On April 1, 1979, Jack Baird and Harry MacGregor founded Baird MacGregor Insurance Agency Inc., initially operating as a joint venture partner of Kopas Wray and Cameron Insurance Agency Limited until their amalgamation on April 1, 1981 when the name changed to Wray Baird MacGregor Insurance Brokers Limited, and then in 1988 became Baird MacGregor Insurance Brokers Inc.  With the expansion of its life portfolio, Baird MacGregor Life Insurance Agency Limited was formed in 1989. It was during this year that the brokerage operations relocated to Empire House, a 20,000 square foot renovated vintage mill building, just a few minutes east of the downtown core.

Philomena Comerford joined Baird MacGregor in 1980, was appointed President in 1990 and became a shareholder on April 1, 2000 at the same time as Federated Agencies Limited, a Co-operators’ subsidiary, became an investment partner. Baird MacGregor Premium Finance Inc. was established in 2001 to offer value-added premium finance solutions to the brokerage clientele.

In March of 2004 Jack Baird, Harry MacGregor and Philomena Comerford purchased back Federated’s interest in the business and continued as operating partners until Jack and Harry’s retirement in April 2007. At the same time, Philomena became CEO and entered into an investment partnership with Newport Partners Income Fund, subsequently known as Tuckamore, and the company was reconstituted as Baird MacGregor Insurance Brokers LP.  

In September 2009, Hargaft, a brokerage, owned and operated by Newport, was brought under Philomena Comerford’s management.

In July 2011, Tuckamore sold their interest in Baird MacGregor and Hargraft, its sister company, back to the brokerage; reconstituting its 100% private ownership.

Today, Baird MacGregor Insurance Brokers LP remains an independently-owned, Toronto-based insurance firm, operating as a retail broker, writing all classes of commercial and personal insurance, including risk management solutions worldwide and has full underwriting authority with major insurers.

Philomena Comerford began her insurance career in 1975. She is a past Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Insurance Institute of Canada and is an active advocate for the transportation industry. Philomena Comerford is also 100% owner, President & CEO of sister company Hargraft Insurance Brokers LP.