For more than 20 years, State Farm Agent Ada Lauderdale has run her business out of the building at the corner of Belmont and Drummond.

Spending more than two decades in the same facility, however, does not equal the number of years Lauderdale has been selling insurance.

“I have had my own agency for almost 25 years, and I worked for my dad for 26 years,” Lauderdale said.

But now, after the more than 50 years of service to her clients, Lauderdale has retired, and locals will be seeing two new State Farm agent faces in Vicksburg.

Lawson Fiser and Lucas King have been selected to each take over a half of Lauderdale’s “book of business.”

“State Farm owns the book of business, and you interview for this and in turn the company decides who will take over the book,” Fiser said.

Lauderdale said at first the thought of retiring was difficult.

“I have worked for these people for 50 years, but I felt great relief after I found out about the two men who would be taking over,” she said.

Both Fiser and King exhibited warmth, which Lauderdale said made all the difference in the world.

“And they had a lot of practical experience, too,” she said.

Originally from Greenville, Fiser is a third generation State Farm agent, and before coming to Vicksburg and starting his own business, worked for his stepfather for two years. “This was a business opportunity that still kept me close to home, so it was appealing,” Fiser said.

Though commuting from Clinton until he finds housing in Vicksburg, Fiser said things are going well.

“I am trying to get everything in line and get everyone transitioned,” Fiser said.

King is also a Mississippi native and has previously worked with the company.

“I’ve been with State Farm for about five years, four of that in Jackson. I decided to go through the process of becoming an agent and when Vicksburg came open it allowed me to stay close to family,” King said.

King is originally from Kosciusko, but he said his wife is from Madison.

King, like Fiser, is still commuting to Vicksburg, but is hoping to find a house for his family soon.

Neither man chose to set up their office in Lauderdale’s downtown facility.

It is for sale, but like her business, Lauderdale said the thought of giving up the building is also difficult.

“I wish I could say the building was totally vacated, but it’s not. I decorated for every season and enjoyed doing that and the stuff is still in there,” she said.

The location for the Lawson Fiser State Farm Insurance Agency is 110 Holt Collier Dr. and the Lucas King State Farm Insurance Agency is at 3409 Halls Ferry Road, Suite 1.