Dan Dillingham’s great grandfather wrote the first insurance policy issued in the Cherokee Outlet of the Indian Territory of Oklahoma in 1889. Because Enid is centrally located and has always provided outstanding general aviation facilities, the firm was nationally competitive right from the start.
Dan, followed his father, Tom, into the family business in 1958 and still works in the Enid based office from time to time. The business has expanded to cover 38 states and includes a broad array of business sectors from transportation, energy, agri-business, manufacturing, construction, to one of the nation’s largest craft distillers. For a business where three generations still work side-by-side every day, being headquartered in a community that fosters the same sense of family is important. Even after 90 years of growth and success, the owners of Dillingham Insurance have never considered leaving Enid.
“I’ve traveled widely, and I don’t know of any other community that has grown so many local businesses to the size and scale that Enid has per capita,” Chad Dillingham observes. “There’s simply a unique work ethic and spirit of entrepreneurship here that goes back for generations.”
“Enid’s concern for quality of life issues— for parks and trails, for investing in common and higher education — have really helped us recruit and retain people.”
Jed Dillingham