Vista Insurance Partners, a wholesale insurance broker headquartered in San Antonio, reported the expansion of its successful Select Agent Program to incorporate an additional 100 independent agents. Russell Shults was named as vice president of marketing to lead the program expansion.
“We created the Select Agent Program eighteen months ago to focus our resources on serving the needs of larger independent agencies,” Vista CEO James H. Levine said. “Our strategy of increasing our capabilities for handling more complex property, casualty and transportation risks and for providing personalized service has really paid off for us and for our clients.”
The current effort to add 100 Select Agents to the program will be directed towards agencies in Texas, Oklahoma and several southeastern states that specialize in property and casualty, professional liability and commercial auto.
Launched in November 2002, the Select Agent Program started by paring down Vista’s agent base from approximately 2,000 agents to fewer than 300, who were named as Select Agents. This enabled the company to develop closer relationships with its clients and to help support their production efforts.
“Our clients see us as a true business partner that can bring expertise and creativity to the process,” added Levine. “Russell Shults will help us extend that positive relationship to other agents who like this approach.”
Shults has more than 13 years experience as an insurance executive and broker in commercial and personal lines. In his new position he will be responsible for building agent relationships and communicating Vista’s programs and brokerage capabilities. Since joining Vista one year ago, Shults has been handling excess and surplus placements for independent insurance agencies.
Prior to joining Vista, Shults was senior vice president for a managing general agency in Austin, Texas and has experience as a wholesale E&S broker, underwriter and marketing representative for several Texas insurance agencies. Shults will office at Vista’s San Antonio offices at 5750 Northwest Parkway, Suite 100.
Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Texas Agencies
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
North Carolina Adjuster and Son Charged With Embezzlement in Roof Jobs 
Wildfires Are Upending Some of the Safest Bets on Wall Street 
Progressive Gains as Drivers Shop Around for Auto Insurance—Again 
Uncertainty Keeps Prices Up; No Prior-Year Loss Development: Travelers 
