Business Moves

Hancock Bank, J. Everett Eaves

Gulfport, Miss.-based Hancock Bank, announced the closing of its acquisition of one of New Orleans’ oldest property and casualty insurance agencies, J. Everett Eaves Inc. (JEE).

Officials representing Hancock and JEE signed an agreement for the all cash transaction finalizing Hancock’s acquisition of JEE as a division of Hancock Insurance Agency, a subsidiary of Hancock Bank. The acquisition expands Hancock’s insurance presence in Louisiana; Hancock also operates in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

Under the terms of the transaction, J. Everett Eaves will maintain its existing agency team and operational structure, including its current Poydras Center and Covington offices.

Last year, Hancock acquired Ross-King-Walker Inc., a well-known Hattiesburg, Miss.-based property and casualty insurance pioneer.

Established in 1899 on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Hancock Bank entered the New Orleans market with a legacy as a Gulf South financial leader committed to understanding and serving local communities. Hancock Insurance Agency, founded in 1902, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hancock Bank.

JEE, founded in 1918, provides complete insurance needs for individuals and businesses and representing some of the nation’s most successful carriers, including St. Paul/Travelers, CNA and Zurich. JEE, with current revenues of $3.9 million and 29 employees, has offices in New Orleans and the North Shore.

SureTec, PCL Contract Bonding Agency

Houston-based SureTec Financial Corp sold its subsidiary, PCL Contract Bonding Agency, located in Lewisville, Texas. The acquiring individuals include Clem Lesch, president of PCL, and a group of individuals associated with Independent Insurance Group Inc. of Dallas.

John Knox, Jr., chairman of SureTec, announced, “PCL and its principals, Clem and Pauline Lesch, have been, and will continue to be, major bond producers for SureTec. This transaction allows us to continue to focus on our core business as underwriters and provides PCL with additional market opportunities. It is truly a ‘win-win’ situation for all involved.”

PCL, an NASBP member celebrating its 20th anniversary in business, has been one of the largest bond only producers in the State of Texas.

Clem Lesch commented, “We have always been proud of our association with SureTec and consider it one of our valued markets. Under our new ownership, we
will continue to build and foster that

relationship”.

SureTec, through independent insurance agents and professional surety bond producers, specializes in underwriting contract surety, commercial surety, and related financial products, primarily in the State of Texas.

Hondros College

Hondros College, a nationwide provider of online continuing education courses, launched an online insurance curriculum for Texas. The college said the courses are specifically designed to meet the needs and requirements of Texas insurance agents, and allow students to learn valuable skills and earn

CE credits through online, interactive delivery, minimizing time spent in traditional classrooms.

The Hondros College online insurance continuing education courses, developed based on the needs of Texas licensees, have been approved by the Texas Department of Insurance as classroom equivalent and may be taken to satisfy all of the required credit hours. In Texas, most licenses require a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education within a two-year renewal period. There is no grace period for completing the courses and fines are assessed for each incomplete hour of credit.

More information on the online continuing education courses designed specifically for Texas licensees is available at the Texas Web site at www.hondros.edu or by calling (888) 466-3767. The TDI provider number for Hondros College is 3401.

MHBT

Privately owned Dallas-based insurance brokerage, McQueary Henry Bowles Troy LLP (MHBT), recently accepted the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility at an event hosted by the Dallas Chamber of Commerce at the Park City Club.

The Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility is part of When Work Works, an ongoing initiative from Families and Work Institute, the Center for Workforce Preparation (an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce) and Patricia Kempthorne, First Lady of Idaho and Founder of the Center for Emerging Futures, with sponsor The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. When Work Works is a nationwide initiative to highlight the importance of workforce effectiveness and flexibility as a strategy to enhance business’ competitive advantage in the global economy and yield positive business results.

Eight communities were chosen to participate in the inaugural When Work Works initiative and awards selection process: Brooklyn, N.Y.; Chicago, Ill.; Dallas, Texas; Detroit, Mich.; Durham, N.C.; Long Beach, Calif.; Providence, R.I.; and Salt Lake City, Utah. Award winners were announced in all eight cities this spring.

“MHBT truly appreciates this recognition of our firm’s culture and the importance of our employees to our business success,” said Bill Henry, chairman and CEO of MHBT. “As risk managers and counselors, we truly agree that businesses can increase productivity through versatile, responsive employment policies that empower employees to be entrepreneurial and productive. We are proud that our company’s values mirror those encouraged by the When Work Works program.”

Research from the When Work Works initiative finds that working flexibly enhances employees’ effectiveness and satisfaction on the job-and benefits employers. Employees with flexibility are: More engaged in their jobs and committed to helping their companies succeed; more likely to plan on staying with their employer; and more satisfied with their jobs.

Additional study data, as well as tips on working flexibly for companies, supervisors and employees, is available at www.whenworkworks.org.

Along with MHBT, the Sloan Award ceremony in Dallas honored North Texas-area firms Accenture, CareerLink Companies, Center for Housing Resources, Community Council of Greater Dallas, Lee Hecht Harrison, Medical City Dallas Hospital, Texas Instruments, and Travis, Wolff & Company LLP.

In addition to its Dallas headquarters, MHBT also has offices in Fort Worth and Austin, Texas.