Gallagher expands in South and West with acquisitions

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has expanded in the U.S. South and West with a pair of acquisitions.

The broker said Tuesday that it has acquired Pearland, Texas-based Victory Insurance Agency Inc. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Victory is a retail insurance broker that provides commercial property/casualty, employee benefits, and risk management consulting and personal lines insurance throughout the South Central U.S., specializing in coverage for public entities and school districts, among other things.

Victory President Roger Montemayor and his associates will continue to operate from their Pearland and Lake Jackson, Texas, locations under the direction of Bret VanderVoort, head of Gallagher’s South Central retail property/casualty brokerage operations, and John Neumaier, head of Gallagher’s South Central employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations, Gallagher said in a statement.

Additionally, Gallagher on Monday said it acquired San Diego-based broker Blue Horizon Insurance Services. Terms of the deal also were not disclosed.

Blue Horizon provides property/casualty, employee benefits and risk management services for industries including health care, real estate, construction, technology, financial and entertainment, Gallagher said Monday in a statement.

Blue Horizon founder and principal Ronald Zappelli and his team will continue to operate in San Diego under the direction of James G. McFarlane, head of Gallagher's Western retail property/casualty brokerage operations, and Norbert Chung, head of Gallagher’s Western employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations, according to the statement.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is the world's fourth-largest insurance broker, according to Business Insurance’s latest ranking.