DAYTONA BEACH, FL and TAMPA, FL, Feb 07, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --
The Board of Directors of Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE: BRO) today announced that Eric E. Anderson, Anthony M. ("Tony") Grippa, Thomas Keith ("Tommy") Huval, and Richard A. ("Rich") Knudson, Jr. have been elected Regional Vice Presidents of the Company. All of these individuals have served as Profit Center Leaders, and all will assume responsibility for the oversight of additional operations in the Company's Retail Division.
J. Powell Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "The addition of these four leaders to Brown & Brown, Inc.'s officer ranks signals our continued commitment to the elevation of persons whose success and dedication exemplify our culture. These are persons who have distinguished themselves within our organization, and who continue to prove themselves every day."
Eric Anderson currently serves as Executive Vice President of Brown & Brown of Washington, Inc., and is responsible for three profit centers in the Seattle area. He joined Brown & Brown in 2003 when his family-owned independent full-service insurance agency in Owensboro, Kentucky was acquired by a subsidiary of the Company. Since then, he has served as an officer of Brown & Brown of Kentucky, Inc., Brown & Brown of Indiana, Inc. and Brown & Brown of Washington, Inc., respectively, and has been responsible for operations in western Kentucky, southwest Indiana, Indianapolis and Seattle. Eric has been instrumental in identifying and negotiating acquisitions throughout the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, and currently serves on Brown & Brown, Inc.'s national 401(K) Investment Committee and on the Company's Benefit Sales and Benefit Security Committees. He will continue to report to J. Scott Penny, Regional President and Chief Acquisitions Officer.
Tony Grippa is the Profit Center Leader of the Daytona Beach, Florida office of Brown & Brown of Florida, Inc., and has oversight responsibilities for operations in Brevard County, Jacksonville and Tallahassee, Florida. He joined Brown & Brown in 2005 as leader of the operations of Public Risk Insurance Agency (PRIA) in Lake Mary and Tallahassee, Florida. Prior to that time, 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 more than eight years. Tony 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. He served as a member of the Leon County (Florida) Commission from 2001 to 2006, and served as its Chairman in 2003. He currently serves on the Florida Building Commission, the Board of Directors of the American Society of Workers' Compensation Professionals, and the Foundation Boards of Stewart-Marchman-Act, Daytona State College and Halifax Hospital. He previously served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Florida Residential Property Casualty Joint Underwriting Association. He is also the winner of two national awards: the "Above and Beyond Award," conferred by the United States Department of Defense in 2004, and the "Outstanding Young American Award," given by the Florida Jaycees in 2003. Tony will continue to report to Charles H. Lydecker, Regional President.
Tommy Huval, Certified Insurance Counselor, serves as Executive Vice President of Brown & Brown of Louisiana, Inc. (formerly Huval Insurance Agency), where his responsibilities include significant involvement with mergers and acquisitions, as well as the oversight of certain retail operations in Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Prior to joining Brown & Brown in 2001, Huval Insurance Agency, of which Tommy had been a principal since its establishment in 1978, was one of Louisiana's largest privately-held insurance intermediaries; in 1998, this agency became the first Louisiana-based agency to be named "Agency of the Year" by Rough Notes Magazine. Tommy serves as Chairman of the Board of Famers-Merchant Bank & Trust. He is Past President of the Breaux Bridge Area Chamber of Commerce and formerly served as a director of Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana and the Diocese of Lafayette School Board. He sits on a number of industry councils and is active in numerous civic and charitable endeavors. Tommy will continue to report to C. Roy Bridges, Regional President.
Rich Knudson, Certified Insurance Counselor, is the Profit Center Leader and President of Brown & Brown of Lehigh Valley, Inc., a subsidiary of the Company based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and has oversight responsibility for certain retail operations located in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Rich joined Brown & Brown in 1998 as a Producer in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida office, and was promoted in 2001 to the position of Profit Center Leader of the Clark, New Jersey office of Brown & Brown of New Jersey, Inc. Rich previously served as an officer of Brown & Brown of New Jersey, Inc. and Brown & Brown Metro, Inc., respectively. He serves on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Insurance and Risk Management, Erivan K. Haub School of Business, St. Joseph's University, and on a variety of agents' advisory councils. Rich will continue to report to Linda S. Downs, Regional President.
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' seventh 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 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. It is possible that the Company's actual results, financial condition and achievements may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results, financial condition and achievements contemplated by these forward-looking statements. 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. 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.
Cory T. Walker Chief Financial Officer (386) 239-7250
SOURCE: Brown & Brown, Inc.