NORWICH – State Farm Insurance Agency, owned and operated by Matt Harrington, will be hosting a Business After Hours on Sept. 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. at 9 South Broad Street in Norwich.

Retired farmer and insurance salesman George Jacob “G.J.” Mecherle founded State Farm in 1922. His motivation was simple: to be fair and do the right thing for his customers. On June 7, 1922, G.J. Mecherle and two associates set up shop in a temporary office in Bloomington, IL. G.J. and sold his first auto policy to a Henry Stubblefield, a local farmer. The semi-annual premium for Henry’s 1919 Hudson? $11.17.

Building on their history of innovation, they launched State Farm Bank in 2000.