WIA continues acquisitions, adding Trenton insurance agency, Kansas group

World Insurance Associates, the Tinton Falls-based insurance agency, has made a pair of acquisitions, it announced this week.

The deals follow on the heels of another transaction, in which the agency added Walker Agency Inc. of Anderson, which does business as Palmetto Insurance, to its roster.

WIA has acquired both Brian S. O’Neill & Associates Inc., which does business as Collier O’Neill & Associates in Trenton, and LIA Great Bend Inc., which does business as Alliance Insurance Group based in Salina, Kansas.

Financial terms of the deals, both effective at the start of November, were not disclosed.

Collier O’Neill is a full-service insurance agency that has been serving New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania for more than 70 years.

“Collier O’Neill has an excellent reputation among its client base,” Rich Eknoian, WIA’s co-founder and CEO, said in a prepared statement. “Exceptional client service is something we pride ourselves on at WIA, as does the team at Collier O’Neill. We are looking forward to partnering with their team and further expanding and strengthening our client base in the New Jersey region.”

Added Brian O’Neill, president of the agency: “Joining WIA will give Collier O’Neill the resources to offer clients more exclusive capabilities and an enhanced level of service. We are excited that Collier O’Neill is entering into a new stage of growth backed by WIA.”

Alliance, meanwhile, is a full-service agency that operates out of 14 offices in Kansas and Oklahoma.

“Under (CEO Cody Smith’s) leadership, Alliance has achieved tremendous growth, both organically and through acquisitions,” Eknoian said. “We are looking forward to supporting Alliance’s growth by providing the resources necessary to grow its client base both organically and inorganically.”

Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla provided legal counsel to WIA in both deals, while the Manhattan Group advised on the Collier O’Neill transaction and Sica Fletcher advised on the Alliance transaction. Connell Foley provided legal counsel to Collier O’Neill on its deal, while Clark, Mize & Linville provided legal counsel to Alliance, and INS Capital advised it on that deal.

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