Western States Insurance Agency At the close of 1995, Western States Insurance Agency, a subsidiary of Blue Cross/Blue S
Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 6:02 am
Western States Insurance Agency
At the close of 1995, Western States Insurance Agency, a subsidiary of Blue Cross/Blue Shield, had nine locations throughout the state of Montana. During the next eight years, this would change as the company began to grow by acquisition. WSI proceeded to acquire eight agencies. Four of the firms were located in Montana (Kalispell, Stevensville, Great Falls, and Helena) and the other four were located in Oregon, which represented the first time WSI had operations outside of Montana. At the end of 2002, the firm had 200 employees and was in the top 100 insurance agencies in the United States. WSI had secured the title of being the top employee benefits broker in Montana.
Management at WSI considered the firm to be “a growing and diversified insurance agency, focused on a technology enabled, fully integrated delivery of commercial & personal property/casualty insurance, group & individual life & health insurance, employee benefits and retirement planning.” Although the agency was regionally focused, WSI was capable of providing high quality insurance products and financial services throughout the United States. WSI’s branches were known for “strong management, strong market relationships, strong local presence and community involvement, specialized areas of expertise, a history of growth, and broad financial services capabilities.” Management was centralized at the high level but allowed branch managers to make individual decisions in order to respond to clients’ needs.
Dennis Toussaint, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Combined Benefits Management, Inc. (CBMI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Blue Cross/Blue Shield Montana (BCBS-MT), has managing responsibilities for WSI. Toussaint and other executives conducted a meeting with a hired consultant to discuss the company’s future. The leaders were concerned with the rapidly changing healthcare environment and suggested that Blue Cross/Blue Shield diversify its risk while continuing to grow the company. WSI was identified as being the avenue for the company’s growth. The leaders began talking about taking WSI public. If this plan were successful, Blue Cross would be able to underwrite its own insurance policies. The main issue is how to grow WSI’s current revenues of $21M to the needed $100M to take the company public within five years. Management proposed three alternatives: 1) grow WSI’s revenues to $50M and acquire a firm capable of reaching $50M in revenues, 2) grow WSI’s revenues to $100M, or 3) grow WSI’s revenues to $250M.
1. How would you characterize Western States’ growth strategy through 2002? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the approach they have adopted as opposed to other growth strategies? Has it produced results consistent with the company’s strategic and financial objectives?
At the close of 1995, Western States Insurance Agency, a subsidiary of Blue Cross/Blue Shield, had nine locations throughout the state of Montana. During the next eight years, this would change as the company began to grow by acquisition. WSI proceeded to acquire eight agencies. Four of the firms were located in Montana (Kalispell, Stevensville, Great Falls, and Helena) and the other four were located in Oregon, which represented the first time WSI had operations outside of Montana. At the end of 2002, the firm had 200 employees and was in the top 100 insurance agencies in the United States. WSI had secured the title of being the top employee benefits broker in Montana.
Management at WSI considered the firm to be “a growing and diversified insurance agency, focused on a technology enabled, fully integrated delivery of commercial & personal property/casualty insurance, group & individual life & health insurance, employee benefits and retirement planning.” Although the agency was regionally focused, WSI was capable of providing high quality insurance products and financial services throughout the United States. WSI’s branches were known for “strong management, strong market relationships, strong local presence and community involvement, specialized areas of expertise, a history of growth, and broad financial services capabilities.” Management was centralized at the high level but allowed branch managers to make individual decisions in order to respond to clients’ needs.
Dennis Toussaint, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Combined Benefits Management, Inc. (CBMI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Blue Cross/Blue Shield Montana (BCBS-MT), has managing responsibilities for WSI. Toussaint and other executives conducted a meeting with a hired consultant to discuss the company’s future. The leaders were concerned with the rapidly changing healthcare environment and suggested that Blue Cross/Blue Shield diversify its risk while continuing to grow the company. WSI was identified as being the avenue for the company’s growth. The leaders began talking about taking WSI public. If this plan were successful, Blue Cross would be able to underwrite its own insurance policies. The main issue is how to grow WSI’s current revenues of $21M to the needed $100M to take the company public within five years. Management proposed three alternatives: 1) grow WSI’s revenues to $50M and acquire a firm capable of reaching $50M in revenues, 2) grow WSI’s revenues to $100M, or 3) grow WSI’s revenues to $250M.
1. How would you characterize Western States’ growth strategy through 2002? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the approach they have adopted as opposed to other growth strategies? Has it produced results consistent with the company’s strategic and financial objectives?