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Arbor Insurance Group has over 65 years of history in the Lehigh Valley.

The legacy of our founder, William H. Hacker.

The year was 1958 when William H. Hacker sold his interest in the J.M. Snyder & Son farm equipment dealership in Neffs, Lehigh County, PA. He sold his interests to his partner of ten years, Roy O. Bachman.

Bill was 38 years old at the time with a wife, three children, and a house mortgage. Bill had to make some tough decisions regarding future work. During his college education at Penn State, he knew that working for someone and getting a routine job was not for him. But he was not sure what that meant as he considered the next chapter of his professional career. One day, his cousin, Randy Klinefelter, owner of a small insurance agency in Ephrata, PA, suggested that Bill consider going into the insurance business.

Starting from scratch was not financially an easy thing to do, but Bill figured he had enough money from the sale of the farm equipment company to meet his expenses for one year. With the help of his cousin, Randy, he took the necessary insurance examination to qualify for the test and license requirements. Having an insurance agent license in hand, Bill made a contract with Windsor Mutual Insurance Company to sell their insurance products.

At Bill’s farm home in Ballietsville, PA was a small one-room building that originally was a private school for the Balliet children. Bill made this 1899 schoolroom into an insurance office for himself. And as they say, the rest is history.

1950s-1960s

1958

The William H. Hacker Company is founded in Ballietsville. A used $20 desk, a $10 typewriter and a filing cabinet are purchased for the first William H. Hacker Insurance Agency.

1959

After a year in the schoolhouse office, Bill makes arrangements with Fred Moyer of the Moyer-Shimer Insurance Agency to move into their office located at 39 N. 8th Street in Allentown, PA. Bill meets Gordon G. Singer, who is the manager for State Capital Savings and Loan in Allentown, PA. After several meetings with Gordon, Bill enters into an agreement with Gordon to move his insurance agency to the State Capital office at 511 Linden Street in Allentown. Bill and Gordon form a real estate business named Singer-Hacker Realtors.

1960

William H. Hacker acquires Alton Snyder Agency of New Tripoli, PA after the agency owner passes away. This is a natural move for Bill, whose prior years were spent selling farm equipment to many of Snyder’s customers.

1962

Hacker Agency and Singer-Hacker Realtors move their operations to 511 Linden Street in Allentown to make more room for their growing business. The building was formerly home to Al trost, a local homebuilder. Hacker Agency purchases Moyer-Shimer Agency after the death of the remaining owner, Fred Moyer. Hacker Agency is now considered a big league company. Hacker Agency and VanSant Agency enter into a subagents contract at the request of agency owner, John VanSant.

Ballietsville Schoolhouse hidden in a garden.

511 Linden Street Location

2015 West Hamilton St. Building.

AIM's North 9th Street office (Owners, Don Kennagy, Bob Bolton, Ray Ellinger, Don Cerrato and Walter Houpt. Dianne Billig, Producer)

Bill Hacker working in the office shortly after he graduated from college and joined his father in the business.

1970-1988

1972

The combined businesses of Hacker Agency and Singer-Hacker Realtors become too large for the 511 Linden Street office space. As a result, Bill forms a property purchase partnership with Gordon Singer, Lee Everett, John Wapner and Fred Nabhan to purchase a vacant lot of land at 2015 West Hamilton Street in Allentown. A 20,000 sqft office becomes the new home of William H. Hacker Co., incorporated in 1972.

1979

Eric B. Blew joins the Frank Reisner Insurance Agency as a producer.

1981

AIM Insurance Agency is founded in Allentown. William C. Hacker, Bill’s son, joins William H. Hacker Co. as a sales associate. William C. Hacker comes to William H. Hacker Co. from Good Year Tire & Rubber Co. where he worked in the industrial sales division.

1982

William H. Hacker assumes responsibility for managing the agency’s accounts. William H. Hacker Co. acquires Alfred Wert Agency in Lynnville, Lehigh County, PA.

1984

The Blew/Symons Insurance Agency is founded. William H. Hacker Co. acquires E.F. Eby Co. William H. Hacker assumes management responsibility for the operations of the Eby office on Union Boulevard in Allentown.

1986

The Blew/Moyer Agency is formed.

1990-2000s

1991

The Blew/Moyer agency becomes the Blew Insurance Agency in Allentown.

1995

The Butz Hacker Company is formed by the merger of The Butz Company and the William H. Hacker Company.

1997

Arbor Insurance starts PA Insurance Alliance. Arbor places first client with Captive Resources.

1998

Butz Hacker Company acquires G & R Insurance Agency located in Fogelsville, PA.

Sue Hacker, deceased wife of Bill Hacker, joined the company in 1976 and met Bill when he joined the company in 1981.

Ann Pospischil and Bruce Kraft, who both still work for Arbor Insurance Group.

The Hamilton Street office with new signage designed as part of the merger rebranding.

Fun after the Holiday Party.

2000s

2000

William H. Hacker retires as president of the Butz Hacker Company; William C. Hacker, his son, succeeded him as president.

2002

Butz Hacker Company acquires the insurance accounts from Jack Graul. These accounts were originally the Stimmel & Graul Insurance Agency. Arbor Insurance Group, Inc. is established when the Butz Hacker Company of Allentown and AIM Insurance Agency of Allentown merge.

2003

Bruce Kraft joins Arbor Insurance Group as the Commercial Lines Manager. Arbor Insurance hires Steve Wisocky as producer and forms Home Furnishings Insurance Group.

2005

Arbor Insurance moves northwest to 1605 Cedar Crest Blvd (Roma Complex), leaving former location of 33 years at 2015 Hamilton St. in City of Allentown.

2009

Bruce Kraft becomes a shareholder, full time producer and member of the Board of Directors. Arbor sells interest in Home Furnishings Insurance Group to Steve Wisocky and buys Steve’s interest in Arbor Insurance Group.

2010s

2010

Justin Beidleman joins Arbor Insurance Group as a producer.

2012

Jack Bury retires as COO of Arbor Insurance Group in 2012.

2014

Arbor creates the Arbor Community Foundation through the assistance of the LV Community Foundation.

2015

Arbor relocates to current offices at 3435 Winchester Road 2015. Arbor and PA Insurance Alliance separate operations so that both businesses function independently.

2017

Arbor acknowledges 20 years of making insurance accessible to the entire Lehigh Valley community with the 20th anniversary of the opening of their downtown Allentown office.

2018

Arbor attains $20MM of written premium in 2018.

Jack Bury, former COO
of Arbor Insurance Group.

Arbor Insurance Group office today.

The Agency Today

Arbor continues to carry out William H. Hacker’s legacy by serving the diverse needs of Lehigh Valley individuals, families, and businesses while remaining committed to the same ideals we started out with: unparalleled customer service and the most effective protection for our customers.

President & CEO

William C. Hacker