Business Moves

Gillis, Ellis & Baker

Independent insurance agency Gillis, Ellis & Baker Inc. (GEB), headquartered in New Orleans, opened a new office in Houston under the name of Gillis, Ellis & Baker of Texas PLLC.

“We have clients with operations in Texas, and we want to make sure their needs are addressed,” said GEB President Anderson Baker. “Additionally, there are significant opportunities for growth that we want to capitalize on.”

Kevin Todd Davis will head the office. He comes to the Texas operation with more than 20 years of experience in insurance brokerage.

The Houston office will specialize in risk management and insurance placements for large, complex accounts, including construction, health care and energy risks.

GEB recently celebrated its 75th anniversary in New Orleans and finished 2008 with more than $80 million of premium placements for its clients.

GEB is the New Orleans office of Assurex Global, the a privately-held commercial insurance, risk management and employee benefits brokerage group.

Willis

Insurance broker Willis will become a new and very high-profile tenant of Chicago’s iconic Sears Tower. Under an agreement with the building’s owners, the building will be renamed Willis Tower. The move is expected to be completed by late summer.

Willis said it plans to consolidate five Midwest area offices and move nearly 500 associates into Willis Tower, initially occupying more than 140,000 square feet on multiple floors. Willis said its move to the new space, at $14.50 per square foot, will result in significant real estate cost savings, and that there is no additional cost to the company associated with renaming the building.

The building, first opened in 1973, is recognized worldwide as a center for business and an architectural signature of Chicago’s skyline.

The majority of Willis HRH Associates are moving to Willis Tower work in the company’s retail brokerage business, which includes specialists in construction, executive risk, healthcare, property, real estate and employee benefits. Willis Tower also will be home to Willis Commercial, which serves small- and medium-sized enterprises, and which utilizes the technology platform Insurance

Noodle. In addition, Willis’ Innotech business, a high-tech service center for healthcare benefits clients, will be housed in the Willis Tower offices.

The company’s North American business is now known as Willis HRH following Willis’ October 2008 acquisition of insurance intermediary Hilb Rogal & Hobbs (HRH).

Zurich North America

Zurich North America Commercial’s Energy Casualty group opened offices in Cleveland, Ohio, and Atlanta.

The Cleveland office will be the base of operations for an expanded mining practice, while the Atlanta office will serve accounts in the southeastern United States.

Topics Texas