November 28, 2016

We’re Growing!

We’re growing! We are excited to announce that as of January 1, 2017, Burns Demeyere & Associates (BDA) of Tillsonburg will join McFarlan Rowlands.

BDA is a well respected brokerage with a history dating back 125 years. They are very instrumental in the Tillsonburg community, upholding community involvement as one of their core values. With this, we will be welcoming 13 new employees to our team in Tillsonburg.

Managing Partner Peter Burns of BDA will remain employed as an advisor and consultant to our operations. Marg Aspden, partner of operations, will become the Tillsonburg branch manager as of March 1st, which will include our current McFarlan Rowlands staff; and Andrew Burns, partner of business development, will become a new shareholder in McFarlan Rowlands. By joining the BDA insurance team with McFarlan Rowlands, our presence in the current marketplace will strengthen, reaffirming our position as the premier independently owned brokerage in Southwestern Ontario.

Below you will see our official news release with comments from Rodney Hancock, McFarlan Rowlands CEO as well as Peter Burns, Managing Partner of BDA.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

London-based McFarlan Rowlands Insurance Brokers today announces that Burns Demeyere & Associates (BDA) of Tillsonburg will join McFarlan Rowlands as of January 1, 2017. The two insurance brokerages plan to operate under the McFarlan Rowlands brand. The values, skills and knowledge of the BDA insurance team, as well as their strong presence in the Tillsonburg community will play an integral role at McFarlan Rowlands.

Rodney Hancock will continue as CEO of McFarlan Rowlands while Peter Burns, Managing Partner of BDA will remain employed as an advisor and consultant. The firms are excited to operate under one umbrella and continue to provide outstanding products and unsurpassed service that deliver premium value to their clients in the P&C and Life portfolios.

“I am excited to welcome the BDA insurance team to McFarlan Rowlands,” says Hancock, “they are an ambitious, educated team of brokers who hold strong connections in their community. This move increases our presence in Tillsonburg and the surrounding area, strengthens our depth in the current marketplace and reaffirms our company as the premier independently owned brokerage in Southwestern Ontario.”

Both brokerages share similar core values, corporate culture and vision for future growth, making this a good fit for moving forward. They each take pride in their established roots in their communities, both having operated for more than 100 years respectively.

According to Burns, “this merger allows us to remain relevant in the rapidly changing insurance environment. We are looking forward to working with the resources that McFarlan Rowlands brings to the table and the opportunities available for our team in the future. We have always placed a high value on making the community part of our team and are confident that this will continue. Another feature of this move is that our brokerage ownership remains independent, local and able to provide unbiased advice that will best serve the needs of our clients.”

The McFarlan Rowlands branch in Tillsonburg will be relocated to the BDA office location for all of their employees’ and clients’ needs. In merging their staff, both brokerages will benefit from an enhanced presence in the Tillsonburg community. BDA will be notifying their clients of the change in ownership and their existing insurance coverage will remain in effect with no changes to their premiums or coverage for the current term of their policies. Both companies look forward to taking steps towards a smooth integration.

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About McFarlan Rowlands:
McFarlan Rowlands Insurance Brokers offer a complete line of commercial, personal lines, life, disability, employee benefit plans and risk management services through our network of fourteen offices across Southwestern Ontario. McFarlan Rowlands is dedicated to ensuring our professionals are on the leading edge of changes in the insurance industry. Our employees are committed providing outstanding products and unsurpassed service that, together, deliver premium value to our clients.

About Burns, Demeyere & Associates:
Burns, Demeyere & Associates operating as The BDA Insurance Team has been delivering insurance solutions to the communities of Southwestern Ontario for over 120 years. Our mission has been to treat our clients, partners & communities as valuable team members. We provide innovative insurance solutions to drive our clients’ success. Together it’s Easy.