Associated Insurance and Risk Management Advisors Recognized as MarshBerry 2025 National MAX Performer Award Winner

September 17, 2025

Woodmere, OH – MarshBerry, a global leader in financial services and consulting, proudly announced Associated Insurance and Risk Management Advisors as the national winner of its respected MAX Performer Award. Now in its ninth year, this industry badge of distinction is awarded to independent insurance agencies and brokerages with gold-star financial performance, operational excellence and a thriving culture.

MarshBerry unveiled Associated Insurance and Risk Management Advisors as the national winner during its Connect Summit – a semiannual executive peer exchange event held in Boston, MA, this Fall. Regional winners and finalists were announced in July when Associated Insurance and Risk Management Advisors received recognition for their performance in the Midwest, United States.

“Winning the 2025 MarshBerry MAX Performer award is a testament to Associated’s unwavering commitment to excellence,” said John Wepler, MarshBerry Chairman & CEO. “With industry-leading new business productivity and strong organic growth, they’ve built a culture where leadership, process, and people work in harmony to fuel consistent expansion. Their ability to pair top-line growth with elite EBITDA and employee productivity reflects disciplined financial stewardship and smart leadership decisions. And with a standout approach to onboarding and retaining top talent—especially producers in their critical first year—they’ve created a workplace where success is not just expected, but sustained.”

MarshBerry created the MAX Performer program to recognize exceptional performance and help firms prosper through executive peer networking. MarshBerry selects winners by evaluating firm performance in areas such as growth, perpetuation, profitability, productivity, and company culture.

MarshBerry heartily congratulates all of the 2025 MAX Performer regional winners:

  • East: Hardenbergh Insurance Group, Marlton, NJ
  • Midwest: Associated Insurance and Risk Management Advisors, Rolling Meadows, IL
  • Southeast: Starke Agency, Inc., Montgomery, AL
  • West: Atlas Insurance Agency, Honolulu, HI
  • Southwest: Dillingham Insurance, Enid, OK

For more information regarding the MarshBerry MAX Performer awards, or to find out how your firm can become a MAX Performer, please contact Brooke Liu, MarshBerry Senior Vice President, at Brooke.Liu@MarshBerry.com.

MarshBerry – Helping Clients Learn, Improve & Realize Value

MarshBerry is a global leader in investment banking and strategic consulting for the financial services industry. With over 40 years of experience, MarshBerry empowers firms in insurance brokerage & distribution, wealth advisory & retirement planning and accounting & tax practices to achieve long-term growth, maximize value, and navigate every stage of ownership. Core offerings include Investment Banking services such as Merger & Acquisition Advisory and Capital Raising, as well as Financial Consulting in Strategic Planning, Valuations, and Perpetuation Planning. MarshBerry also provides specialized support in Organic Growth Consulting, Executive Peer Exchange, Agency Network and Market Intelligence & Performance Benchmarking. For more information, visit www.MarshBerry.com.