Headquarters:

901 Main Street, Suite 3650, Dallas, TX 75202

Year founded:

1980

Number of employees:

400+

Phone:

972 402 6669

Email:

marketing@brcins.com

Website:

brownandriding.com

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/brown-&-riding

“We prioritise embracing cutting-edge technologies, creative problem solving and continuous improvement to enhance our premium funding solutions and provide exceptional value to our clients”

Brett Bastow, IQumulate Premium FundinG

Chris Brown

Chairman

Jeffrey Rodriguez

President and Chief Executive Officer

Mike Boseman

Chief Operating Officer

Leadership

Chris Brown joined B&R in 1985 as the company’s first marketing representative in southern California. He was elected president in 1990 and named chairman in 2007. As chairman, Brown remains dedicated to driving product specialties in the firm’s national property, casualty, and management and professional liability departments as well as continuing to develop the current and future leaders of B&R’s growing number of industry specialty practice areas. Brown is also the leader of B&R’s national Construction Practice, a comprehensive team of dedicated construction experts across the country, specializing in casualty, property, environmental, and professional liability.

Chairman

Chris Brown

Jeff Rodriguez joined B&R as chief operating officer in 2005, was named president in 2007, and became CEO in 2010. He has overseen strategic acquisitions and significant organic growth and has helped the company grow to become one of the foremost wholesale insurance brokerage firms in the US with offices nationwide. During his tenure as CEO, the company has consistently ranked as one of the largest E&S brokers in the nation. Rodriguez holds a bachelor’s degree in economics, a master’s degree in business administration, and has earned numerous insurance certifications. He is frequently called upon to speak at regional and national industry events.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Jeffrey Rodriguez

Mike Boseman joined Brown & Riding’s brokerage division in 2007, where he grew a highly profitable book of property business before transitioning to operations in 2015. He has been instrumental in developing B&R’s key client relationships and facilitating the growth of the organization, including expanding the company’s national footprint. He became chief operating officer in 2017 and is currently responsible for strategic operations, including client and carrier development, enhancing the company’s information technology service offerings, and enforcing the company’s service standards and regulatory compliance. Boseman holds a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

Chief Operating Officer

Mike Boseman

BRETT BASTOW, IQUMULATE PREMIUM FUNDINGs

Leadership

Harold Nam

Chief Financial Officer

Harold Nam joined Brown & Riding as a staff accountant in 2008. Since joining the firm, he has continued to ascend to positions of increased responsibility, and in 2021, he was named chief financial officer. He has seen the firm through many pivotal accounting transitions, including two significant M&A transactions, improvement of department alignment with the day-to-day needs of production staff, and has helped lead the finance and accounting department through unprecedented growth. Nam has been instrumental in helping B&R grow from a regional specialty broker to the largest fully independent, owner-operated, national wholesale brokerage firm in the US.

Chief Financial Officer

Harold Nam

Cristi Carrington

Chief Distribution Officer

Cristi Carrington has worked in the insurance industry for nearly 30 years and is the point person for Brown & Riding’s carrier relationships. She manages the underwriting division and has developed many specialized programs for the company during her tenure, including a Habitational program, DIC, MPL, All Risk, including Wind & Earthquake, and a nationwide risk purchasing group for a top 40 nationally ranked retailer. Carrington currently serves on WSIA’s Board of Directors and is also the organization’s PAC committee co-chair. She also serves as president of the Surplus Line Association of Washington.

Chief Distribution Officer

Cristi Carrington

Stevens & Associates Lawyers is a leading and trusted employment law firm based in Sydney known for delivering high-quality legal expertise in the area of employment law and industrial relations across Australia, alongside a proven track record of effectively and swiftly resolving a variety of workplace law issues. In the past year, the firm’s growth has been notable. It has: • experienced a 213% growth in the number of client matters, increasing from 149 client matters in the 2022 financial year to 390 client matters in the 2023 financial year • improved its online visibility, leading to over 50 online enquiries each month and a conversion rate of client leads of up to 40% • significantly expanded the breadth and type of matters that it advises on day to day, which has increased the firm’s skillsets, diversity and resilience • expanded its community outreach by collaborating with local Sydney venues for client seminars and continuing active participation in a Sydney small/family business group Stevens & Associates Lawyers has adapted to digital trends by implementing an effective strategy with SEO and web design, resulting in a structural shift that has seen increased representation of employees where the firm previously mainly advised employers. The firm’s recognition as a “Fast Firm” attests to its momentum in the employment law space.

“IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started”

Wayne Tower, IQumulate Premium Funding

Christopher Welty

Chief Human Resources Officer

Elizabeth Bounds

General Counsel

Nealy Farshadi

Principal, Strategic Client Relations

Pam Chhabra

Manager – Residential Strata

Christopher Welty joined Brown & Riding in 2007 as an HR assistant. His dedication and talent earned swift advancement, culminating in his appointment as the firm’s CHRO in 2019. He is dedicated to aligning employees with B&R’s vision and values, fostering mutual growth for all. During his tenure, B&R has more than quadrupled in size. Welty has helped successfully integrate the company through two mergers and has been a strong advocate for many of the company’s important benefit plan enhancements and development programs. He excels at collaboration and has been a key contributor in establishing and promoting the company’s culture and offering programs and opportunities to help employees build a rewarding career.

Chief Human Resources Officer

Christopher Welty

Elizabeth Bounds oversees Brown & Riding’s legal, risk management, and claims departments. As the company’s chief legal resource, she reviews and negotiates corporate contracts and manages the firm’s litigation, internal legal resources, and relationships with outside counsel. She also works closely with B&R’s senior management in developing overall risk management strategies for the firm and is directly accountable to the Board of Directors for implementing risk control measures and for the facilitation and oversight of corporate liability insurance placements. In the claims department, she takes an especially active role in policy interpretation and client claims advocacy.

General Counsel

Elizabeth Bounds

Nealy Farshadi is instrumental in helping strengthen and grow Brown & Riding’s client relationships. She maintains and improves quality procedures, oversees B&R’s ISO certification, and manages the firm’s client feedback program. Her contributions enable the executive management team to act on client input effectively. As a result, B&R’s client feedback scores greatly exceed the average and continue to improve each year. Farshadi also supports and furthers the growth of B&R and its employees by contributing to professional development within the organization and being a resource to staff.

Principal, Strategic Client Relations

Nealy Farshadi

Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager. As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.

Commercial Manager

Stephen McMillan

One culmination of these efforts has been the real-world, needs-based IQEdge solution. A one-stop online quoting tool designed for both the Australian and New Zealand markets, IQEdge delivers quotes in under 60 seconds. Plus, the solution offers quote comparison and quote versioning capabilities, enabling users to review vital historical and financial data in a single page view. IQEdge can streamline and automate application processing, underwriting document verification and payment collection, cutting the need for manual labour and minimising processing errors. A digital “self-service” platform, IQEdge, reduces the need for customer and administrative support. Meanwhile, borrowers can access their accounts, make payments and manage their policies independently and through sales and support teams, which are always available for further assistance. “We’ve created a quality platform that simplifies the quoting process yet amplifies the customer experience,” says Gordon. “It’s a real game changer.” IQumulate offers an online digital quoting tool to clients. The best-in-market solution enables IQumulate to tailor funding offerings to brokers that align with their prefered distribution channel.

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What does IQumulate have in mind for the future? “IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started,” says Wayne Tower, CEO. “Through continuous engagement with our clients, partners, marketplace and industry, we will listen to the needs as they arise and position our business to be agile and respond to changes as they occur. “Faster decision-making innovations such as AI-powered decision support systems can expedite the underwriting and approval process, leading to quicker responses to clients. This can improve client satisfaction and potentially attract more business, with the potential to allow IQumulate to capture a larger market share, whilst continuing to deliver service excellence to clients.” “As forward-thinkers with a digital and ‘do it better’ mindset, we collectively and proactively look to learn and improve on our customer experience for our clients, paving the way for successful business outcomes for our clients and our business in the coming years ahead. “We’re excited for the future and look forward to what’s on the horizon.”

What does IQumulate have in mind for the future? “IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started,” says Wayne Tower, CEO. “Through continuous engagement with our clients, partners, marketplace and industry, we will listen to the needs as they arise and position our business to be agile and respond to changes as they occur. “Faster decision-making innovations such as AI-powered decision support systems can expedite the underwriting and approval process, leading to quicker responses to clients. This can improve client satisfaction and potentially attract more business, creating a competitive advantage with the potential to allow IQumulate to command premium pricing or capture a larger market share. “As forward-thinkers with a digital and ‘do it better’ mindset, we collectively and proactively look to learn and improve on our customer experience for our clients, paving the way for successful business outcomes for our clients and our business in the coming years ahead. “We’re excited for the future and look forward to what’s on the horizon.”

Adam Basaldella

Manager – Claims

Product Manager

Claire Watson

Commercial Manager

Stephen McMillan

Claire Watson

Product Manager

Claire Watson

Product Manager

Claire Watson

“We’re proud of our tech, but at the end of the day, it’s not about the software; it’s about helping people work better”

Spokesperson, Vertafore

"Vertafore is focused on being the partner for the future of this community by innovating in ways that bring value to each of our users.”

Amy Zupon, Vertafore

Ivan Verescuk

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

Shaun O’Brien

Head of Underwriting

Emily Walker

Head of Strata and Development

Rex Oakman

Head of Operations and Risk

Sandy Newton

Head of Underwriting

Andrew Mitchell

Manager – NSW

Michael Prokopis

Manager – Southern Region

Pam Chhabra

Manager – Residential Strata

Jeffrey Valdivia

Manager – Commercial Strata

Adam Basaldella

Manager – Claims

Brown & Riding (B&R) is one of the foremost wholesale insurance brokerage firms in the United States, consistently recognized on local, regional, and national levels. B&R specialists write over $2.5 billion in annual premium and have been helping retailers find the best options for their insured clients for 45 years. Distinct within the insurance brokerage sector, B&R is both entirely independent and wholly owned by its producers and executive leadership and has over 50 shareholders. This ownership structure underscores the firm’s commitment to empowering its leading professionals through significant ownership opportunities, fostering a vested interest in the success of clients, employees, and the company. B&R is also the first-ever wholesale insurance brokerage in the US with a Quality Management System certified to ISO 9001, an internationally recognized quality certification that the firm has held for over 20 years. Operating from offices across the nation, Brown & Riding is steadfast in upholding its foundational values of teamwork, quality, and professionalism. This dedication ensures that the B&R brand is consistently associated with the highest standards of excellence in the industry. The firm continues to receive numerous industry and employment awards, including Top 10 Largest P/C Wholesalers in the US, 5-Star Wholesale Brokers, Best Places to Work in Insurance, and Top Insurance Employers.

Vertafore was acquired by Roper Technologies in 2020, finding it’s “forever home.” With that backing, Vertafore can prioritize its partnership mindset and solutions that are built to deliver lasting gains for customers over short-term results. Vertafore reinvests approximately 24% of its annual revenue in research and development. Leadership at Vertafore reflects that strategy-minded approach. CEO Amy Zupon, who joined in 2016, has fostered a culture built on innovation and continuous improvement. Her background in software and data informs a hands-on, experience-driven view. Chief product officer James Thom brings experience from past roles at McKinsey and Telus to steer product direction with a blend of strategy and extensive sector understanding. Meanwhile, chief customer officer Rick Warter ensures that every Vertafore customer gets the most value out of their technology investment through comprehensive education, seamless onboarding, and ongoing long-term support. Tracey Brown, SVP and general manager, leads Vertafore’s efforts to enhance the agent-carrier relationship and regulatory compliance, drawing on 25 years of cross-industry leadership in client service and operations. And Balaji Devarasetty, who joined in 2025 as chief technology officer, brings deep expertise in banking, crypto, and payments and now oversees product engineering, cloud infrastructure, and SaaS operations at Vertafore. Vertafore’s focus on partnership extends across the industry. Its Orange Partner Program, described as an industry first, vets and connects complementary third-party solutions so that customers aren’t left guessing which tools will work best with their existing Vertafore stack. For Vertafore, it’s about giving people the confidence to do their best work. Whether that means helping agencies stay connected through AgencyOne, supporting carriers with compliance through Sircon, or giving MGAs tools to move faster, every solution is built with purpose. The technology is there to make work easier, but the real goal is to make insurance distribution that is simpler, smarter, and more human.