DICKSON, Tenn. (WKRN) — Three decades later, many Middle Tennesseans still remember the ice storm of 1994, as some went days to weeks without electricity in frigid temperatures.
Tommy Fuson told News 2 it was his most memorable time on the job at Dickson’s oldest active business—Morrison & Fuson Insurance Agency.
“All the service in Dickson was down and I was the only employee that had telephone service,” he recalled. “I went to the basement, had a pen and paper, and sat down and wrote names and contact numbers. I was telling the customer—we didn’t have computers like we’ve got now— that I’d have to go back to the office, look at the coverage, and check the deductible.”
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It’s the quality of customer service he feels has kept their family business going since 1908. Photos of the company’s founders hang on the wall of their office space in downtown Dickson, including Tommy’s grandfather William Pope Morrison.
“Jimmy Barber, as far as I know, is the oldest customer. He was in, I think, the Korean War. When he got out of the war, he came in here and bought an auto policy and today he is still, Jimmy’s in the early 90’s, he’s still a customer,” Tommy said.
Tommy’s children, Stephanie and Marshall, now represent the fifth generation of owners for their family’s agency. After majoring in insurance at Middle Tennessee State University, both worked at insurance companies in different cities before returning home with more knowledge to continue the family legacy.
“We lean on each other. I ask her something, or she’ll ask me something, or we’ll go and see dad,” said Marshall.
Their customers have extended beyond Dickson to cities across the southeast and even Canada.
“I like being an expert for my customers, being a partner for them and helping grow their business,” said Stephanie, adding she always knew this was her career path. “I remember just running up and down the hallways of the office when I was little and playing with the letterhead, pretending like I was answering the phone, and that’s how it all started and then it was real. I worked during high school at the business and had my license before I was even out of high school.”
She shared a photo of her daughter setting up her own play insurance office at just six years old. Stephanie’s two children are currently high school interns at Morrison & Fuson, making them the sixth generation of family members at the business.
“In an industry like ours, the stigma is sometimes that people are not doing things the right way. We’re not going to do that. We’re going to do things the right way,” said Marshall. “We love to still give a handshake and see people, and we have a lot of old school customers that still do that.”
At 118-years-old, they say it’s one of the oldest insurance agencies in all of Tennessee. It operated in the First National Bank Building in downtown Dickson until 1972. After some years away in other parts of the city, the business is now back in downtown Dickson. They’ve been at the current location at 104 Church Street since 2023. It includes a sign by the front desk that was made by local students at Creek Wood High School.
“It’s cool to be a steward of the old Dickson, because we know it’s an honor that we’re the oldest active business, and to be able to be back where everything started; Dickson started just a block away through the railroad. So it’s really cool that we can continue that on,” said Marshall. “We want to provide amazing service and we want to help people, and this is my way of being able to do that and still be a part of something that’s been around for so long.”
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Tommy said his passion for the company’s work dates back as long as he can remember.
“You eat it, you breathe it, you drink it, and we do the same thing. I don’t go home, I don’t ever spend a night without thinking I need to do this, this, this, and some insurance-related or something,” he said. “I can remember houses I’m sure in the 70s, it just sticks.”
All these years later, Tommy says they’re grateful for the support of the Dickson community.
“A lot of it is the history. It’s got a good small town feel. The people are still.. they’re good people, good solid people you can count on,” he said, adding their method for longevity has been simple. “Putting God first and the golden rule: Everybody wants to be treated like you want to be treated, so that’s what we try to do.”