The McGraw Group and its affiliated companies is a business steeped in tradition and family lineage. Many have asked what the shamrock on the Western Service Contract logo stands for, and the answer lies within the heritage of the founders.
In Irish folklore, the three leaves of a shamrock were used to teach people of faith about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Today, a shamrock signifies luck and prosperity! Both definitions embody what this great company is all about. This is a company that was passed down from father to son. This is a company that appreciates the good fortune that has led to its prosperity.
Jack McGraw, the founder of Pacific Specialty Insurance Company, is the kin of Irish immigrants who hailed from Athea, County Limerick. His wife, Joan McGraw, is also 100% Irish and together they carried on an Irish legacy from Kansas City, Montana, and Nebraska all the way to California where they laid down roots in Menlo Park. This Irish legacy is reflected in the shamrock on the Western Service Contract logo. This Irish legacy stands for all of the hard work and determination that went into starting as the son of Irish immigrants and ending as the founder and CEO of a successful company. This Irish legacy lives on through Mike McGraw, the current CEO, as both a man of 100% Irish descent and as a graduate of the famed “Fighting Irish”, the University of Notre Dame.
With St. Patrick’s Day falling within the month of March, the Story of the Shamrock is especially relevant and allows us to reflect on the incredible ancestry that went into creating The McGraw Group and its affiliated companies.