BRIEF: Brooke Unit Buys 60 Insurance Agency Locations From Chicago Firm

By The Kansas City Star, Mo.

Sep. 27--Brooke Franchise Corp. today said it its buying 60 insurance agency locations associated with J and P Holdings Inc. of Chicago.

Brooke Franchise, a subsidiary of Overland Park-based Brooke Corp., said the acquisition is expected to close Friday. No financial terms were disclosed.

In a news release, Brooke Franchise said the agencies sell auto insurance under the trade names of Lone Star Auto, Insurance Xpress, Car Insurance Store, Hallberg Insurance Agency and Hallberg Xpress in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Illinois and Texas.

The acquired agencies will be converted into Brooke franchises or merged into existing Brooke franchise locations. The company said the deal boosts its franchise locations to about 900.

"This acquisition is a good geographical fit with our existing franchise locations that specialize in auto insurance sales and provides opportunity for current Brooke franchisees to grow through acquisition," said Kyle Garst, Brooke Franchise's chairman and chief executive officer.

|The Star

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