Hylant Group Announces Len Dyer as President of the Grand Rapids Office

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan - July 19, 2006 - Hylant Group, the nation’s seventh largest privately held commercial insurance brokerage, announced today that Len Dyer has been hired to head the newly established Grand Rapids office as President.

Dyer comes to Hylant Group after having successfully initiated two start-up insurance operations in the greater Grand Rapids area over the past several years. Most recently, Dyer was Executive Vice President and West Michigan Branch Manager of A.J. Gallagher of Western Michigan, where he was responsible for building the Risk Management Division for Gallagher of Michigan statewide.

Grand Rapids has long been a marketplace the Group has coveted to continue their aggressive growth strategy. Mark Miller, CEO of Hylant Group’s Michigan Operations, said, “We are very excited about the potential of the western Michigan marketplace and thrilled that Len will be leading our presence in Grand Rapids”.

Prior to A.J. Gallagher, Dyer opened and built Chubb's first branch in the Grand Rapids area. Pat Hylant, CEO & Chairman of Hylant Group, said, “Len has 18+ years of experience and success in building successful start-up operations and growing them into more substantial businesses, he has the talent and experience to serve our existing clients and help us grow as we broaden our footprint in the State of Michigan”.

The Hylant Group, founded in 1935, is the 21st largest insurance agency in the United States. With a team of over 625 insurance professionals, they are positioned to service their clients locally and around the globe. Hylant offers complete risk management services, employee benefits, loss control, 401(k) and financial services, health care management, and insurance for businesses and individuals around the world. In addition to the corporate headquarters in Toledo, Ohio, the firm has offices in Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Troy, Michigan; as well as Indianapolis, Bloomington and Fort Wayne, Indiana. Hylant is a member of the Worldwide Broker Network and is currently ranked by the Hales Report as the 6th largest privately held broker in the nation.