Looking from where I will be buried I can see five generations of my direct McKenzie descendents. All of whom sold Insurance as Independent Agents and many other products and services in downtown Montezuma since the middle 1800s. My Agency was founded in 1921 by my grandfather W.H. "Bill" McKenzie. The Insurance files were all that was left from his grandfather's failed bank.

He had witnessed his family's finantial collapse and lost his silver spoon to the great depression. With no other job prospects and a new wife in need, he rented a building and sold Insurance inside and fertilizer off a truck parked out front. He had to get to town first every morning, to be sure of getting that parking spot.

Tough times for this once very rich family. To make ends meet, besides selling insurance, Bill McKenzie farmed, sold farm supplies, developed land and was involved in banking. He left the Agency in 1948 to make room for his son (my Dad) returning from WWII. He and two partners founded McKenzie Southern Frozen Foods where he served as President until retirement in 1961. Then he returned to the Agency until his death in 1973. His retirement to the Agency created my first Agency job as my Grandfather's assistant. I worked there part time all my life and upon graduation from UGA in 1974 returned to the Agency full time to join my dad Lewis H. "Bud" McKenzie. Mr. Bud served the Agency until his death in 1999.

Mr. Bud served as Ga. State Senator from 1980 to 1990. Actually all his adult life he spent most of his time on politics and helping others. Yet he still had business interests ranging from raising catfish to growing pine trees to starting up a radio station. He and his Dad were Bank Board members. He was a founder and Board member of an insurance Company. Below are some of his tributes. Obviously I am proud that I began my career began working for these two men. It is no wonder that I am accused of being from the "old school".