FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 9th, 2026
R.K. Tongue Co. Announces Leadership Transition as Third Generation Takes the Helm After Nearly 60 Years Under Edward Gerner
Baltimore, MD — R.K. Tongue Co., Inc., a Baltimore-based independent insurance agency serving businesses, professionals, and individuals, announced that Edward K. Gerner Jr., Esquire, CLU, CPCU, has retired as Executive Chairman after nearly 60 years with the company, marking a seamless transition to the company’s next generation of family ownership.
E. Andrew Gerner, CFP®, has been promoted from President to CEO, while Timothy A. Girard, CLU ® advances from Executive Vice President to President. Additionally, Sarah Goldbach has been promoted from Director of Operations to Vice President of Operations. The leadership team, which has been guiding daily operations in recent years, will continue R.K. Tongue’s tradition of personalized service and deep expertise across its practice groups.
Edward K. Gerner Jr., joined R.K. Tongue in 1966 and acquired the company from his father in 1987. Under his leadership, R.K. Tongue transformed from a local Baltimore agency into a market leader in the Mid-Atlantic region. The company expanded its expertise across professional and commercial insurance, group benefits, personal lines, and worksite/voluntary benefits marketing, and secured endorsements as the insurance intermediary for multiple dental and government employee associations.
“The truth is, to be successful in business it takes a team, it really takes a big team,” said Edward Gerner. “Over the years that team has come to mean the world to me. Andrew and Tim came in in due course and gradually took over the day-to-day running of the business, and they’ve done wonders with it.”
Andrew Gerner, who has been with R.K. Tongue for 24 years, and Timothy Girard, with the company for 26 years, have been instrumental in modernizing operations, expanding the company’s professional association partnerships, and strengthening R.K. Tongue’s specialized expertise in areas including professional liability insurance, group benefits, and voluntary benefits programs for public and government employees via payroll deduction. Sarah Goldbach joined the company in 2022 and has played a key role in strengthening operational excellence.
“This transition reflects the natural evolution of our family business,” said Andrew Gerner, CEO. “We’re honored to build on the foundation established over generations and remain committed to serving our clients with the same dedication and expertise they’ve come to expect from R.K. Tongue.”
The leadership changes reinforce R.K. Tongue’s strength as a multigenerational family business and its commitment to long-term client relationships and community ties in Baltimore, where the company has been headquartered since 1911.
About R.K. Tongue Co., Inc.
Founded in 1911, R.K. Tongue Co., Inc. is a Baltimore-based independent insurance agency organized into specialized practice groups: Professional & Commercial Markets, Group Benefits, Personal Lines, and Worksite/Voluntary Benefits Marketing. As a family-owned business spanning multiple generations, the company serves businesses, professionals, and individuals throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond with customized insurance solutions including professional liability, employee benefits, personal insurance, and voluntary benefits for public and government employees. For more information, visit www.rktongue.com.
Media Contact:
Lyndon Thompson
Marketing Coordinator
R.K. Tongue Co., Inc.
lthompson@rktongue.com
(410) 752-4008
