Business Moves

Republic

Republic Companies Group Inc., based in Dallas, filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of up to $115,000,000 of newly issued common stock.

Proceeds of the offering are expected to be used by Republic to redeem a portion of its outstanding 12 percent Series A preferred stock, including all accrued and unpaid dividends on those shares, and for general corporate purposes.

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Banc of America Securities LLC will act as the joint book-running managers, and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Inc. and Sandler O’Neill & Partners LP will act as co-managers for the proposed offering.

Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, Republic provides personal and commercial property and casualty insurance products to individuals and small- to medium-size businesses located primarily in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico. These products are distributed through a network of independent agents and professionally managed specialty programs.

Parker Group, Gallagher Benefit Admin.

Lubbock, Texas-based The Parker Group, a health care and benefits management holding company, closed on the acquisition of Gallagher Benefit Administrators Inc., a national third-party employee benefits administrator. The company was acquired from a subsidiary of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Gallagher Benefit Administrators provides services to over 500,000 covered lives through offices in Illinois, Texas, Ohio, Mississippi, California, Michigan and Colorado.

Additionally, The Parker Group recently acquired American Administrative Group Inc., of Fort Worth, Texas. AAG has a 20-year history in retiree benefits and Medicare administration as well as business process outsourcing services for the group insurance and union market sectors. AAG provides administrative services for benefit plans that cover over 80,000 lives.

The Parker Group owns ICON Benefit Administrators Inc., a Lubbock, Texas-based third party administrator with over 70,000 members in 22 states, serving a combination of private employers, governmental entities, church associations and MEWA’s. ICON administers worker’s compensation, Section 125/Cafeteria plans, and consumer driven health plans.

Great Central, Weber Associates

Great Central Insurance Company, a member of San Antonio-based Argonaut Group Inc., announced a strategic agreement with Irving Weber Associates Inc. of Long Island, N.Y., to be the exclusive nationwide distributor of its business owners program for the fabricare industry.

Great Central Insurance is a specialty insurer with comprehensive products and risk management solutions designed for the food and hospitality, religious, and specialty retail industries. Great Central has programs for restaurants, hotels and motels, churches, dry cleaners and other businesses.

Irving Weber Associates insurance programs have provided protection for fabricare specialists such as dry cleaners, commercial launderers, linens suppliers, and uniform rental firms for more than 57 years.