Higginbotham, an employee-owned insurance and financial services company, joins forces with Blanton & Griffin Insurance Agency, a property and casualty agency based in Valdosta, Georgia. The collaboration adds South Georgia market strength and an established local team to Higginbotham's growing Georgia presence, while giving Blanton & Griffin expanded resources, carrier relationships and service support to build on a growth strategy already under way. Blanton & Griffin gains access to expanded market relationships, specialty programmes, captive capabilities, and in-house claims advocacy and legal resources, alongside Higginbotham's employee benefits capabilities. Higginbotham's captive practice offers single-parent and group captive solutions, including programmes tailored to the manufacturing sector, supported by year-round financial management, claims advocacy and loss control. Founded from a 1985 merger between the agencies of Lou Blanton and Archie Griffin, and built on a family insurance legacy tracing back to 1920, Blanton & Griffin serves commercial and personal insurance clients across South Georgia and surrounding areas. The agency has been especially active in commercial lines, serving construction, hospitality, nonprofit and manufacturing businesses, alongside specialised contract surety for construction-related operations. In January 2025, Blanton & Griffin expanded its ownership from three to seven, bringing the next generation into the business and prompting the agency to seek the scale and specialist support to keep growing. Rusty Reid, chairman and CEO of Higginbotham, says: "Blanton & Griffin brings exactly the kind of local strength we look for. They have a terrific reputation in South Georgia, a track record of service, and they have already brought the next generation into the agency in a meaningful way. We are excited to add resources around that foundation so they can keep growing." Ben Blanton, president of Blanton & Griffin, says: "We knew the kind of fit we were looking for, and it was not just about size. When we met with Higginbotham, we knew they could bring the scale, market clout and support we wanted, but they stood out because they are employee-owned, built to stay independent and committed to helping us grow without changing who we are." Higginbotham is an employee-owned insurance, financial services and employee benefits firm operating since 1948.
