ISU Group forms advisory board following Steadfast acquisition

ISU Group, one of the oldest insurance agent networks in the US, has announced the creation of a new advisory board following the acquisition by Steadfast Group (Steadfast).

ISU Group started as a franchise over four decades ago. Currently, it comprises 230 members across more than 40 states and has partnerships with over 75 insurance carriers and wholesalers.

ISU Group’s new advisory board

ISU Group CEO TJ Ryan said the new advisory board and its members will play a key role in seeking opportunities for the group’s growth.

“The advisory board comprises seasoned industry experts and thought leaders, who will play a crucial role in identifying key opportunities, guiding ISU Group’s strategic decisions, fostering innovation, and enhancing client value,” he said.

ISU Group advisory board members

Gregg Calestini

Calestini has over three decades of experience in the industry, having held senior positions at Safeco, Allstate, and Royal & Sun Alliance. He was integral to the launch of Amwins and Mercator Risk Services.

In 2008, he founded InStrategy Group, a consulting and recruiting firm for the insurance industry.

Jim Hackbarth

Hackbarth spent nearly 20 years as president & CEO of Assurex Global, a prominent risk management commercial insurance brokerage.

Since retiring in 2021, he has engaged in board roles and early-stage venture capital investments in insurtech firms. Previously, he founded Cornerstone Partners, a consulting firm specialising in executive recruitment and joint ventures.

Eric Hall

With over 30 years in the property casualty insurance industry, Hall has held leadership roles that focus on business strategy, sales and marketing, technology architecture, and industry communication.

In a previous statement, Robert Kelly (pictured) – the founder, managing director, and CEO of Steadfast – said the group had been looking into entering the US market for the prior five years.

“We wanted to enter a long-term strategic partnership with an existing US independent agent network to create distribution and a platform to implement our service offering,” he said. “I’m incredibly excited that our journey into the US has started with ISU. ISU is an excellent fit for us. They bring a stellar management team and existing scale, and we share complementary values with our people and clients. This was an essential consideration for us.”

Ryan emphasised the impact of ISU Group’s recent acquisition by Steadfast, saying: “With the recent acquisition of ISU by Steadfast, I’m highly confident that Steadfast’s significant expertise and resources will empower us to continue to innovate, expand our service offerings, and further strengthen our position in the US insurance market.”