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Two Massachusetts firms join World Insurance Associates
Dawn Furnas//August 29, 2022//
World Insurance Associates started the month of August with two more acquisitions, the Iselin company announced Aug. 26.
The insurance brokerage added Tarpey Insurance Group of Wakefield, Mass., and Rush-Kent Insurance Agency Inc. of Arlington, Mass., to its fast-growing team on Aug. 1. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed.
“I am pleased to welcome Tarpey and Rush-Kent to the World family,” WIA CEO and co-founder Rich Eknoian said in a statement. “They are a team of respected insurance professionals in the Greater Boston area, and they will be a great addition to our team.”
Tarpey is a family-owned and -operated insurance agency that serves individuals and businesses.
James Tarpey, who started his career over 60 years ago as an underwriter for Royal Insurance, joined the agency in 1968 and became owner and CEO in 1979. All five of Tarpey’s children have been partners at the agency since the late 1990s, and other family members have joined, as well.
Liz Tarpey-Kent, president, said the team was proud to continue its commitment to providing its customers high-quality service as part of WIA.
Founded in 1925 by J. Quinton Rush, J.Q. Rush Real Estate and Insurance started in real estate sales as well as insurance. Charles Kent acquired the agency from J.Q. Rush in 1969 and changed the name to its current moniker.
The firm, which has purchased and incorporated other agencies over the years, provides personal and commercial insurance to its clients. Principals Paul Kent and Robert Kent have been with the agency since 1984.
Robert Kent said the agency looks forward “to continuing to advocate for our clients as part of World.”
WIA said it has now made 155 acquisitions since its founding in 2011.
Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla provided legal counsel to WIA, and MarshBerry advised it on the transaction. Dowling Hales acted as exclusive financial advisor, and Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett PC provided legal counsel to Tarpey and Rush-Kent.
