Swingle Collins Celebrates 40th Anniversary

Dallas insurance agency formed to fill unmet needs

Frank Swingle made the trek to Dallas from his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, never imagining he’d end up running such a successful insurance brokerage. 

Now, after 40 years, several awards, and countless client wins, he is reflecting on his impact within the business community and anticipates a future filled with success.

Swingle Collins & Associates was formed in 1982 when he decided to leave his post at a national brokerage to pursue a new model where entrepreneurs and smaller businesses could access the same insurance products and expertise offered by larger agencies.

“I realized the needs of the entrepreneurial business were not being met,” he said. “The larger firms are after the big national accounts, and the entrepreneurs are left without the expertise to properly protect their assets. Our focus for the last 40 years has been on those smaller businesses and building relationships.”

Swingle Collins has enjoyed substantial organic growth by keeping clientele close and filling a niche left by their larger competitors, Swingle said.

“A lot of the customers we’ve had have been there from the beginning, and we’ve had the opportunity to watch them grow as we grow as well,” he said. “Over the years, our commercial customers have even asked us to handle their personal home and auto coverage, and it’s helped us develop one of the largest personal insurance businesses in the city.”

With that history and a formula for understanding the nuances of insurance and customizing care for clients, Swingle sees a “bright future ahead of us.”

“We’re in the consulting business as well as the risk management business, but one of our greatest strengths is making sure our customers know how to translate the insurance marketplace into what they need,” he said. “There are a lot of changes coming in the insurance business, and a lot of people are saying technology is going to take over, but I don’t believe that at all.”

Instead, he said he believes customers will always need a trusted partner with expertise.

“This is a people business and a relationship business,” he said. “We never could have done it without the incredible team here. We look forward to many more years with many more folks.”