FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Nicole Vasile
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Nicole.Vasile@ciab.com
The Council Welcomes Eight New Member Firms; Expands Global Footprint in Q1 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (The Council) is proud to announce that it will welcome eight new members to its global brokerage community in the first quarter of 2025. The addition of these new firms reinforces The Council’s focus on recruiting retail brokerage firms at the top of the market, while also representing the full spectrum of intermediaries across the distribution value chain.
“When we leverage the collective knowledge and experience of our members, we have the ability to move the needle on large-scale priorities for our industry,” said Joel Wood, who was appointed President/CEO in July 2024 after more than 30 years with The Council. “Our newest member firms will further build out that balanced view and expertise, so we can prepare for and respond to market shifts, new regulations and the evolving legislative environment.”
- Afore Insurance Services (Alpharetta, Ga.) is a privately held independent brokerage platform and one of the largest insurance brokers in the U.S. Afore continues to expand its national operations by acquiring independent retail property/casualty and group employee benefits agencies.
- Crest Insurance Group (Tucson, Ariz.) is a full-service insurance agency. Ranked 58th nationally among the top 100* property/casualty agencies, Crest has 19 locations across Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas, and Wyoming.
- Harmon Dennis Bradshaw (Montgomery, Ala.) is a privately held retail brokerage with offices in Birmingham and Troy, Ala., and Duluth, Ga. The firm offers business and personal insurance as well as employee benefits solutions, and specializes in automotive manufacturing, social service organizations, healthcare and senior living.
- Lilienfeld (Santiago, Chile) is one of the largest privately held and independent insurance brokers in the country. The firm is also the largest service provider to international clients and a market leader in servicing corporate accounts – both locally and internationally – with the capacity to serve clients throughout Latin America.
- The Cason Group (Columbia, S.C) is a general agency, established in 1991, with regional offices throughout the U.S. The wholesale agency supports brokers and advisors through its three different divisions – employee benefits, financial and individual medical.
- Tower Street Insurance (Dallas) is one of the fastest organically growing brokerages in the state, delivering risk transfer services, employee and fleet safety solutions, and comprehensive insurance coverage. The firm supports both businesses and families with business insurance, personal insurance, employee benefits, and loss control solutions.
- Vantage Insurance Partners (New York) is a full-service, multi-line insurance brokerage and employee benefits advisory firm. Vantage’s unique partnership model supports agency principals in seeking growth and liquidity, while still maintaining significant ownership of their agency.
- XPT Specialty (New Haven, Conn.) is a privately-held, tech-forward wholesale brokerage leader, offering commercial property/casualty and personal insurance solutions. XPT brings together wholesalers and binding firms across diverse specialties by investing in strategic partnerships, developing innovative products, and building a team of industry experts.
“The Council is unique in that it represents a broad range of brokerage leaders from around the world,” said Andy Barrengos, Chairman & CEO, Woodruff Sawyer & Co., and The Council’s 2025 Board Chair.
“Emergent firms that are new to our community benefit from the perspective of established firms with decades of history…and vice versa. The Council provides a platform for us to connect, learn from each other and work together on behalf of our industry.”
The Council continues to focus its efforts on building value for its member firms, which represent the top property/casualty and employee benefits brokers around the world. In 2024, the association maintained a strong presence for its members on Capitol Hill, grew participation in operational working groups for C-suite and executive leadership and expanded its market intelligence offerings and early-career programming.
Visit ciab.com for more information on Council membership, programming and resources.
*Insurance Journal 2024 Top 100 Property/Casualty Agencies