No stranger to making acquisitions, Dallas-based Integrity Marketing Group recently announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Brokers International, Ltd.
As one of the oldest and most influential life insurance, annuity and wealth-planning organizations, Brokers International supports thousands of agents, agency partners and financial advisors who provide life insurance and retirement solutions to Americans. As part of the transaction, Mark Williams, President and CEO of Brokers International (pictured above right), will become a Managing Partner with Integrity. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Brokers International founder, Roger McCarty, launched the company in 1983 and is recognized as an industry icon whose vision created the independent marketing organization (“IMO”) model that revolutionized insurance distribution and is now the industry standard. Today, Brokers International, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, offers agencies, agents and financial professionals a comprehensive and proprietary range of products and services, including compliance, marketing, IT and new business support.
In 2021, Brokers International will place more than $3.5 billion in annual premium with 13,000 advisors serving hundreds of thousands of Americans. Also included in the transaction are Brokers International’s Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and full-service broker-dealer platform, Brokers Financial, with more than $1 billion in assets under management.
“Brokers International has built one of the most well-respected brands in the insurance and annuity space and they do it with class,” said Bryan W. Adams, CEO and Co-Founder of Integrity Marketing Group (pictured above left). “At Integrity, we’re already a market leader in life and health insurance distribution, and now with Brokers International’s large presence in the financial services, annuity and traditional life insurance markets, we can help Americans more fully plan for their retirement needs as well. It is a perfect example of the way Integrity is revolutionizing the industry through partnership, and it shows we can accomplish more together than we do apart. I am thrilled to welcome Mark Williams and the entire Brokers International team to the Integrity family.”
“We see so much opportunity by combining the full suite of products and services we offer with Integrity’s reach in the life and health insurance markets — this allows us to provide a more holistic planning service to our agents and agencies,” added Williams. “Agencies are looking for an expanded product portfolio and Integrity’s vast footprint will allow us to help them diversify, while also giving our agencies stronger marketing programs, cutting-edge technology platforms and more back-office services. We can serve thousands more financial services professionals, which means we can in turn help hundreds of thousands more retirees. By combining Integrity’s resources with our legacy and growth trajectory, I know we’ll make a significant impact on shaping our industry’s future.”
Brian Aukes, President of Brokers Financial, said the sky is the limit with Integrity as a partner.
“The vision that Integrity has for the wealth management side of our business aligns perfectly with our goals,” Aukes said. “Integrity’s broad resources ensure we will attain the results we’re striving for much faster and make it possible for us to help even more Americans prepare for retirement.”
Through this partnership, the companies say, Brokers International enhances its ability to support its agency customers by utilizing Integrity’s vast and rapidly expanding array of products and services.
The Integrity platform includes powerful resources such as product development, data analytics, research and development, and quoting and enrollment platforms. Partners also draw upon a comprehensive range of shared services such as IT, accounting, legal, human resources and a full-service marketing and advertising firm.
“As we considered what we needed in a partner who could help us grow, yet retain our legacy, Integrity just felt like home,” shared Kelly Bennett, Chief Distribution Officer of Brokers International. “Having access to incredibly innovative tools, new partners and wider distribution only creates more opportunities for our agencies. We can pour more time and energy into supporting the agents, agencies and financial advisors we serve because of the resources Integrity offers. It feels like the perfect fit for everyone.”
Partnering with Integrity also offers Brokers International employees the opportunity to gain meaningful company ownership through Integrity’s Employee Ownership plan.
“Having ownership in a company is the American dream, so we’re honored to now offer our employees a stake in our growth,” Williams said. “When I look back on my career of more than three decades in the financial services business, I’ve never been granted an opportunity to partner with such a successful firm that will make this type of impact on the future growth of our business.”
Integrity’s almost 5,500 employees work with over 345,000 independent agents who service more than seven million clients annually. In 2021, Integrity expects to help insurance carriers place over $7 billion in new premium.
For more information about Brokers International’s partnership with Integrity, view a video at www.integritymarketing.com/brokersinternational.
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