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WFG Capital Advisors Announces that Willis Group Holdings
has Reached Agreement to Acquire CGI Consulting Group, Inc.
Harrisburg,
PA -- February 23, 2005 – Willis Group Holdings (NYSE:WSH),
the global insurance broker, announces today the acquisition
of CGI Consulting, Inc., an employee benefits firm offering
a range of benefits services and administrative solutions to
mid-size companies predominantly in the mid-Atlantic and
northeast region of the United States. CGI has annual
revenues of approximately $7 million; terms of the
transaction were not disclosed. It is expected to close at
the end of February.
With new
leadership, strong recruiting, our existing employee
benefits technology solutions, and the recent acquisition of
PRIMARY Worldwide, a California-based employee benefits
firms, Willis’ Employee Benefits Practice has enjoyed
significant growth over the last several years. CGI,
headquartered in Malvern, PA, further strengthens the
national practice and offers great synergies.
“CGI has
built a strong business based on listening to clients,
understanding their needs and then developing and delivering
solutions aimed at their core issues,” said Joe
Plumeri, Chairman and
CEO of Willis. “This is consistent with the Willis Client
Advocate model of customizing our services to fit the
client’s unique circumstances. The culture is a great fit
and the acquisition is a clear illustration of our
commitment to grow our Employee Benefits Practice as well as
consistent with our overall strategy of building key
practice groups which we have identified as having strong
growth potential.”
“Combining
our current online benefits management capabilities with
CGI’s written communication, benefits administration and
call center services, the acquisition significantly enhances
our in-house capabilities to offer clients the complete
range of benefits consulting, services and solutions,” said
Rick Elliott, Willis’ Employee Benefits Practice Group
Leader. “Further, the CGI business model and that of Willis’
Employee Benefits Practice are a complementary match in
terms of addressing client needs in the 21st century:
managing costs; reducing HR workload; and educating and
training employees.”
“Health care
costs continue to climb, administrative functions have been
paper-intensive and increasingly, companies are looking to
their benefits consultants for enhanced solutions,” said
Harriet Hankin,
Principal and President of CGI. “This union empowers us to
solve our clients’ problems and grow our business with an
exciting combination of strengths.”
As time and
resource pressures over the last few years have increased in
the human resource departments – perhaps most significantly
in middle market companies – benefits professionals have
been challenged to increase efficiencies and develop
innovative solutions to a range of administrative tasks. Led
by an experience management team, CGI brings a strong
component of those solutions to its clients and now, in
combination with Willis, the platform of services will be
rolled out to Willis clients across the United States.
WFG Capital Advisors LP acted as the
financial advisor to CGI Consulting Group.
Willis Group
Holdings Limited is a leading global insurance broker,
developing and delivering professional insurance,
reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource
consulting and actuarial services to corporations, public
entities and institutions around the world. With over 300
offices in over 100 countries, its global team of 14,500
associates serves clients in some 180 countries. Additional
information on Willis may be found on its web site
www.willis.com
CGI
Consulting Group, Inc., based in Malvern , PA, is a leader
in designing, implementing, and managing employee benefit
strategies, as well as in providing a broad range of
outsourcing services for mid-size firms throughout the
country. The company provides for innovative, unique
solutions based upon our client's specific needs. It’s
mission to provide the best value in the benefits management
business today. Additional information on CGI may be found
on its web site
www.cgiconsulting.com.
About WFG Capital Advisors
WFG Capital Advisors, a PA-based investment banking firm
specializing in the insurance industry, initiated the
transaction and served as the exclusive financial advisor to
CGI Consulting Group.
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