Woodman Cison & Associates

What Woodman Cison & Associates does

Woodman Cison & Associates was an independent insurance agency founded in 2004 by Jeff Woodman in Wheeling, Illinois, with John Cison joining as a partner in 2007. The firm provided personal insurance (auto, home, life, Private Client coverage) and business insurance (property, liability, commercial) to individual consumers and small-to-mid-sized businesses in the U.S. Midwest, operating on a direct-to-consumer, referral-driven model with licensed agents placing coverage across multiple carriers.

The agency's underlying technology stack and digital product surface are not disclosed in available sources; distribution relied on traditional referral networks and local market presence rather than proprietary platforms. Revenue was generated through transaction-fee commissions on insurance policies placed with carriers — a standard independent-agency model with no publicly disclosed pricing.

On November 2, 2022, The Plexus Groupe acquired Woodman Cison & Associates, bringing seven associates into Plexus's organization and relocating the team to Plexus's Deer Park, IL office. Founders Jeff Woodman and John Cison transitioned to partners within Plexus, a 2022 Top 100 U.S. Broker. Post-acquisition, the agency operates as an integrated unit of The Plexus Groupe rather than as an independent entity, with no subsequent standalone operating signals available.

Name

Woodman Cison & Associates

Legal name

Woodman Cison & Associates

Website

https://woodmaninsurance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wheeling

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Insurance Agency Commissions: As an independent insurance agency, Woodman Cison & Associates generated revenue through commissions earned on insurance policies placed with insurance carriers for personal and business coverage.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Woodman Cison & Associates is an independent insurance agency that places personal and commercial insurance policies with multiple carriers on behalf of clients. It specializes in Private Client coverage for high-net-worth individuals and in Property & Casualty insurance for homes, autos, and small businesses. Following its November 2022 acquisition by The Plexus Groupe, the agency operates as part of the Plexus network of insurance advisory services.

Product overview

Woodman Cison & Associates is an independent insurance agency that offers personal and business insurance products. The agency specializes in Private Client and Property & Casualty insurance, providing coverage solutions for individual clients and businesses. Following its acquisition by The Plexus Groupe in November 2022, the agency operates as part of The Plexus Groupe's network of insurance advisory services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal and Business Insurance Services Provides personal and business insurance services as an independent agency placing policies with multiple insurance carriers, with specialization in Private Client coverage for high-net-worth individuals and Property & Casualty insurance for both households and small to mid-sized businesses.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Plexus GroupecoreOthers · 2 November 2022The Plexus Groupe completed the acquisition of Woodman Cison & Associates in November 2022. Jeff Woodman founded the agency in 2004, and John Cison joined as a partner in 2007. The acquisition brought seven new associates into The Plexus Groupe organization. The team relocated to the Plexus Deer Park, IL office. The Plexus Groupe is recognized as a 2022 Top 100 U.S. Broker by Business Insurance.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Lockton Companies: Largest privately held independent insurance broker in the U.S., with strong Personal Lines and Private Client practices serving HNW individuals and families. Comparable independent multi-carrier distribution model at significantly larger scale.
• Brown & Brown, Inc. National insurance broker with a programmatic roll-up strategy, acquiring small and mid-sized independent agencies. Direct overlap in Personal Lines and P&C distribution for individuals and small businesses.
• USI Insurance Services: Large U.S. insurance brokerage and consulting firm with strong mid-market and Personal Lines practices. Comparable distribution model built through acquisition of independent agencies.
• Hub International: Large North American insurance brokerage that grows primarily through acquiring independent agencies like Woodman Cison. Overlaps directly in P&C and Personal Lines for individuals and small businesses.
• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Global insurance brokerage and risk management firm with a substantial Retail P&C and Personal Lines brokerage segment. Actively acquires independent agencies serving middle-market and HNW clients.
• Marsh McLennan Agency: Middle-market brokerage arm of Marsh McLennan, focused on P&C, Employee Benefits, and Private Client for organizations and HNW individuals. Competes for the same acquired-agency talent and client base.
• NFP (an Aon company): Insurance brokerage and consulting firm that historically grew via acquisition of independent agencies in P&C, Benefits, and Private Client. Now owned by Aon; comparable distribution model and target customer base to Woodman Cison.

Direct peers

• IMA Financial Group: Independent, employee-owned insurance brokerage with P&C, Employee Benefits, and Private Client practices serving middle-market and HNW clients. Closely comparable to Woodman Cison in independent multi-carrier model and HNW/personal lines orientation.
• The Plexus Groupe: Direct parent and acquirer of Woodman Cison & Associates. The Plexus Groupe is an independent insurance advisory firm and 2022 Top 100 U.S. Broker specializing in P&C, Private Client, Employee Benefits, and Retirement Plans — directly overlapping Woodman Cison's P&C and Private Client focus.

Emerging players

• Hilb Group: Mid-Atlantic-based insurance brokerage that has grown aggressively through roll-up acquisitions of small independent P&C and benefits agencies. A closer-size analog to Woodman Cison's segment within the consolidation trend.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/plexusgroupe?lang=en
• Facebookfacebook.com/WoodmanCisonInsurance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/woodman-cison-associates
• Instagraminstagram.com/plexusgroupe/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Woodman Cison & Associates