TOLEDO, Ohio, Jan. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Hylant, one of the largest privately owned insurance brokerage firms in the nation, announced today that The Gardner Group, an independent employee benefits agency based in Neptune Beach, Fla., will be merging into their Jacksonville operations led by industry veteran Mark Nixon. The Gardner Group’s team, including principal Brian Cook, who has more than 30 years of industry experience, will begin to transition this month. The combined operations will integrate employee benefit solutions and make Hylant one of the largest employee benefits operations in North Florida.

“Brian and his team bring significant expertise and experience in the employee benefits industry, specifically related to alternate funding options, extensive plan management and claims analytics for mid- to large-sized employers in diversified industries, that allow us to offer additional support and services to our growing operations,” said Nixon, president of Hylant’s Jacksonville office.

Independently owned and operated for more than 30 years, The Gardner Group has built a successful platform providing effective employee benefit consultation to mid-sized corporate clients in Florida and the southeast. Clients of both The Gardner Group and Hylant will benefit from the breadth of resources available to them through Hylant’s employee benefits practice, as well as Hylant’s other risk and industry specialty practices, including property and casualty, risk management and insurance services.

“This merger represents more than just a business relationship,” said Mike Hylant, CEO of Hylant. “Hylant and The Gardner Group share the same core values and client-first philosophy – this is a strategic decision to better serve our mutual clients and the Jacksonville community.”

About Hylant
Hylant, a six consecutive year winner of Best Places to Work in Insurance, was founded in 1935 and is a full-service insurance brokerage with 14 offices in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and Florida. As a member of the Worldwide Broker Network, Hylant offers complete risk management services, employee benefits brokerage and consultation, loss control, health care management and insurance solutions for businesses and individuals. Hylant is one of the largest privately held brokerage firms in the United States and serves a wide variety of clients locally, nationally and internationally. For more information visit hylant.com. Follow Hylant on LinkedIn and Twitter (@hylantgroup).

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SOURCE Hylant