Agency Partnership, CAA to Expand into Nebraska, Electing New Vice President Role to Head New Central Region

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Texas-based agency partnership Combined Agents of America, LLC (CAA) will be expanding into Nebraska and the greater Central region, it announced today. Further CAA has formed a new leadership position to oversee this region and elected Rick Elliott to serve as Central Regional Vice President on its management committee at its quarterly board meeting August 19–20 in Wichita, Kansas.

The nationally-ranked insurance agency aggregator will be actively seeking out growth-focused independent agencies in the state of Nebraska that fit the CAA personality that places a high commodity on integrity, well-operated business models, profitability and synergy with its current Central members. With a total 52 independent agencies in CAA, new Nebraska members will team up with the 9 CAA member agencies in Oklahoma and Kansas to form the Central region.

Commenting on the expansion, Rick Elliott, CAA's new Central Region Vice President, said: "It became clear to us that the Nebraska region, with its diverse and dynamic economy, is a tremendous place for investment and expansion, and that the independent agencies have a lot of synergy and commonality with our current members, especially our members in Kansas, including my agency. It's a neighboring state. Both cover a broad book of business, with an emphasis on agriculture. Both legal environments are similar. And because Nebraska has storms like Kansas, we at CAA in the Central region understand you can't outrun storms. They are just outside of our control. But you can access the aggregator advantage and join forces to get through the tough times. You can share more of the risk with your insurance customers, and there are a lot of things in the industry that together we can do to prioritize doing a good job for your customer, that you just can't do alone." 

Elliott continued, "Even as a midsized agency, alone I can't be a big player with every company partner, but with CAA I get the clout. By aggregating our business with other CAA partners we have enough volume to become a member of the VIP status with each carrier partner, accessing bonus opportunities that incentivize my employees to grow our book of business, and generating enough clout with insurance carriers to resolve issues to the best advantage of my customers."

Rick Elliott is the owner and president of Elliott Insurance Group (EIG). The Kansas-based independent agency estimates it will write some $29 million in premium at the end of 2015, equating to some $3.5 million in revenue. EIG is based in Kansas and a full service, independent insurance agency servicing Kansas and Missouri. EIG joined CAA in 2009. URL: http://www.elliottinsurancegroup.com/

Elliott was elected in August to serve on the CAA management committee for a staggered two-year term and was selected by its board of members based on their leadership abilities and contributions to the organization. 

Commenting on the new direction, Roger Luttrell CAA chairman, said: "None of our member agencies currently operate in Nebraska. While our dominant growth strategy has been to build market share where we already have a presence, it became clear to us that there was a great opportunity for CAA in Nebraska and the greater Central region. We have elected the perfect Vice President in Rick Elliott to lead and tap this opportunity. Over the next year, we will be approaching preselected elite agencies in this state that we feel will be a good match, and that have a good reputation among our current insurance carrier partners for integrity and well-operated business models. The vetting process to get into CAA is tough. We are looking for aggressive growth-minded agencies making up the top 10% in their state."

The current 2015-16 Management Committee includes:

• Chairman of the Board – Roger Luttrell, CIC, president of Benton Luttrell Company headquartered in Van Alstyne, Texas. Luttrell serves on the State Auto Agents Advisory Council.
• President – Bill Martin, president of Grona Boles Martin Bloxsom Insurance, San Antonio, Texas. Martin serves on the Liberty Mutual Agents Advisory Council.
• Executive Vice President –Trent Richmond, Partner & VP Business Development of Keller Leopold Insurance, Garden City, Kansas.
• New Central Region Vice President – Rick Elliott, the owner and president of Elliott Insurance Group (EIG).
• Second Vice President – Mack Purifoy, AAI, CIC, owner of Purifoy & Company Insurance, Temple, Texas.
• Secretary – Robert Porter, CIC, CRM, president of Porter Insurance Agency, Brownwood, Texas.
• Treasurer – Pete Bibby, managing partner of Bibby, Brilling & Associates, LLP, Dallas, Texas, with another location in Ennis, TX (dba Arden Insurance Agency).
• Past Chairman – Bill Kliewer, managing partner of BKCW Insurance Agency, Killeen, Texas.

About Combined Agents of America, LLC

Founded in 1997, Combined Agents of America, LLC (CAA) is based in Austin, Texas, and is comprised of 52 independent insurance agencies located throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. By funneling the agencies' combined premiums, CAA brings larger volume commitments to insurance companies, while empowering its members to realize greater benefits from insurance companies, vendor discounts and other incentives. In 2014, CAA generated more than $738.5 million in property and casualty premium, and currently works with 18 of the largest insurance companies in the nation. CAA is ranked #6 on Insurance Journal's Top 20 list of largest agency partnerships in the nation for 2015. All CAA member agencies remain independent and are recognized by insurance companies as a key component to their future growth and goal commitments. Additional information is available at www.combinedagents.com.

CAA member agencies include: Aars & Nelson Insurance Agency, Barnard Insurance Agency, Bartlett, Baggett & Shands, Benchmark Insurance Group, Benton-Luttrell-Brown Company, Bigham-Kliewer-Chapman-Watts Insurance Agency, Bibby Brilling & Associates LLP, BRIA Insurance & Risk Consultants, Bosworth & Associates, Bryan Insurance Agency Ltd., Brownrigg Insurance Agency Inc., Cravens Warren & Co., Crockett Insurance Service, DFB Insurance Group LLC, Ed Berrong Insurance Agency, Ed Weeren Insurance Agency Inc., EFGI Insurance & Bonds LLC, Elliott Insurance Group, Evans-Ewan& Brady Insurance Agency Inc., First Insurance Services, First Texas Insurance Services LLC, Fouts, Davidson, Burks Agency LLC, Fuqua Ruth Typer Insurance, Henry Norris Insurance Agency, Inc., Garrett Insurance Agency, Inc., GBS Insurance Agency Inc., Grona Boles Martin & Bloxsom Insurance, Hill County Insurance Agency, Hutcherson Insurance Group, ICI Insurance, Insurance Net Inc., JHC Insurance Agency Inc., J. S. Edwards & Sherlock Insurance Agency, Keller-Leopold Insurance, Inc , McCorkle Commercial Insurance Agency, Mr. Insurance Agency, Inc., NTX Insurance Group, Inc., Pierson-Fendley Insurance Agency, LLC, Pinnacle Insurance Group Inc., Porter Insurance Agency Inc., Purifoy Insurance Agency, LTD,  SBS Insurance, The Shropshire Agency Inc., Siegeler Insurance Agency, Inc., Southern Star Insurance, Strong's Insurance Inc., Walthall-Sachse & Pipes, Inc., The Weatherby-Eisenrich Inc., Wellmann Insurance Agency, Inc., Western Insurance Agency, Whorton Insurance Services, and Wood-Dulohery Insurance, Inc.

Press Contact:
Courtney R. Holder
Tel: (512) 627-0779
[email protected]

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SOURCE Combined Agents of America, LLC

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