Texas-based Higginbotham has expanded to the Rocket City with a strategic partnership with Fountain, Parker, Harbarger & Associates, LLC (FPH&A) of Huntsville, Alabama.
This collaboration, following the firm’s 75th anniversary in 2023, marks a significant step in its ongoing expansion, particularly through the southern United States. The partnership aims to leverage over 175 years of combined experience between the two firms, enhancing their service offerings and establishing a stronger presence in Alabama.
Rusty Reid, chairman and CEO of Higginbotham, emphasized the shared values between the two firms, particularly in their approach to client service, employee support, community engagement, and maintaining strong relationships with carriers.
“They are 103 years old, the largest independent agency in North Alabama, and they got that way by treating carriers and clients as trusted advisers and friends,” Reid said. “They’ve been with some of their carriers for 50 to 100 years. Best of all, they’ve been part of the development of Huntsville as a ‘best place to live and work’ right from the start.”
Mark P. Harbarger, principal and administrative manager at FPH&A, cited Huntsville’s recognition as a catalyst for seeking a partnership that could support the firm’s commitment to service excellence.
“We met with a lot of different options, and Higginbotham quickly rose to the top. They hit all the essentials we were looking for: an emphasis on employees, on community, and on making the relationship with our clients more meaningful through their Day Two Services, which maintain a responsive relationship through the life of each policy,” Harbarger said.
“We knew we could compete with anyone from an agent standpoint, but we couldn’t always compete with the services offered by the bigger brokers,” he said. “Now we’ve got the horsepower, so we’re going after those accounts. We’re hard workers here in Huntsville. When we set a goal, we exceed it. With Higginbotham behind us, we’re shooting for the moon.”
Back at its main base, Higginbotham also announced that Texas-based Financial Benefit Services (FBS) has completed its rebranding as Higginbotham Public Sector, marking a significant milestone in the firms’ partnership.
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