HISTORY / ORIGIN

TOM PARKER GENERAL AGENCY, INC., a Michigan Corporation, is a result of continual growth of a bail agency called Great Lakes Bonding & Insurance Agency.  Both companies were founded by Tom Parker, who started in the bonding business on July 12, 1968.

With aspirations as a young person to become a practicing attorney, Tom was always fascinated with the judicial system.  He jumped at the chance to become an active part of the legal system when he was offered a position with a bail agency, right out of high school.  Two months later it was off to college where Tom opened his own bail office adjacent to campus.

"After receiving a bachelors degree in Political Science and having made all preparations for law school, the biggest decision of my life had to be made.  The agency was going well and I had to decide what I now wanted to be, a businessman or a lawyer.  Circumstances with the agency took me to the west side of Michigan where agency growth exploded.  Our expansion was swift and sound.  Business was fabulous as were the people I was involved with in West Michigan. The only drawback... no law school in that part of the state. Considering everything, I chose to remain a businessman... to this day I have no regrets."

                                                                                   Tom Parker

As time went on, a decision to expand out of state was made, both retail (through agency acquisitions) and on a wholesale level by expanding the general agency side of the business. Today, Tom owns or has interest in seven retail bail agencies in four states and over three hundred agents in thirty states.

"Our standards are high and we are very selective of those we contract with -- the result is one of the strongest, most professional agency forces in the industry."