IIAV Past President - Cyrus P. Barger, Jr.

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This is the 28th in our series of conversations with former leaders of Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia. Cy Barger served as IIAV Chairman of the Board after being elected in 2001 at the convention at The Homestead in Hot Springs, VA.

Nestled outside of Forest, Virginia among rolling hills, spacious acreage and cascading streams, Woodberry Forest School is the quintessential "prep school". It even looks like a mini University of Virginia. Cyrus P. Barger, Jr. called this "home" during the in-school seasons of his teen years. Cy will quickly admit that it was a terrific place to become more academically focused. Born in Waynesboro, Cy Barger joined the other 350 boys at Woodberry Forest, graduated in 1977 and enrolled in nearby UVA. Barger relished his time at UVA. He fared well. History became his major and Phi Kappa Fraternity was his home for two of his four college years. In 1981 he graduated and began a short-lived career search.

Cy’s father was in the insurance agency business in Waynesboro, but Cy gravitated to the company side of the industry. He joined The Travelers and began to work in the company’s Annandale, Virginia office. With Travelers, Barger agreed to a multi-year commitment starting out in the Commercial Lines arena and then moving into the field as an Account Analyst. This marketing position was, as Cy puts it, "A terrific experience and a fabulous opportunity to engage other agents."

In 1984, Cy relocated to Lexington, Virginia to work with Dick Meador (IIAV Past President 1985-1986) at Barger Insurance. The agency had been started in 1911 by Cy's grandfather, Emmitt Barger, and Dick Meador’s grandfather, Guy Branaham. One was an insurance agent, the other, a lawyer. Cy’s father returned from Germany in 1954 and ran the agency for 35 years.

Later Cy began working in the Charlottesville office as a brand new producer and worked alongside Bob Short. Within about thirty days, Short decided to strike out on his own. He and another employee, Linda Thompson, moved across town and began Short Insurance Associates, Ltd. Barger recalls that sad day and the tears that flowed from remaining employees.

In May 1999, the Barger Agency was sold to BB&T. Even though Dick Meador had been fighting the banking industry’s intrusion into the insurance business for years, once the legal barriers had been legislatively removed, the sale to BB&T was good for both entities. Cy noted that, "Wade Reece (BB&T Insurance President) was very fond of Dick. The agency was 40% ESOP owned and the sale was good for Barger’s customers."

Today, Cy works principally from the BB&T – Barger Insurance offices off Old Ivy Road in Charlottesville. A couple of days each week he travels a few miles west to the Crozet office to serve mostly personal lines customers.

After three generations in the agency business, the Barger line may be coming to an end. Cy has a younger brother and two sisters. With the brother associated with Merrill Lynch and his two sisters each married to Richmond attorneys, the likelihood of either of them becoming involved in the insurance business is remote.

Cy’s wife, Anne, had been with Chubb when they met. She specialized in high value homeowners' coverage in New York, but she is apparently content on the home front now. Son Phillip, 23, graduated from the College of Charleston and is now with Deutche Bank in Europe. Daughter Libbie, 21, is also abroad in Florence, Italy after graduating from the University of South Carolina. Neither has shown an interest in following Dad’s career footsteps.

One cannot be in the agency business for as many years as Cy without running into odd occurrences and circumstances. Cy recalls that during his fourth year at UVA, he was fulfilling his required hours and took a nutritional foods class. It was basically a "pass/fail" class and even though Cy had been a good student during his years at Mr. Jefferson’s University, he found himself pleading ("begging" was his exact word) with the instructor to give him a "pass" grade. She did. Fifteen long years afterward, that same instructor opened a nutrition retail business near his office. He wrote the $30,000 account. Small world, indeed.

On a separate occasion, the quiet of a mid-day was interrupted with the sound of roaring sirens as a nearby office building caught fire. While it burned, a lady rushed into the agency office frantically attempting to pay a premium on her insurance in cash. Cy claims the "staff member at the front desk would not accept the payment under such curious conditions." And for good reason (you’re getting ahead of me on this, aren’t you?). The lady was, in fact, the owner of the building and her policy had been canceled for non-payment. One can only imagine the problem that would have ensued had the staff accepted the cash payment.

Becoming involved in the Association at a local level and statewide had been more the work of Dick Meador than Cy’s father. Very early in his career, Cy had become very involved with the IIAV Young Agents along with such notables as Walter Robertson, Tommy Cox, Rick Farmar (IIAV Past President 1998-1999) and Steven Peacock. Barger served on various committees before Rick Farmar formally asked him to serve on the Board of Directors and ultimately move up the chairs. Cy followed Dwight West as President and was installed at the IIAV Annual Convention at The Homestead. Cy’s outgoing convention was at Wintergreen.

It was a busy time at IIAV during Cy’s term as President. There was much activity pursuing possible mergers with not only PIA, but with the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina. Additionally, it was the first year with IIAV’s new executive officer on board, Bob Bradshaw.

"Persevere and stick it out," are the words Cy would share with anyone thinking about getting into the insurance agency business today. He quickly adds, "It is a wonderful business with little overhead, offering tremendous and rewarding opportunities."

The view from Cy’s office in Charlottesville is meaningful. He can see the condominium building — just blocks away — that serves as the residence of his now-retired father. Having lost his mother just a year ago, the ability to readily see where his father is must be both comforting and reflective. BB&T still maintains an active insurance office at Wayne and Main in Waynesboro where his father once worked.

At first glance, Cy Barger does not strike one as a "gentleman farmer." As a matter of fact, even a second glance won’t likely reveal the new cattleman in him. However, this past summer Cy purchased an old farmhouse just outside of Waynesboro. Not just any old farmhouse, mind you. He is now the sixth generation Barger to occupy the house and this new acquisition is keeping him plenty busy. Cy reveals, "There’s some fixin’up to do." This house and newly purchased ten-acre tract are part of a 900-acre tract with more than 300 head of cattle. Two bulls are now in the "back yard," which might suggest an even larger herd this spring.

Cy Barger is, by his own admission, somewhat of a "bubble boy" in that he really hasn’t moved far from his roots. There are no disappointments, no regrets. He’s satisfied with his accomplishments and enjoying his new found "Green Acres" environment. To say that he is now "out to pasture" would be totally misreading his current status. "Feeling his oats" might be more appropriate. There is a lot more insurance man left in Mr. Barger.


If you missed the previous articles you will find them on our website at www.iiav.com under News.

Danny Mitchell (dmitchell@iiav.com), IIAV Membership/Marketing Director