‘Still family-owned and Vermont-based’: WH Shaw Insurance acquired by Richards Group

MANCHESTER — A new 12 months indicates new beginnings for W.H. Shaw Coverage Agency. Efficient Jan. 1, the Bonnet Road insurance company has been acquired by the Brattleboro-dependent Richards Group.

The primary intention for Shaw Insurance’s two companions, Andrew Shaw, president, and Craig Powers, vice president, was for the switching of the guard to be inside of the family.

“In the insurance policies business, normally there is a succession program,” Powers explained. “A ton of situations, children of the proprietors will occur in and function their way up, and then obtain the business enterprise. That is why we’re right here.”

As everyone in the insurance plan business could inform you, nevertheless, items never constantly go in accordance to approach. The next generation of Powers and Shaw kin will be pursuing other endeavors. Powers, 58, and Shaw, 65, required to appear up with a new path ahead for Shaw Insurance policies.

“None of our young ones wanted to arrive in, due to the fact they’re younger,” stated Powers. “This just appeared like the ideal thing to do at this time. There’s a really sturdy buyer’s sector for tiny, impartial organizations.”

When Shaw and Powers didn’t propose they’d be leaving the day-to-working day operation on Bonnet Road any time soon, the shift is just one that will offer you them some peace of mind that absolutely everyone is in the correct hands for the future.

“A great deal of thought was supplied to picking the ideal buyer for our small business, and we genuinely imagine that the Richards Team is an exceptional suit for our customers and staff members,” stated a letter to Shaw’s 3,000-moreover buyers despatched out final thirty day period.

The conclusion to market the corporation to a more substantial entity didn’t arrive flippantly for the two cousins. The business has been in household fingers for about 100 many years, when it was launched by the agency’s namesake, Walter H. Shaw, in 1908.

When Shaw died in 1934, his spouse, Esther (Shaw’s terrific-grandmother and Powers’ grandmother) assumed management of the company. In accordance to their website, she was the initial female operator of an insurance business in Vermont. Though that is disputed by a couple of insurers all over the Green Mountain Condition, she was at the pretty minimum on a short list of ladies to split that barrier.

Even though Richards Team could possibly be a larger sized company, Shaw and Powers felt that they have been the suitable alternative to do ideal by their modest agency’s heritage.

“We could have seemed at providing to some national-based mostly firm,” Shaw mentioned. “But frankly, we felt far more cozy with Richards Group.”

“So, certainly, they’re an acquirer,” Shaw afterwards added. “But they’re family-owned and Vermont-based mostly, and equally of people items are huge for us.”

The Richards Group already will be a common title for several in Bennington County, as they have lately obtained other scaled-down insurance plan organizations in equally Manchester and Bennington. The organization has supplemental offices in Burlington, Middlebury, Norwich, Rutland, Springfield and Wilmington, and Harmony, Hanover and Keene, N.H.

Shaw and Powers reported coming into the fold of a larger company also gives them a further pool of means, and a broader range of providers to present their clientele.

Powers specially talked about the boost to choosing that the acquisition will provide, as it has been a challenge, specially because the pandemic strike.

“[We’re] marketing to somebody else that now has (data technology) silos and (human assets) silos, and by now has an infrastructure in position,” he mentioned.

Beneath the Richards Group umbrella, Shaw and Powers can now expand upon the forms of insurance coverage they offer. They’ll incorporate on to their existing catalog of dwelling, business, car and life insurance coverage, though also being equipped to extend into new ventures, these types of as an worker added benefits division, wealth administration and retirement preparing.

Drew Richards, vice president of the Richards Team, mentioned in an e mail Tuesday that “we’re thrilled to be partnering with Andy and Craig and the a few other proficient entire-time staff used by Shaw.” All Shaw staff will be becoming a member of Richards Group.

Richards explained his agency, and Powers and Shaw have recognised every other for some time as helpful rivals and colleagues in the Vermont Coverage Agents Affiliation.

“The regard and admiration is mutual and the in shape simple. We’re so happy that Andy and Craig would set their have faith in and faith in the Richards Team to have on the legacy of what they’ve developed, alongside with their devoted workers and faithful buyers,” stated Richards. “We glance ahead to collaborating with every single of them as we transfer forward and to serving their shoppers with the identical care and professionalism they’ve occur to are worthy of and anticipate.”

The Richards Group’s existence in Manchester dates again to 2012, when the firm obtained the Briggs-Fowler Company.

“We however inhabit their authentic business office at 5293 Primary Avenue,” reported Richards. “We are pretty much dedicated to Southwestern Vermont and are truly fired up to deepen our involvement in the greater Manchester spot.”