DAYTONA BEACH, FL and TAMPA, FL, Apr 18, 2006 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) -- Anthony M. "Tony" Grippa has been selected as the new Profit Center Manager for the Daytona Beach, Florida retail operation of Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE: BRO). Mr. Grippa will now be responsible for overseeing the Company's original and largest retail profit center, in addition to continuing his responsibility for the Company's Public Risk Insurance Agency (PRIA) operations in Lake Mary and Tallahassee, Florida.
Mr. Grippa has been responsible for the operations of PRIA since May of 2005. Prior to that he was President of the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association for two years, while concurrently serving as Executive Director of the Florida Workers' Compensation Insurance Guaranty Association, Inc., for over eight years. He commenced his insurance career with the Florida Department of Insurance and at one time served as the Legislative Director for the Office of the State Insurance Commissioner. Since 2001, Mr. Grippa has also been a Leon County (Florida) Commissioner and was the Commission Chairman in 2003. A graduate of Tulane University, he is on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Workers' Compensation Professionals and has served on the Board of Governors of the Florida Residential Property Casualty Joint Underwriting Association.
Charles H. Lydecker, Regional Executive Vice President, with overall responsibility for the Daytona Beach retail office and the PRIA offices, as well as other Brown & Brown operations, said of the promotion, "We feel quite fortunate to have an individual with Tony's strong background in the Florida insurance arena and experience available to take the reins of the day-to-day management of our largest retail office and one of our most profitable profit centers."
Brown & Brown, Inc. and its subsidiaries offer a broad range of insurance and reinsurance products and services, as well as risk management, third party administration, and managed health care programs. Providing service to business, public entity, individual, trade and professional association clients nationwide, the Company is ranked by Business Insurance magazine as the United States' seventh largest independent insurance intermediary. The Company's Web address is www.bbinsurance.com.
Contact: Charles H. Lydecker Regional Executive Vice President (386) 239-7201
SOURCE: Brown & Brown, Inc.