The MJ Companies were founded by Michael M. Bill and James Ritter nearly 60 years ago.
Our story is one of humble beginnings and a pursuit of ingenuity. Founded in 1964, we started our journey with just two individuals and a vision to bring more to the industry. Since then, we have become one of the largest privately held insurance agencies in America, with over 200 dedicated associates serving clients in every state across the nation and over 50 countries worldwide. Our diverse range of personalized services, including commercial and personal insurance, risk management, employee benefits, retirement, compensation, and total rewards consulting, have helped us earn the trust of our clients and establish ourselves as industry leaders.
It’s been a busy 59 years at The MJ Companies. The timeline below tells the story of our growth and success. We’d love to tell you more about the ways we help you grow and succeed, too.
Doors opened in Anderson, IN
Founders Michael M. Bill and James Ritter opened MJ United Insurance Agencies in Anderson, Indiana, with just four employees.
Michael M. Bill
Entrepreneur and one of our founders.
4 Total Employees
First employees: Jim Ritter, Larry Johnson, Diane Cunningham, Michael M. Bill.
Established Construction & Manufacturing
Established construction and manufacturing practices.
Established Personal Insurance
Established personal insurance practice.
MJ’s first logo/branding established
Our first logo was a black-on-gray mark inspired by Scandinavian designs popular at the time.
Established Employee Benefits Practice
Established Transportation Practice
Established energy and mining practice
Relocation to 8180 Clearvista Drive, Indianapolis
Our 25th Anniversary
We marked our 25th year in a new and larger Indianapolis location—proud of all we’d accomplished but, as ever, looking to the future.
New Brand Identity
Michael H. Bill hired as a consultant
Became a member of Assurex Global
Established sorority practice
Established Japanese business practice
Michael M. Bill scholarship established
Arizona office opened
We opened an Arizona office in 2005 to better serve our clients in the region. Now located on Camelback Road in Phoenix, it’s home to more than 30 members of the MJ team.
Michael H. Bill becomes CEO
Launched new brand identity
Relocation to 9225 Priority Way West Drive, Indianapolis
Named Marketing Agency of the Year by Rough Notes
Became a Best Place to Work in Arizona
Started MJ YOUniversity
Because we believe that personal goals are every bit as important as professional ones, we started MJ YOUniversity to help our associates achieve their life’s dreams and ambitions.
Our 50th Anniversary
Our golden anniversary gave us a lot to celebrate: more than 125 employees, clients in every state, and 50 profitable years in a row!
Established farm-to-fork practice
Relocation to 571 Monon Boulevard, Carmel, IN
Launch of our new logo and branding
Became one of The Valley’s Healthiest Employers
Launch of APERTURE—MJ’s analytics platform
We worked hard to bring APERTURE to life. It’s our proprietary analytics tool that helps us take a deep dive into the heart of your business—and see future risks and opportunities clearly.
Named one of the Healthiest workplaces in America
Launched MJ Benefits+
MJ Benefits+ is an integrative approach to employee benefits consulting, compensation, retirement, and organizational culture focused on inspiring the happiness and wellbeing of people.
Transitioned to The MJ Companies
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It’s time to change the way you think about risk and employee benefits—and raise your expectations about what your business partners should do for you.