The Cashion Co.

About three years ago, The Cashion Co. of Little Rock took a hit when another firm hired several of Cashion’s employees. “The out-of-state firm came in and lured four of our salespeople away, and then they walked out without notice,” said Matt Cashion, president of the independent insurance agency.

Less than a week after that, the firm tried to hire Cashion’s remaining employees, he said. “Obviously, that was a kick in the gut,” Cashion said. “But we survived that, and so we’re back to growing again.”

The agency has 18 employees; about a third of those employees have been with the company for more than 25 years. It has an office in Little Rock and Fayetteville.

The Cashion Co. offers insurance and surety products and risk management services and has a niche with the construction industry. Cashion’s father, Knight Cashion, and Matt Cashion’s brother, Benson Cashion, along with Doris Nell Julian founded the agency in 1975. The ownership changed in the late 1980s, when Matt Cashion, Benson Cashion and Jim Allbritton bought the company.

“Our primary focus is to take care of our existing customers as best as possible,” Matt Cashion said. The company tries to provide “superior service, superior relationships,” because businesses can buy insurance anywhere.

Cashion declined to release revenue figures, but said the agency saw about 7% revenue growth in 2019 over 2018.

The company plans for “a good, slow, controlled growth,” Cashion said. “We operate under the philosophy that bigger is not always better. Better is better.”

Outside of the office, the agency’s employees support trade associations that its clients are associated with by volunteering for boards and committees, including the Associated General Contractors of Arkansas, Associated Builders & Contractors of Arkansas, Arkansas Asphalt Pavement Association and the National Association of Surety Bond Producers. “That has helped us stay locally owned but being nationally known,” Cashion said.

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