Hylant Group Announces New Vice President of Business Development

TOLEDO, Ohio - January 13, 2005 - Hylant Group announces the addition of John W. Chaney, CPCU, as Vice President of Business Development. In this corporate resources position, Mr. Chaney is responsible for sales leadership, business development and recruiting key personnel for all Hylant Group offices. An accomplished insurance brokerage executive, Mr. Chaney brings extensive experience in business development, as well as a proven track record of increasing profitability for several global brokers. He also is a recognized leader in the recruiting of sales and service professionals.

Most recently, Mr. Chaney was Chief Executive Officer for a Cleveland-based firm, where he ran the commercial insurance brokerage office for a global, multi-billion dollar public company. As CEO, he managed the growth, profitability and staffing of the brokerage operation. Prior to becoming CEO, Mr. Chaney held positions as Strategic Market Leader and Executive Vice President with the Cleveland-based firm.

Hylant Group, founded in 1935, is a privately held insurance agency offering complete risk management services, employee benefits, 401(k), loss control, financial services, wellness programs and disease management for businesses and individuals around the world. Hylant Group is ranked 26th in size out of more than 15,000 insurance agencies nationwide.