Western Financial Group Announces Acquisition of Orion Insurance Brokers Ltd. in Winnipeg

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HIGH RIVER, AB, Sept. 7, 2012 /CNW/ - Western Financial Group (Western) is proud to announce the acquisition today of Orion Insurance Brokers Ltd. (Orion) of Winnipeg. The Orion office will be an excellent addition to Western's existing Winnipeg locations, and is its first office in Transcona.

"As Transcona and eastern Winnipeg grow, so do we, and joining Western Financial Group was a natural step in that process," said Sheryle Lazaruk, Office Manager at Orion. "This allows us to continue expanding our business right here in Transcona, because we can now offer Western's greater range of services and products to our customers."

Orion Insurance Brokers Ltd was founded in 1993. It was purchased in 2008 and joined the multi-location P.M.C. group of brokerages. The Transcona office, now under the Western Financial Group banner, will continue to operate with the same friendly staff out of its same location at 5-630 Kildare Ave. East.

Western will build on Orion's reputation for local, friendly client service in the Transcona area. Current and future customers will benefit from Western's large scale and breadth, and its dedication to delivering value.

"We're very pleased to add to our growing Winnipeg operations," said Scott Tannas, President and CEO of Western Financial Group. "Winnipeg is one of our major places of business. We already have approximately 380 employees in the city and expect to hire more as we expand our retail network and our back office support teams.  We're excited to welcome the Orion staff to our team, and to offer the benefits of our large network and wide range of products to the citizens of Transcona."

About Western Financial Group 

Western Financial Group is a western Canada based, diversified, financial services company serving more than 600,000 customers. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in High River, Alberta, Western provides insurance, banking and investment products and services through more than 120 office locations, the Internet (www.westernfinancialgroup.ca) and other distribution channels. With a skilled team of approximately 1,500 employees, and backed by the strong resources of its owners, Western is committed to building the strongest financial services company in western Canada.

Western Financial Group is a subsidiary of Desjardins Group, the leading cooperative financial group in Canada.

SOURCE: Western Financial Group