Business Moves

Hylant Group, Creative Benefits Systems
Ohio-based Hylant Group, one of the largest privately owned insurance brokerage firms in the nation, recently acquired a substantial portion of Creative Benefits Systems (CBS), an employee benefits provider in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The acquisition will expand Hylant’s employee benefits offerings in Western Michigan.

In January, Dale DeHaan, Jim Gilbert and Charley Schlosser, along with the staff of CBS, joined Hylant Group.

Neace Lukens, Lent Agency
Neace Lukens, a Louisville, Ky.-based brokerage firm, recently acquired the Lent Agency, a Dayton, Ohio, insurance agency.

The merger will add 12 Lent Agency employees, including four producers, to the Neace Lukens staff. These employees will join seven Neace Lukens employees at their Dayton office. The new firm will referred to as Lent-Neace Lukens.

Founded in 1975, the Lent Agency has more than 2,000 commercial and personal lines clients. The agency offers a full range of property and casualty insurance through such insurers as the Cincinnati Insurance Co., the Westfield Group and Acuity Insurance Group. The agency also offers employers risk management and employee benefits services.

Richard Lonneman, managing partner of Neace Lukens’ Cincinnati office, said the acquisition is part of the firm’s plan to grow throughout the Midwest.

Neace Lukens has 150 agents and 500 employees located throughout Kentucky, Ohio, Cleveland, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, Arizona and Georgia. It also has satellite offices in Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina and Wisconsin.

RW Scobie Group, Haugen Marine
RW Scobie Group announced a partnership with Haugen Marine Insurance Services Inc., a marine specialty agency, and its owner Jack Papas. Papas will serve as the new branch manager of RW Scobie’s Tower Special Facilities Minnesota operation.

Papas’ team of Karen Kellas and Bob Hughes are also joining RW Scobie Group.

Haugen Marine specializes in all types of marine business. Currently it operates in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa and Illinois. Moving forward, Haugen Marine will handle marine business for all RW Scobie Group territories.

Accident Fund, Haake Companies
Michigan-based workers’ compensation insurance company, Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America, named Haake Companies of Overland Park, Kan., as its 2010 Agency of the Year.

“Haake has been a tremendous partner in writing a sizable amount of business with us,” Mike Britt, president of Accident Fund, said. “Their overall quality as an agency, and their continued commitment to community, made them a natural pick as our 2010 Agency of the Year.”

Established in 1926 by Charles G. Haake Sr., Haake Companies is one of the largest independent brokers in the Kansas City area. Haake Companies is recognized for its expertise in program and association business. Programs of note are a restaurant program including a traditionally-funded workers’ compensation plan, and a package property and liability plan.

Haake Companies is a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Co.

All Web Leads, InsuranceLeads.com
Austin, Texas-based All Web Leads Inc., an online sales lead generation company supplying the U.S. insurance industry, has acquired InsuranceLeads.com, a provider of online leads to insurance agents, brokers and carriers.

To finance the acquisition All Web Leads teamed with Great Hill Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm with more than $2.5 billion under management, which made a majority investment in the combined entity.All Web Leads’ current executive team will lead the combined company, which will continue to be based in Austin, Texas.

Morgan Keegan served as an advisor to All Web Leads Inc. for the transaction. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Insurance represents a fast-growing online market, with consumers increasingly using the Internet to research policies and prices prior to contacting an agent, according to the companies’ merger announcement.

Topics Ohio Michigan