BRIEF: Northwest Savings steps into insurance business, buys Bert Co. [Erie Times-News, Pa.]

Nov. 28--Warren-based Northwest Savings Bank has taken its first step into the insurance business.

Northwest, which has assets of $8 billion and 166 branches in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Maryland, has agreed to buy the Bert Co., which does business in Erie as the Bert Insurance Group.

The company, an employee benefits and property and casualty insurance firm, specializes in commercial and personal insurance planning as well as retirement benefit plans.

The insurance firm, founded in 1994 by J. Boyd Bert Jr. and his son Doug Bert, will operate as a subsidiary of Northwest Savings Bank.

Doug Bert will remain with the company and assume corporate management responsibilities as president of Northwest's insurance operations.

Gregory C. LaRocca, executive vice president of Northwest, said he sees an opportunity to expand the insurance company's services to much of the bank's footprint.

"The Bert Insurance Group brings another dimension to our financial services group," LaRocca said. "And we believe that strong synergies exist for the cross sale of insurance, investment, trust, retail and business deposit and lending products and services."

The price of the purchase was not disclosed.

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