WASHINGTON, D.C. –  October 2, 2015 – Five firms, among the leading commercial insurance and employee benefits brokerages in the world, have joined The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, as announced today by The Council. The new members include Cowan Insurance Group (Cambridge, Ontario, Canada), Esser Hayes (Naperville, Ill.), Gehring Group (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.), Jiang Tai Insurance Brokers (Beijing, China) and Prime Risk Partners (Alpharetta, Ga.). Year to date, The Council has welcomed 12 new member firms.

“We are pleased to welcome such a diverse group of market leaders into our organization. These new members will enhance the membership by bringing their unique perspectives to the dialogue,” said Ken A. Crerar, president/CEO of The Council. “The Council staff is thrilled to have the opportunity to support their growth objectives. We believe this investment will benefit both these firms as well as their clients.”

The Council also announces the addition of one leading insurance carrier, Westfield Insurance (Event level), and two prominent industry firms ThinkHR (Gold level), and Work at Home Vintage Employees (WAHVE) (Event level) to its Partners in Excellence corporate sponsorship platform.  Complementing this growth, XL/Catlin has increased its investment in The Council and is now a Platinum partner.

“On behalf of our members, I’d like to express our gratitude and thanks to these new firms for their financial support and industry leadership,” said Steve Brockmeyer, 2015 Council Chairman and President and CEO of Bolton & Co., in Pasadena, Calif. “The Council is committed to creating actionable intelligence and resources that will help our members grow.  The investments and contributions made by our carrier and industry partners help us see this commitment through and make a stronger impact on the trajectory of our industry.  We are grateful for their support.”

The Council’s Partners in Excellence program provides an opportunity for market leaders to partner with The Council in support of its major initiatives and programming.

The Council will host its 102nd Insurance Leadership Forum in October.