IMA Inc., a national insurance brokerage firm with offices in Dallas, said Friday it’s planning to expand its services into Texas, starting in Fort Worth with the addition of two local insurance executives.
IMA, the country’s 27th largest insurance broker in an annual survey by Business Insurance, has recruited Trey Schuler and Gavin Wallace as senior vice presidents, the agency said. Schuler was most recently a vice president with Frost Insurance. Wallace was most recently a vice president with Marsh & McLennan-Southwest.
“Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., with business-friendly conditions that favor continued expansion,” Steve Waldman, IMA Texas president, said in a release. “We recognize an opportunity to support the city’s business community and expand our strategy and footprint in North Texas and throughout the state.”
IMA posted $162.4 million in 2018 U.S. brokerage revenue, according to the trade publication Business Insurance, in its latest ranking of brokers. Fort Worth’s Higginbotham is the 24th largest broker, with $200 million in 2018 U.S. brokerage revenue.
Schuler and Wallace will work together, IMA said. They met earlier in their careers as colleagues, and through community involvement, mainly as volunteers for the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. Schuler is a 10-year member of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Greeting Committee. Wallace is a member of the Fort Worth Stock Show Syndicate and the Agricultural Development Fund, both supporting junior livestock exhibitors.
“Trey and Gavin are the perfect team to lead our Fort Worth expansion, with their extensive insurance experience and deep connection to the Fort Worth community,” Rob Broz, IMA DFW president, said. “Even more, their values align perfectly with IMA’s team culture and mission to make a difference where we live, play and work.”
Schuler serves clients in energy, construction and commercial real estate. A third-generation insurance professional, he is president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Tarrant County and holds a Certified Insurance Counselor designation. He graduated from SMU and is a chapter leader of the SMU Tarrant County Alumni Association.
Wallace has spent his 12-year career managing risk for clients in a wide range of industries, with a focus on energy and food and beverage. He served as a director of the Independent Insurance Agents of Tarrant County and currently serves on the Ben Hogan Foundation Advisory Board. A graduate of the University of Texas, Wallace holds Certified Risk Manager and CIC designations.
IMA has 750 associates working across Colorado, Kansas, Michigan and Texas.