Global insurance broker, Acrisure, which Keyser is part of, recently announced the formation of Evolution Advisors, a new joint venture with NFL quarterback Russell Wilson and Grammy Award-winning performer Ciara, that will focus on the insurance needs of minority-owned businesses and diverse communities across the U.S.
Wilson and Ciara, who are married, are founding partners and equity owners in the joint venture and will help guide the business and its community impact strategies.
Says Acrisure Co-Founder, President and CEO Greg Williams, “Acrisure is committed to making a difference and we look forward to working alongside Russell and Ciara. Our interests could not be more aligned. Acrisure’s deep insurance, financial and technology expertise will help to address the risk problems faced by minority-owned businesses and diverse communities across the U.S.
“Along with their broad cultural impact, we’re proud to align with Russell and Ciara’s belief that everyone should have the opportunity to grow in a healthy and positive way. Insurance and financial services are an essential piece of personal and commercial success, so we’re excited to bring bold strategies to a broad and diverse client base,” he adds.
Say Wilson and Ciara, “We’re excited to partner with Acrisure on this venture. We believe in the power of ownership and our hope is that through this partnership, we can help create a path for diverse communities to build up their own businesses and infrastructure. It’s always been important for us to give back to the community and now, more so than ever, we recognize that minority-owned businesses need to be afforded more opportunities.”
Evolution Advisors will immediately focus on providing greater access and more effectively distributing insurance products to minority-owned enterprises, including Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certified businesses. Over the past 10 years, MBEs accounted for more than 50 percent of the two million new businesses started in the U.S. and created almost five million jobs, according to the Senate Committee on Small Business. There are now more than four million minority-owned companies in the U.S., with annual sales totaling close to $700 billion.
Wilson and Ciara were introduced to Acrisure through longtime friend Thomas Tull, who is Chairman of the Acrisure Technology Group and Founder, Chairman and CEO of Tulco. Recognizing a mutual desire to make a significant social and business impact, the couple, Tull and Acrisure began discussing how to make that happen and several months later, the concept of Evolution Advisors was born.
“There is no more important mission than investing in, and supporting businesses that promote equality. We are honored to partner with Russell Wilson and Ciara, who are each unmatched in their respective fields and committed along with Acrisure to providing opportunities for diverse communities,” says Tull. “Acrisure is a disruptive, global powerhouse that is a cut above its competitors and uniquely positioned to rise to this occasion, and I am proud to be part of an effort to redefine financial service access for minority business owners.”
Acrisure is the fastest growing and among the 10 largest insurance distribution platforms in the world. The company is forming the next-generation distribution model by combining state-of-the-art tech and one of the largest data sets of any insurance broker with the financial strength, expertise, and entrepreneurial energy of a start-up. Evolution Advisors will take immediate advantage of Acrisure’s differentiated technology, data, and analytics capabilities to identify new insurance opportunities for minority-owned businesses.
“We’ve been an Acrisure Agency Partner for a few years and that is something we’re proud of,” says Keyser President Chris Fisher. “This joint venture brings even more value to that relationship and we’re looking forward to digging in, learning how to take care of people who are minority business owners and bringing what we learn to our work in the communities we serve.”
In addition, Evolution Advisors also will seek to make a specific impact through community-focused efforts, building on Wilson and Ciara’s work through their Why Not You Foundation, and Acrisure’s philanthropic focus on children’s health.
Russell Wilson and Ciara (center) with participants of Why Not You Foundation’s Dream Big teen empowerment campaign (2019).