HILL & STONE INSURANCE AGENCY, INC. - A Brief History

In 1912, Esther Stone founded Hill & Stone in Wilmette, IL. She was a pioneer for women in the business world, with an industrious work ethic in her insurance and real estate trade. Esther also co-founded The North Shore Board of Realtors and for over a decade was the only woman active in the Wilmette Chamber of Commerce. Her partner, Harold Hill of Winnetka left the firm in 1916.

Today, Hill and Stone services the needs of over 5000 clients from headquarters in Lake Bluff and is licensed in virtually all 50 states. With a highly trained sales force and conscientious attitude, the firm offers unmatched care and attention to business and personal clients, while representing the best insurance carriers.

From 1930 to 1979, the agency was led by George R. Stone. George exhibited a knack for problem solving/business prowess as chess champion at New Trier High School and Dartmouth College, from which he graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1930. Stationed in Hawaii as a code breaker throughout World War II, "Commander Stone" received multiple accolades, including the Bronze Star. He met his wife, Marjorie, at the British Foreign Office in Washington D.C. Marjorie deciphered German U-boat codes and served directly under Winston Churchill in WWII at Bletchley Park—England's most secret code breaking operations outside London.

In the 1940's, Hill and Stone opened a second office in the heart of the North Shore:
Highland Park. While expanding the insurance practice with innovative products from the St. Paul Fire & Marine, Travelers, and INA, the agency began to focus exclusively in multiple property/casualty lines. George R. Stone was active in many community affairs throughout this period: Trustee of the Village of Lake Bluff, Trustee of Grace Methodist Church, President of the Highland Park Rotary, and founder/sponsor of the Lake Forest Rotary Club.

The third generation of leadership was secured when Esther's grandson, George S. Stone, joined the firm after graduating from Lake Forest High School in 1975 and with honors from Dartmouth in 1979. George has led the agency from Esther's humble origins into the current century with an unyielding commitment to technology and developing life and health sales. He was conferred with the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation from the American College in Bryn Mawr, PA in 1988 and co-founded a third party administrator: Health Plan Management. He has served on the Boards of Trinity United Methodist Church, Highland Park Rotary, and the Chamber of Commerce as well as chairing National Producer Councils for prominent insurance carriers. George has coached soccer for years and served as President of the Trevian/FC United Soccer Club. His wife, Patricia Stone, is a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and has years of experience at Chubb, Zurich, and Commercial Union