About Paul Richardson Agency
Paul Richardson was our founder. Paul Richardson started his journey towards this agency back when he attended Washington State College and met Sandra Payne. After Paul graduated from WSC (not a university yet), he went to work for Boeing in Seattle as a purchasing agent. After they were married in 1960, Sandra finished her degree at the University of Washington. Paul jumped at an opportunity to work in the insurance world for Travelers Insurance Company as an adjustor in Tacoma and Yakima. In the meantime, Paul and Sandra had two daughters, Jill and Tracy. Jill eventually became an insurance agent at the Paul Richardson Agency, and Tracy married Phil Oberg who also came to work for the agency. Working for Travelers as an adjustor, Paul’s territory included Eastern Washington which led to many visits into the Walla Walla area. Quickly Paul’s friendly personality gained him many friends and a reputation as an honest and reliable adjustor. So much so, that the Zaring Agency convinced Paul to move his family to Walla Walla to sell insurance for them.
Paul joined the local Presbyterian Church were he was an elder, he was a volunteer at the Fair Grounds and joined the Kiwanis Club, he was also a member of many other clubs and organizations in the Walla Walla valley allowing him to meet many people who again could see he was a very friendly, hardworking honest man. Initially, Paul sold auto and home insurance before becoming a partner in the Life and Health side of the Zaring Agency. Then in 1981, Paul purchased the Life and Health book of business from the Zaring Agency to open the Paul Richardson Agency and quickly grew his business.
In 1990 Paul offered his Son in Law, Phil Oberg a position to sell the Auto and Home Insurance while Paul continued handling the Life and Health insurance, and financial planning. Unfortunately after only a short four years working with Phil, Paul suddenly passed away at the age of 56. Not only did family and friends mourn his death, but the community and many clients did as well.
Now Phil has taken the reigns for the Life and Health insurance for the Paul Richardson Agency, and Paul’s daughter, Jill, now sells the Auto and Home. Truly a family business, many people stop by the office just to say hello, or introduce their children or grandchildren. “We have real relationships with our clients, we know about their lives and we care about them as people. That’s not something you find everywhere, but it’s how we operate and it all started with Paul.” –Jill Richardson.