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HIGH RIVER, AB, Sept. 7, 2012 /CNW/ – Western Financial Group (Western)
is proud to announce the acquisition today of Orion Insurance Brokers
Ltd. (Orion) of Winnipeg. The Orion office will be an excellent
addition to Western’s existing Winnipeg locations, and is its first
office in Transcona.

“As Transcona and eastern Winnipeg grow, so do we, and joining Western
Financial Group was a natural step in that process,” said Sheryle
Lazaruk, Office Manager at Orion. “This allows us to continue expanding
our business right here in Transcona, because we can now offer
Western’s greater range of services and products to our customers.”

Orion Insurance Brokers Ltd was founded in 1993. It was purchased in
2008 and joined the multi-location P.M.C. group of brokerages. The
Transcona office, now under the Western Financial Group banner, will
continue to operate with the same friendly staff out of its same
location at 5-630 Kildare Ave. East.

Western will build on Orion’s reputation for local, friendly client
service in the Transcona area. Current and future customers will
benefit from Western’s large scale and breadth, and its dedication to
delivering value.

“We’re very pleased to add to our growing Winnipeg operations,” said
Scott Tannas, President and CEO of Western Financial Group. “Winnipeg
is one of our major places of business. We already have approximately
380 employees in the city and expect to hire more as we expand our
retail network and our back office support teams. We’re excited to
welcome the Orion staff to our team, and to offer the benefits of our
large network and wide range of products to the citizens of Transcona.”

About Western Financial Group

Western Financial Group is a western Canada based, diversified,
financial services company serving more than 600,000 customers. Founded
in 1996 and headquartered in High River, Alberta, Western provides
insurance, banking and investment products and services through more
than 120 office locations, the Internet (www.westernfinancialgroup.ca) and other distribution channels. With a skilled team of approximately
1,500 employees, and backed by the strong resources of its owners,
Western is committed to building the strongest financial services
company in western Canada.

Western Financial Group is a subsidiary of Desjardins Group, the leading
cooperative financial group in Canada.

SOURCE Western Financial Group