Gallagher buys Connecticut-based benefits consultant

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. on Tuesday announced the purchase of Everett James Inc., a Ridgefield, Connecticut-based employee benefits broker and consultant.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Founded in 1990, Everett James provides group health and welfare consulting and brokerage services to large and mid-market clients throughout the Northeast, according to a statement from Gallagher & Co.

“For over 24 years, Everett James has developed a solid reputation for their experience, industry knowledge and solid market relationships,” Gallagher's Itasca, Illinois-based chairman, president and CEO J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr. said in the company's statement. “This firm's consistent growth is a tribute to their entrepreneurial culture and their team-based focus on client service.”

Everett James' current staff will continue to operate from its office in Ridgefield under the direction of David Zeigler, Gallagher's Itasca-based executive vice president of benefits and HR consulting for the Eastern Region.