GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Top-10 global insurance broker Acrisure announced today that Russell Westbrook, nine-time NBA All-Star and current Washington Wizards point guard, has joined recently formed joint venture Evolution Advisors, LLC as a Founding Partner. Evolution Advisors is focused on providing greater access to insurance products and financial services to minority-owned enterprises, including Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certified businesses. The addition of Westbrook immediately strengthens the organization, which lists among its missions the goal of attracting like-minded entrepreneurs to help advance their mutual causes.
“Russell shares our belief that we need to increase awareness and access to critically important insurance and financial products for all audiences,” said Greg Williams, Co-Founder, President and CEO of Acrisure. “We’re excited to combine our deep expertise with Russell’s ability to impact the risk issues faced by minority-owned businesses and diverse communities.”
“Access to insurance is crucial to the success of any business,” said Westbrook. “Unfortunately, minority-owned businesses don’t always have the same opportunities as everyone else, so I am thrilled to partner with Acrisure on this endeavor where we can give diverse business owners the chance they deserve.”
Evolution Advisors will focus on both traditional and innovative product delivery, harnessing Acrisure’s technology and AI capabilities to identify and reach out to diverse audiences. Evolution Advisors will also utilize Acrisure’s deep M&A expertise to build a network of allies who share the vision of the company’s Founding Partners.
Other Founding Partners include Super Bowl champion quarterback of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, Russell Wilson; his wife, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, Ciara; and Thomas Tull, Chairman of Acrisure Technology Group, and Founder, Chairman and CEO of Tulco, LLC.
“I am proud that my friend Russell Westbrook is joining the team and know he will be immediately additive given how deeply he cares about driving change and supporting businesses that promote equality,” said Tull. “As a Founding Partner in this effort, alongside Acrisure, Russell will help Evolution Advisors significantly rethink and impact the distribution of these crucial elements for business success.”
Acrisure is forming the next-generation distribution model by combining state-of-the-art technology and one of the largest data sets of any insurance broker with the financial strength, expertise, and entrepreneurial energy of a start-up. The joint venture will benefit from Acrisure’s differentiated technology, data, and analytics capabilities to identify new insurance opportunities for minority-owned businesses.
Evolution Advisors will also seek to make a specific impact through community-focused efforts, building on Westbrook’s Why Not? Foundation and Acrisure’s philanthropic partners.
About Acrisure
As one of the world’s top-10 insurance brokerages and the fastest growing insurance brokerage globally, Acrisure provides a broad array of insurance-related solutions, including commercial property and casualty, personal lines, and employee benefits solutions informed by industry-leading technology and distributed through its global network of Agency Partners. The company has over $2 billion in revenue and is 92% employee-owned. For more information, please visit: https://www.Acrisure.com.
About Russell Westbrook
On the court, Russell Westbrook is a nine-time NBA All-Star and winner of the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award. Off the court, he is a philanthropist, entrepreneur, and investor. Inspired by his upbringing, in 2012, Russell started the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting community-based education, family service programs and teaching kids to never give up when faced with adversity. Committed to the perseverance of at-risk communities, the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation implements structured educational opportunities, workforce development and accessible mental health resources. The foundation has established 39 reading rooms in schools in Los Angeles and Oklahoma and sponsored schoolwide book fairs at each of those schools to make sure every child went home with a book to grow their own personal libraries. In 2016, Westbrook created Honor the Gift, a brand founded on the belief that everyone has been blessed with a gift that should be shared with others. Honor the Gift has released multiple collections and acquired a large following on social media. As an investor, Westbrook’s business portfolio spans different areas such as banking, technology, education, media and production.