Jim Horne, owner of Parker Insurance, recently announced that he has purchased Bonar Insurance agency from David Bonar, who has retired.
Horne is owner and manager of the plaza south of Churubusco at 3985 N. U.S. 33 which houses not only Horne’s insurance agency, but several other individual businesses, including Subway, Gonink Design & Print and Hit the Floor Dance Studio.
Horne has moved the Bonar office from its old home at 203 Main Street to his southside agency, and that move included Dee Dee McCoy, who was the office manager at Bonar Insurance.
Horne is a familiar face around Churubusco, having served as a Smith Twp. volunteer firefighter for 32 years.
He was a member of the Churubusco Town Council for five years from 1988-1993 and worked as superintendent of the town’s wastewater treatment plant for nine years during that same time. During Horne’s tenure, the wastewater treatment plant was recognized by the state for quality control and excellence in operation.
Horne also formed his own company, Horne And Associates Fire and Rescue, Inc., where he sold fire/rescue equipment for 13 years. After that he worked for the Allstate Insurance regional office in Dearborn, Mich. There, Horne was in charge of property inspections for northeast Indiana and part of southern Michigan.
Horne was forced to look for a new career when he was diagnosed with severe heart problems. He has had two pacemakers installed in his chest and two heart ablation surgeries.
Since his most recent surgery just a few weeks ago - to install a new pacemaker - Horne said he feels a lot better.
“I feel really great and my heart doesn’t seem to race or skip or get out of whack like it used to,” he said.
In August 1998 Horne graduated from Indiana Wesleyan with a degree in business. In 1999, Horne bought Parker Insurance from Marilyn Parker, who was retiring.
“It started as a smart remark,” Horne said. “Marilyn - who was good friends with my mom - said she would like to sell the business and retire. I jumped in and said, ‘I’ll buy it!’”
He operated Parker Insurance out of the old site at the corner of Tulley and Main streets, until June 2005 when he moved the business to its present site.
Other than the office move, Horne said Bonar Insurance will remain unchanged for the time being.
Horne and his wife, Mary Jo, are longtime Churubusco residents and have two grown children and two grandchildren.
Horne has been very active in the Churubusco Chamber of Commerce and is currently serving as president. He is a member of the Churubusco Rotary and has served as an officer in the past. He was supposed to be vice president of the Rotary this year, but health reasons forced him to step down.
This year Horne was the Churubusco coordinator for the United Way of Whitley County, where he serves on the board of directors.
His agency handles insurance “of every kind,” he said, and is open Monday-Friday, 8-5. Horne said he will meet with clients by appointment on weekends and nights and the agency has a 24-7 claim service.
In photo, from left, the office staff of Parker and Bonar Insurance, Kharissa Herendeen, Jacinda Winebrenner and Dee Dee McCoy.
Photos by Chris Tomlinson and Viv Sade
Story by Viv Sade
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