A decade ago, Ron Dutton moved his small employee benefit advisory firm to an office in Corporate Woods. A few years later, he faced a tough decision when the business caught the eye of a world leader in the industry.
In 2013, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., one of the world’s largest insurance brokerage and risk management services firms, approached Dutton about a possible merger. The opportunity meant RJ Dutton, Inc. would go from a small business with nine employees to being part of a $4.5 billion global organization!
Dutton founded RJ Dutton, Inc. in 1995 to focus on serving the employee benefit needs of large employers, typically which utilize self-funded arrangements. The firm grew to become the industry’s 4th largest in Kansas City and was soon working with clients nationwide. According to Dutton, the company’s motto to “dig a little deeper” is the secret to their success.
“Our philosophy has always been ‘we dig a little deeper’ to deliver employee benefit solutions at the right cost for both our clients and their employees,” said Dutton. “Very simply, everyone on our team is driven to make peoples lives better by helping employers provide the very best employee benefit plan that they can.”
Before making a final decision to merge with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Dutton wanted to ensure business at their office in Building 9 at Corporate Woods would remain the same.
“It was a big decision because we had to think about how it would impact our employees and clients, but Gallagher said they wanted us to continue our model that made the company successful,” said Dutton. “The merger gave our team access to new resources which opened the door for more opportunities for our clients.”
Dutton said they’ve felt welcome at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. since day one.
“Gallagher was founded as a family business and has maintained the same philosophy and culture that were its roots. It is a company that values and cares about its people,” said Dutton.
The firm has been at Corporate Woods since 2006 and Dutton said he can’t imagine being anywhere else.
“Corporate Woods is one of the most recognizable office parks in the area, which brings instant credibility to any business here,” said Dutton. “Our people love coming to work here because of the environment and location and that makes it easier for us to hire and keep good employees.”
Dutton believes the merger helps their clients stay ahead of current challenges in the industry, and credits the people on his team with continuing the model he started twenty years ago.
“Companies don’t succeed . . . people do. When you have good people all going in the same direction, you can do great things,” said Dutton. “Our team has made this a great place to work, and we want to continue doing the things that brought us to this point.”
To learn more about Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and the solutions they create for
companies, please visit their website.
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