RIC Insurance General Agency Sold to Nor-Cal Investment Group

Ron Arndt, long time president of RIC Insurance General Agency Inc., has sold RIC to a Northern California investment group. Gary Kitchen is the new CEO of RIC Insurance General Agency Inc. and will reside in the Tustin, Calif., headquarters.

The northern California investment group — NWC Insurance Services — is located in Santa Rosa, Calif., and is led by Mike Sullivan, chairman, and Dennis Stanley. NWC currently owns a wholesale operation focused on admitted business.

Kitchen, was previously operations director at NWC. He brings 18 years of management experience to his new position. Arndt will remain as president of RIC through the end of the year, at which time he will retire after 30 years in the insurance industry. Gail Novelich, vice president for accounting/general services, and Teresa Spraggins, vice president for underwriting, will remain in their roles, as will all the current RIC employees. According to Kitchen, “RIC agents will notice no change in the operation — it will be business as usual; the only difference is that I’ll be answering the phone more often.”

Sullivan, comments “This new opportunity gives us the ability to assist our agents with both admitted and non-admitted products and is a real win-win proposition for all concerned. We are interested in taking what Ron has successfully built and building on that for a great future for RIC.” Arndt concurs, suggesting “this opportunity enables RIC to continue providing the same solid products and service as we have in the past, and at the same time offer something new to our agency partners.”

RIC Insurance General Agency Inc. is an excess and surplus lines brokerage specializing in commercial property, general liability and personal lines coverages and products for the small to medium business risk.

Located in Santa Rosa, Calif., NWC is a wholesale operation providing access to admitted markets for package, commercial auto and workers’ compensation. They have been serving California since 1997.

RIC Insurance General Agency Inc. is located at 2492 Walnut Ave, #250, Tustin, CA 92780-6963. Phone: (800) 310-1303 or (714) 505-8200. Fax: (714) 730-1816. Web site: www.ric-ins.com. For more information, contact Gary Kitchen at (714) 505-8210 or e-mail garyk@ric-ins.com