People: Florida OIR’s Phillips Moves to Branch, Epic Hires Kennedy

Kennedy Joins EPIC’s Vanbridge

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a property and casualty insurance brokerage, announced that James Kennedy has joined the firm as a principal with Vanbridge, its financial services division.

Kennedy will work in the private equity space. He has a background in private equity and mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence, transactional services, advisory, and placement. Kennedy will be based in Birmingham, Alabama, and New York City, but will work with all of EPIC’s national teams in the financial services space, the company said in a news release.

Branch Insurance Hires Phillips

A Florida insurance regulator has moved into the private insurance sector. Branch Insurance Exchange, based in Columbus, Ohio, announced that Grant Phillips has been named its associate manager of regulatory affairs.

Phillips was previously the deputy director of government affairs for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, according to the Florida Politics news site and Phillips’ Linkedin page.

Branch is listed as active by the OIR, but the company’s website shows it does not operate in Florida at this time. It’s unclear if Phillips will work from Florida or move to Ohio. Branch was launched in 2019 by insurance veteran Steve Lekas and tech entrepreneur Joe Emison. It offers home and auto insurance.

Taylor Honored for 70 Years with Agency

The North Carolina Department of Insurance bestowed high honors on Richard Taylor, who has owned and operated an insurance agency in the state for more than 70 years.

Taylor bought the insurance agency in Lumberton, North Carolina, in the 1950s. At age 94, he doesn’t come into the office as often as he once did, according to a local news report. In October, Taylor sold the agency to Janis Rozier, but he still maintains an office decorated with years of photographs and awards.

State Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey said Taylor was well deserving of the department’s Order of the Guardian Award.

“It’s in recognition of your character, integrity… ” Causey began at the ceremony.

“I got it in spite of that?” Taylor interrupted.

Topics Florida