Cross Insurance has acquired over 100 insurance agencies in New England since 1954
Cross Insurance has added to its growing roster of Massachusetts agencies with the acquisition of the Bardwell, Bowlby & Karam. Established in 1916 in Pittsfield, Bardwell, Bowlby & Karam has been operating as a family-owned independent agency for over 100 years. It is currently a large regional property and casualty retail insurance agency serving over 7000 individuals and families, and over 1500 commercial clients providing a wide range of insurance services to both commercial and personal clientele, with an additional focus on financial services and risk management.
According to the terms of the transaction, Bardwell, Bowlby & Karamwill continue to operate under the same leadership and staff as before. The agency, however, will also join forces with Cross Surety, Inc. to offer bonding services for its clients. Michelle Orlando will continue as President, overseeing the combined insurance and bonding operation as President. Ed Chagnon will continue to run the commercial insurance operations, while Ed O’Brien continues managing the personal lines insurance operations. Further terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“By combining our talent and resources, we can offer our clients the full spectrum of insurance, risk management and bonding services,” said Michelle Orlando, President of Cross Surety. “BBK will retain its local identity and service, while having access to large agency resources. We are pleased to welcome the Bardwell, Bowlby & Karam clientele to the Cross Insurance organization.”
“I’m excited and proud to be part of the Cross family of agencies. They share the same family values, integrity, and customer service that’s important to BBK,” said Edward Chagnon, CIC, principal of Bardwell, Bowlby & Karam. “This affiliation will enable us to provide a broader range of products and services that will ultimately be in the best interest of our clients, and that was my partners and my number one goal”
Cross Insurance now boasts 11 locations in Massachusetts alone
Founded in 1954 by Woodrow Cross, Cross Insurance has grown via strategic acquisitions over the past 60 years to become one of the largest insurance agencies in New England. Still family-owned and operated, the family-owned agency counts more than 700 employees operating out of 35 offices located in Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Florida. With the addition of Bardwell, Bowlby & Karam, Cross Insurance, a subsidiary of Cross Financial Corp., greatly expands its footprint in western Massachusetts, as well as its presence in New York and southern Vermont.
