said. “We should have plenty of hot dogs to go around, but we only have a limited supply of the commemorative tote bags to give away.”
Rea said the office building now located on North Main Street has sentimental ties to him in particular.
“When John D. joined the agency, our first act as partners was the construction of this office,” he said. “We purchased the old Moore Hospital when he joined in 1980.
“Mary Ellen and I were born in that hospital, so in essence, I have only moved about 15 feet since I was born,” Rea joked. “The hospital was built in 1928. We had it torn down when we bought the property.”
The partners “have known each other since we were in nursery school as kids,” he said.
Though the two have different interests, both families date to service in the American Revolutionary War, Rea said.
Aiken worked as a disc jockey on WQRL in Benton during the 1970s and hosted a 1950s show.
Rea performed in the rock and roll band Associated Sound with Mike Wyant, J.R. Moore and Gary Reed.
“We were seventh in the state in 1967 during the Illinois State Fair,” he said.
Rea said he co-founded the Franklin County Historical Preservation Society in 1993 and currently holds the office of president.
Aiken is a member of the Benton-West City Area Chamber of Commerce and currently serves as treasurer.
Rea said both he and Aiken are members of the Benton Rotary Club, with S.C.D. Rea as one of the original founders of the local Rotary chapter in 1937.
Aiken said he has served as stadium announcer for Benton Consolidated High School Rangers basketball and football games for 35 years.
Rea has served on the Benton Police and Fire Commission for 15 years and 16 years with the Benton Planning Commission.
Aiken said he has served as chairman of the Benton Police and Fire Commission for the past 25 years.
Rea said his partner’s ancestor Walter S. Aiken and his ancestor Abraham Rea served together during the Black Hawk War.
Aiken said their ancestors were founding fathers of Benton, adding they helped to select the site for the community they call home.
Rea said both he and Aiken have two children each, “with three spread across the country — but that is subject to change,” he said.
Aiken said S.C.D. Rea & Sons Insurance is the second oldest continuously operated family business in the Benton area.
Rea said the insurance agency provides an extensive personal and commercial insurance portfolio.
“Our reputation was built by providing service quality and commitment to our customers for the past 100 years,” he said. “We are prepared for the next 100 years although we might not all be here to see it.
“We are anxious to see what new technology will do as it pertains to clean coal and deep-shaft mining,” Rea said. “This means something of a revival for the coal industry. We look forward to serving future insurance needs as we welcome the return of coal mining and new residents to the area.”
He said the agency offers personal, business, health and life insurance.
Aiken said policies are available for residents and commercial property owners.
“We are an independent insurance agency that maintains an annual written premium volume in excess of $3.5 million,” he said.
Rea said general liability is the most essential coverage any business owner could buy.
“It protects the assets of a business, whether or not the business is at fault and prevents the owner from being sued for injury or property damage,” he said. “Businesses in need of higher liability limits may elect to purchase a separate general liability policy or a commercial umbrella policy.”
Rea said policies are also available to businesses that rent, lease, borrow or hire automobiles or other vehicles that have exposure to physical damage loss.
Aiken said coverage is available for small businesses.
“We understand that each one is unique and is in need of specific types of insurance coverage,” he said.
Rea said bonds are available including fidelity, court surety and contractor performance.
He explained that fidelity bonds cover policyholders for losses as a result of a fraudulent act by an individual.
“Court surety bonds are required in many proceedings to ensure protection from possible losses as the result of a court proceeding,” Rea said. “Contractor performance bonds are issued to guarantee satisfactory completion by a contractor.”
Hagerman is the newest employee at S.C.D. Rea & Sons Insurance, with three months as customer service claims representative.
“I handle all of the claims if someone has damage from a hailstorm to a tree falling on their house,” Hagerman said. “I process all of the information to make sure that the policyholder gets paid.”
Hagerman, who served as executive secretary for the Benton West City Area Chamber of Commerce, said she also served as secretary of North Benton Baptist Church prior to her work with the local chamber of commerce.
She said she particularly enjoys the different environment.
“The Chamber of Commerce office is in the Franklin County Garage Museum,” Hagerman said. “This is a beautiful office. The people I work with are really wonderful. This is such a nice office to work in.”
She said she enjoys meeting a variety of people.
“There are people in and out of here all day long,” Hagerman said.
Wilson joined the agency in September 2006 as a bookkeeper and office manager.
“There is a lot to this job,” she said. “The insurance industry is very complex.
“Margaret Legendre was here for 45 years and Kelly Darnell was here for three years before I joined the firm,” Wilson said. “There are big shoes to fill between the two of them.”
She served as bookkeeper and office manager of The Benton Evening News for 17 years prior to her employment with S.C.D. Rea & Sons Insurance.
“This is a great place to work and a great place to be,” Wilson said.
Kimmel said she started her part-time career with the insurance agency in June 2005.
“I am the receptionist, answer the phones, take payments and do the filing,” she said. “I was a teller with MidCountry Bank for one year before my employment here. I worked at Bank of America for 15 years before that.”
Kimmel said she really enjoys the office atmosphere.
“I don’t hesitate coming to work every day and I really enjoy the people I work with,” she said. “This is a fun place to work.”
Rea and Aiken acknowledge the tremendous help and support provided by their staff throughout the years.
“Margaret Legendre worked at the agency for more than 40 years and was instrumental in many of the major milestones that have occurred,” Rea said.
Aiken said Glenda Stewart, who recently retired, provided much help and support during her 26 years with the agency.
“Helen Doley, Sherry Hall and Kelly Darnell are also longtime past employees,” he said.
Rea and Aiken said the office is a close-knit group of people.
“The current staff of Sherri Wilson, Wanda Kimmel and Chris Hagerman are friendly and helpful,” Rea said.
Aiken said the staff is “always willing to be of assistance to our customers.”
“We have always felt we’re more of a family than anything else,” he said.
