Mission
Fort Ashford’s mission is to help small- to medium-size insurance and risk-related businesses by rapidly providing capital, insight, and know-how necessary for achieving phenomenal success.
History
Fort Ashford was founded in 1996. Through a predecessor entity, we have been helping small- and medium-sized firms prosper since 1995. Past client-partners include:
Learn more about our portfolio companies here.
Insurance Industry Roots
Our passion for insurance reaches back three generations, when Frank Kavanaugh Sr., our founder’s grandfather, first stepped into the industry as a messenger for Fireman’s Fund in the early 1900’s. After serving in the Navy during World War I, he went to work for the Illinois Audit Bureau and later for the Michigan Audit Bureau, both of which regulated premiums and provided oversight for the insurance industry.
In 1931, Frank Sr. started selling insurance for an agency in Kalamazoo, MI. He also began working toward his dream of owning his own agency and having his sons join him in the insurance business. Around 1950, his dream would finally come true, when he and one of his seven sons, Frank Jr. launched the first Kavanaugh Agency. With Frank Sr. selling individual policies and Frank Jr. selling to groups and corporations, the Kavanaugh Agency flourished and eventually split into two separate agencies.
Frank Kavanaugh, grandson of Frank Sr. is committed to keeping the family legacy and passion for the insurance industry alive. Instead of launching his own agency, Frank has decided to serve the industry in a different capacity, providing capable insurance and risk-related businesses with whatever they need to succeed – capital, insight, expertise, and commitment.
