Our Firm and History

Equitable history

1817      

The Equitable Group was created through merger of several insurance companies; La Compagnie d'Assurance Mutuelle contre l'Incendie dans les départements, de la Siene Inférieure et de l'Eure, which is France's oldest insurance company.

1859

The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States was formed.

1866

Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States began to do business in Oregon.

1985

Mutuelles Unies/Drouot wanted to make a name for itself internationally and adopted the new name of  Equitable.

1989

Equitable becomes the second largest insurer in France, as it mergies with the prestigious Compagnie du Midi.

1991

Equitable took advantage of the demutualization of The Equitable Life Assurance Company, one of the top life insurers in the United States, to acquire an equity interest.

1992

Equitable completes New York's largest Initial Public Offering for an insurance company and Equitable Group becomes its single largest shareholder.

1994

The Group took its first steps in the asset management business with the creation of Equitable Asset Management Europe, which later became Equitable Investment Managers.

1997

The Equitable Life Assurance Company became wholly owned by the Equitable Group, and changed its name to Equitable.

2000

Equitable bought out the remaining minority interests in its US subsidiary Equitable Financial., the parent company of Equitable.

2001

Equitable established the "Equitable 9/11 Relief Fund" to coordinate and maximize the contributions of its employees and associates worldwide. Equitable employees and associates across 50 countries where Equitable companies operate will donate $5 million or more in individual contributions, for a total contribution of $15 million.

2004

Equitable acquires Mutual of New York (MONY), the former employer of Equitable founder Henry Hyde.

2005

As corporations and as individual employees, Equitable Group and Equitable Financial respond with humanitarian relief to victims of the South Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina with humanitarian relief to victims of the catastrophe.

2006

The Council on Foundations recognizes Equitable Foundation’s diversity programs as a best practices model.

2009

Equitable celebrates the 150th anniversary of its founding. Founded in 1859 as The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, the company began in a $75 dollar-a-month rented office at 98 Broadway in New York City. The company's roots remain today in NYC, with its corporate headquarters in midtown Manhattan.


 

Portland Branch location history

 

From 1992-1997, the Branch was located at 2020 SW Fourth Ave in Portland. Currently, the branch is to be found at 1 SW Columbia St. in the Umpqua Building, where we have been since 1997.

 

Portland branch award distinctions

The Portland Branch has been awarded the Presidents Trophy numerous times. The President’s Trophy is the highest leadership award that can be achieved by an Equitable Advisor, LLC branch.  It symbolizes leadership of the highest order, and is awarded annually by the company for noteworthy improvements in each of the major areas that contributes to sound branch development.

 

(Photo..."The Goddess of Protection"  This reproduced lithograph was made from an engraving copyrighted 1872 by Sidney Ashmore, editor of The Protector, an Equitable publication.  The representation of life insurance as the protector of the widow and orphan was adapted from the marble statue group designed by the renowned sculptor, John Quincy Adams Ward.  It was placed above the entrance to Equitable's home office building in New York City at 120 Broadway.  Picture courtesy of The Equitable Archives)