DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 09/11/14 -- Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE: BRO) today announced the appointment of J. Neal Abernathy as a Senior Vice President of the Wholesale Division effective September 15, 2014. Mr. Abernathy will continue to serve as Chairman of Decus Insurance Brokers, Limited, Brown & Brown's London brokerage operation, and will join Brown & Brown's senior leadership team. Mr. Abernathy will continue to report to Tony Strianese, Wholesale Division President. Mr. Abernathy joined Brown & Brown in November of 2013, after a number of years leading U.S. operations at Cooper Gay Swett & Crawford.
Tony Strianese remarked, "Neal has done an impressive job as Chairman of Decus, and I am excited to have him join the leadership team for our entire Wholesale Division. His thirty years of experience in the wholesale arena is hard to match, and we know his input and knowledge will be paramount as we continue to grow Brown & Brown's wholesale presence."
Neal Abernathy remarked, "I am excited to be a part of Brown and Brown where experience and relationships are valued. I look forward to working with Tony and the Senior Leadership Team as we continue to grow and expand."
Brown & Brown, Inc., through its subsidiaries, offers a broad range of insurance and reinsurance products and services, as well as risk management, third-party administration, managed health care, and Medicare set-aside services and 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' sixth largest independent insurance intermediary. The Company's Web address is www.bbinsurance.com.
This press release may contain certain statements relating to future results which are forward-looking statements. These statements, including, without limitation, those pertaining to the future performance of the wholesale division or the ability of J. Neal Abernathy to effect growth, are not historical facts, but instead represent only the Company's current belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Further information concerning the Company and its business, including factors that potentially could materially affect the Company's financial results and condition, as well as its other achievements, are contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Some factors include: fluctuations in our stock's market price; fluctuations in operating results and cash flows; general economic conditions around the country; downward commercial property and casualty premium pressures; the effects of legislative and regulatory changes pertaining to the insurance industry, including those relating to coastal property coverages; the competitive environment; and the integration of the Company's operations with those of businesses or assets the Company has acquired or may acquire in the future and the failure to realize the expected benefits of such integration. All forward-looking statements made herein are made only as of the date of this release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or correct any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur or of which the Company hereafter becomes aware.
R. Andrew Watts
Chief Financial Officer
(386) 239-5770
Source: Brown & Brown, Inc.
