Gallagher acquires Freerks & Associates

ITASCA — Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. said it has acquired S. A. Freerks & Associates, Inc. headquartered in St. Louis.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1979, S. A. Freerks & Associates, Inc. is a managing general agent and wholesale insurance broker which provides excess and surplus, property/casualty, professional business liability and other specialty insurance products and services for independent insurance agents and brokers primarily throughout the central Midwest.  They specialize in the transportation, hospitality, and construction industries.

Stanley A. Freerks and his associates will continue to operate from their current St. Louis and Peoria locations under the direction of Joel Cavaness, president of Risk Placement Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

“For over 30 years, SAFA has developed an outstanding reputation for their knowledge of specialty products and their capability to match hard to place risks with the appropriate markets,” said J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., president and CEO.  “Not only will they provide us a solid wholesale presence in the Midwest, their expertise will also be a wonderful complement to our expanding wholesale network which makes them an excellent merger partner.  We are extremely pleased to welcome Stan and his team to Risk Placement Services’ family of professionals.”

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is an international insurance brokerage and risk management services firm headquartered in Itasca and has operations in 16 countries.