The MLS business has become a recognized name across Eastern Ontario since the early 1900’s. Clients have made us their top choice because our values have always been based on old-fashioned integrity and trust. Yet, we’ve stayed modern, innovative, and industry-leading to give our clients the best insurance plans and prices out there. To learn more about the team behind MLS Insurance and what we stand for, here’s a brief history of our company and how we started over 70 years ago.
The Beginning
The story of MLS Insurance began in 1938 when a Mr. Laurent Maisonneuve started working for Mr. Rodolphe Landry Insurance Brokers located in St-Isidore. Laurent continued to work with Mr. Landry mastering the insurance field until 1953, when he was finally able to acquire the business and take it over himself. The brokerage was soon renamed to Laurent Maisonneuve Assurance in 1953.
Notable Persons
Laurent Maisonneuve spent years building the business and its brand on his own until he hired his son Pierre Maisonneuve and son-in-law Gaetan Lalonde as associates in 1968. Together they worked to build a strong business structure and expand their reputation in the area as the most reliable and trusted Insurance Brokerage. Then in 1984, they hired a new face to the team, Gerard Souligny as their associate, which lead to the name change Maisonneuve, Lalonde, Souligny Assurance Ltee.
A Family Business Forms
Eventually, the company formed into a full-scale family operation with Pierre’s sons Paul and Daniel Maisonneuve, and Gerard’s daughter Josee Souligny joining the brokerage and bringing fresh new minds and ideas to the business. This small family operation became the driving force behind the expansion of the MLS we know today.
New Offices
The expansion of the business started soon after in 1991 when they acquired Laurent Perrier Insurance in Plantagenet and opened their first office there. Then in January 1996, they expanded again to open a new office in Casselman, followed by a third expansion in the town of Alexandria later in 1998. This brought the total number of offices operated by the business to four.
Major Acquisitions
A number of other acquisitions during this time also helped to develop and grow the MLS business. The most notable was when Paul Maisonneuve, Josee Souligny & Daniel Maisonneuve moved to buy their parent’s business in January of 2000.
The Name Change
It wasn’t until 2006 that Maisonneuve, Lalonde, Souligny Assurance Ltée changed its name to MLS Insurance Brokers Inc. The name change was designed to give the business a fresh new face with more modern branding but without sacrificing on the company’s values and well-respected reputation.
MLS Today
Growth was inevitable, and in April after the name change, the St-Isidore office was moved to a bigger location in order to hire more staff. Then five years later, the Plantagenet office was merged with the St-Isidore office to accommodate their growth and create a larger operation in this area. Today, the business structure remains to include three offices and over 35 employees to date.
Family values, reputation, and client dedication has continually driven our success at MLS Insurance. Our values have never changed, and our teams continue to take pride in offering the best insurance products and prices to each and every one of our clients. To find out how we can help you and what we have to offer, reach out to us today.