Lockton Expands Insurance Brokerage Operation to Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockton, the world's largest privately held insurance broker, has expanded to the Carolinas with the opening of a Lockton office in Charlotte.  The Lockton Charlotte team will provide commercial insurance, risk management, and employee benefits services for clients regionally, nationally, and internationally.

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Longtime Charlotte insurance advisors Blake Graeber, Adams Withers and Steve Montgomery have joined Lockton Charlotte.

"We are pleased that these three well-respected risk management professionals have joined Lockton," said Doug Hutcherson, President of Lockton Southeast.  "Lockton offers its commercial insurance and employee benefits clients an uncommon level of service and expertise.  Blake, Adams, and Steve are a great fit for our culture, and we look forward to expanding our Charlotte team in the coming months."

Blake Graeber, Senior Vice President, is an experienced risk management advisor, starting his 35-year career at Johnson & Higgins and Marsh.  He spent the past 15 years as the President and CEO of Palmer & Cay in the Carolinas (subsequently acquired by Wachovia and then Wells Fargo).  Graeber is deeply involved in the Charlotte community, serving on boards for the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, Boy Scout Council, YMCA, and his alma mater, Lenoir Rhyne University.  

Adams Withers joins Lockton as a Vice President after spending eight years with both Aon Risk Services and Marsh.  Prior to joining the insurance industry, Adams spent seven years in business development with financial printer Bowne, a predecessor company to RR Donnelly.  Withers focuses on the finance industry, where he serves as advisor to investment managers including private equity firms, hedge funds, real estate investors, as well as turnaround and restructuring firms.  He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi.  

Steve Montgomery is Lockton Charlotte's Senior Vice President-Unit Manager.  He has been with Aon more than 29 years where he held a number of senior management positions including heading the Carolina operations of Aon Risk Services for 10 years.  He joined Aon's predecessor in the Carolinas, Pilot Insurance Agency, in 1982.  Montgomery has broad property-casualty insurance expertise in construction, food service, aviation, manufacturing, life sciences, and energy.  Montgomery is also an active participant in the local chapters of insurance industry organizations like the Risk & Insurance Management Society and the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters, where he is the immediate past Board Chairman.  He was also Board Chair of Central Carolinas Junior Achievement and is a graduate of Western Carolina University.  

The Lockton Charlotte office is currently located at Regus SouthPark Center at 6000 Fairview Rd, Suite 1200, Charlotte, NC  28210.  The main phone number is 704-333-8228.  The team expects to move to permanent offices in about 90 days.

About Lockton

More than 3,800 professionals at Lockton provide more than 15,000 clients around the world with insurance, benefits, surety and risk management services, offering an uncommon level of client service.  From its founding in 1966 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, Lockton has grown to become the largest privately held insurance broker in the world and the 9th largest overall.  Business Insurance recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance".  

You can learn more at www.lockton.com  

CONTACT:  Dean Davison of Lockton, +1-816-960-9309, [email protected]

SOURCE Lockton