FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Nicole Vasile
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
[email protected]
The Council Announces Continued Growth of Membership and Sponsorship Community in 2025
The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers is pleased to announce that Sunstar Insurance Group of Memphis, TN, joined its membership community in Q2 2025.
Sunstar is a privately held, specialized risk management and human capital solutions firm, currently ranked as the 30th-largest independent insurance agency in the U.S., with over $1.5 billion in premiums placed annually. With a growing presence across the Southeast and Midwest, Sunstar continues to expand through strategic acquisitions of independent agencies in key regional markets.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Sunstar – a high-growth, innovative brokerage firm – to our community,” said Joel Wood, President/CEO of The Council. “With the addition of Sunstar, The Council now represents every top 50 retail broker of U.S. business,* marking a significant milestone for our association.”
Sunstar is latest of nine new member firms to join The Council thus far in 2025. The following new members were announced earlier this year: Afore Insurance Services (Alpharetta, Ga.), Crest Insurance Group (Tucson, Ariz.), Harmon Dennis Bradshaw (Montgomery, Ala.), Lilienfeld (Santiago, Chile), The Cason Group (Columbia, SC.), Tower Street Insurance (Dallas, Tex.), Vantage Insurance Partners (New York, NY.), and XPT Specialty (New Haven, Conn.).
The Council Partners program also saw impressive growth over the first two quarters of 2025, with increased investment and new sponsorships from carriers and industry organizations.
The Council welcomed Inigo Ltd. as a Gold Partner and Atlanta Life Insurance Company, Connexure, and The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America as EBLF Event Sponsors. Additionally, the following firms chose to increase their investment in the Council Partners program: Allianz Commercial, Applied Systems, Brown & Riding, Great American Insurance Group, Sompo, Starr, and The Travelers Companies Inc. became Diamond Partners. Beazley, QBE Insurance, and Verisk became Platinum Partners. Sun Life increased their investment from EBLF Event Sponsor to Gold Partner.
“The Council Partners program continues to attract organizations that share our commitment to the brokerage industry and provide the best possible outcomes for our clients and our people,” said Andy Barrengos, Chairman & CEO of Woodruff Sawyer – a Gallagher company – and Council Board Chair. “We look forward to strengthening and expanding many of these valued partnerships in 2025 and beyond. In addition to our flagship events — the Employee Benefits Leadership Forum and the Insurance Leadership Forum — this fall’s Operations & Working Groups Forum will offer even more opportunities for Council members to engage with our partners in meaningful ways.”
*According to the Business Insurance Top 100
Visit ciab.com for more information on Council membership, programming and resources.
*Insurance Journal 2024 Top 100 Property/Casualty Agencies