Higginbotham and McGohan Brabender Announce Agreement to Join Forces

McGohan Brabender, One of the Country's Largest Privately Held Benefits-Only Businesses, Finds Strategic and Cultural Match with Employee-Owned Industry Leader

FORT WORTH, Texas, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Higginbotham, a broad-based, employee-owned insurance and financial services company headquartered in Texas, announced that it has entered into an agreement to join forces with McGohan Brabender (MB), a Dayton, Ohio-based employee benefits company with six offices across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. The partnership is expected to close next month.

MB brings both scale and specialization to Higginbotham's growing presence in the Midwest. As a fellow employee-owned company, MB also brings a leadership team and ownership philosophy that felt strikingly familiar from the start.

"When you get around the MB team and listen to how they talk about employees, clients, service and ownership, you realize you're not translating across cultures," Higginbotham Chairman and CEO Rusty Reid said. "You're hearing your own language in somebody else's voice. When that kind of cultural alignment comes with this level of experience and market presence, you've got something extraordinary."

Founded in 1972 by Pat McGohan, MB built its reputation by approaching employee benefits differently: emphasizing relationships over transactions, investing deeply in communication and education, and helping employers navigate a field that has grown steadily more complex over the past five decades. That long view shaped the company's decision to become employee-owned in 2021, a move intended to widen ownership and keep decision-making close to the people doing the work.

Now, MB leaders say, the same beliefs that led them to employee ownership also led them to Higginbotham.

"As we looked at where the industry was headed, we knew we had built something strong that could weather the changes," said MB CEO Erick Schmidt. "The challenge was finding a way to offer even more — more opportunity for employees, more support for clients — without losing the culture and ownership philosophy that define us. We were looking for a needle in a haystack, someone like us who could help take us to the next level. We found that in Higginbotham."

For MB clients, the immediate benefit is added depth alongside the same trusted service. MB clients can expect to continue working with the local teams they know, while gaining the advantage of a larger platform in areas such as compliance, pharmacy, self-funded insurance and other technical specialties where additional scale can sharpen what MB already does well. MB clients are also expected to benefit from access to Higginbotham property and casualty, personal lines and wealth management offerings.

For MB employees, the message is continuity paired with opportunity. The company shared the news internally as part of its Employee Ownership Day celebration, underscoring that the decision was not a departure from the ownership vision it embraced in 2021, but a way to carry it further. At Higginbotham, the MB team will continue to be part of an employee-owned company, while gaining broader career paths and access to new resources across a larger organization.

Community involvement emerged as another sign of kinship between the two companies. At MB, charitable efforts have long reflected a belief that employees should be empowered to support the causes and communities closest to them. Leaders saw a similar spirit in the Higginbotham Community Fund, an employee-driven philanthropy program that likewise puts giving in the hands of the people doing the work.

"We want to be an asset to the communities we serve," said MB President Beth Ferrin. "When we found out about the Higginbotham Community Fund, it was another of those moments where we said, yes, this is exactly what we're talking about — and exactly the kind of partner we want for the road ahead."

ABOUT MCGOHAN BRABENDER

Prior to joining forces with Higginbotham, McGohan Brabender was one of the country's largest privately held employee benefits businesses. Founded in 1972, the company is based in Dayton, Ohio, with offices in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. The company specializes in helping employers navigate the fast-changing healthcare and workforce landscape through employee benefits strategy, consulting, communication, education and support. Learn more at mcgohanbrabender.com.

ABOUT HIGGINBOTHAM

Higginbotham is an employee-owned leader in insurance, financial services and employee benefits. Since 1948, the company has combined national reach with local expertise, ranking as the 16th largest independent insurance brokerage in the U.S. in 2026 according to The Hales Report. Higginbotham delivers customized programs supported by its Day Two Services®, designed to ensure that clients receive proactive guidance and support throughout the life of every policy.

Guided by a values-driven culture, the company is committed to its employees, clients, carrier partners and the communities it serves. Learn more at higginbotham.com.

SOURCE Higginbotham