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Higginbotham, the Fort Worth-based independent insurance, financial, and HR services firm, has acquired Community Insurance Group, Ltd.
The acquisition marks Higginbotham’s entry into the Ohio market, according to a press release.
With the addition, Higginbotham, among the largest independent brokers in the U.S., has a presence in 16 states across the country.
“At Higginbotham, we're committed to transparency and authenticity — and we look for partners who share those beliefs," said Rusty Reid, Higginbotham chairman and CEO, in a statement. “The hallmark of a Higginbotham partner is a strong business backed by genuine care for the customer and their community.”
Community Insurance Group, with a history of almost 30 years in three locations in western Ohio, sells a variety of coverage lines, including personal, commercial, agribusiness, life, and employee benefits.
“The name says it best,” Reid said. “Community Insurance Group: They are advocates for their community and their clients, always looking for better ways to serve them. That is a culture and value we share, and we are proud to count their team as a partner."
Jeff Sargeant will remain as president of Community Insurance Group. He is a local, having graduated from Sidney High School. He went on to earn a degree at Ohio Wesleyan.
He is a past member of the Agent Advisory Councils for Motorists Insurance, Indiana Insurance, Ohio Mutual Insurance, and Liberty Mutual. Past Director of MarketSource Agency Network.
“We needed to ensure our ability to serve our clients for the long term, but we didn't want to lose our identity,” Sargeant said. “With Higginbotham, we found a national company that can support our growth while sharing our community-minded perspective."
Higginbotham is in the midst of a yearlong 75th anniversary celebration.
Paul Higginbotham founded the company in 1948 as a small agency in the Riverside neighborhood. He ran it until his death in 1962. His nephew, Bill Stroud, took over operations at the time of his uncle’s death and bought the agency from his aunt, Edith Higginbotham, in 1969.
Stroud sold it to Reid and the company’s other employees in 1989.
“Here in the Midwest, we like to deal with people one-on-one, but we also want sophisticated solutions and access to all the markets," Sargeant said. "With this new partnership, we can provide both. We can be that small-town business, but with global support and economies of scale behind us.
“We're not going anywhere. Our employees, our associates, are part of an employee-owned group. When you call our office, you're still going to get our team. Nothing's changing that way. But now we have a powerful service team behind us.”