There are 13 businesses that have been BBB Accredited since 1963.  As the Better Business Bureau celebrates 50 years of serving Southeast Texas in 2013, we will feature one of our charter Accredited Businesses each month in the e-Torch Report.

Having served in WW I, R.O. Williams, Sr. came to Beaumont in about 1921, built his home in 1922 and worked for Magnolia Refinery. He had hopes of playing professional baseball but a back injury put an end to that. Following the depression of the early 1930's and having been cut to 3 days a week work at Magnolia, he was attempting to sell other things in order to retain the home they had built. In 1936, he started, part time, selling life insurance for Southwestern Life Insurance Co. of Dallas, Texas. In 1939, he and a partner, Mr. Wahrmund, decided to start a Fire and Casualty agency. That partnership lasted less than a year and thus, R.O. "Bill" Williams Agency was born in 1939, officing in the former American National Bank building until about 1956.

About that time, R.O. Williams, Jr. had graduated from the University of Texas, served a short stint in the U.S. Army and returned to Beaumont to join his dad in the insurance business. The office was moved to 1040 Washington Blvd (between Park and Neches Streets). R.O. Williams, Sr. was very involved in early Beaumont, having served on the City Council, been a candidate for Mayor, and served on the Commission for the Port of Beaumont from its inception until his death. In the beginning, it was R.O. Williams, Sr. , R.O. Williams, Jr. and one lady, Mrs. Rosa Barlow.

Through the years until 1976, the agency grew to some 15 employees. The two Williams had formed a partnership through the years. Then, in 1970, R.O. Williams, Sr. died at which time the agency became a sole proprietorship with R.O. Williams, Jr. as sole owner. He was later joined by a partner, incorporated the agency, built a new agency building at McFaddin and 9th Streets where it is still located. That partnership was short-lived but R.O. Williams & Co., Inc. continued to grow with R.O. Williams, Jr. as President and sole owner of all stock. By that time, the agency had grown to some 25 employees. R.O. Williams, Jr., having been in the business for some 40 years, elected to sell the agency to Stewart Chisum, and Mr. Williams remains as a very minority owner of stock.

As to participation in the Better Business Bureau, R.O. Williams, Jr. received a call from Mr. Bill Phillips, then President of American National Bank asking if he would be a part of the founding of the Better Business Bureau in Beaumont. He agreed, became secretary of the first board and remained a part of the board for most of the years until he relocated to Austin in the past 4 years. He had attended Lamar Tech with Mrs. Mary Ann Kittell who became the first employee to get the Better Business Bureau started. After selling the agency, he also volunteered time at the Bureau answering the phone as to inquiries about businesses---that, obviously, was before all the computer happenings.....

R.O. Williams & Co, Inc. is celebrating 74 years of serving this community.   We currently have 8 full time employees.  Three of our employees have been with the agency over 30 years and 4 with over 20 years of service.  Our employees have over 300 years of combined insurance knowledge. 

The agency was always built on integrity and honest dealings...treating each client not only as a business customer, but as a friend and we’ve had long term relationships with a number of fine insurance companies and have grown through customer relationships and "word of mouth" rather than extensive advertising.