As President of MarshBerry's Investment Banking and Consulting Division, Phil Trem brings extensive knowledge in merger & acquisition (M&A) advisory and operations, specifically in the business and technology arenas and is a trusted partner for buyers and sellers who depend on his proficiency at deal negotiation, due diligence, deal execution and integration planning. His experience encompasses the full life cycle of an M&A transaction for independently owned insurance agents & brokers, specialty distributors, wealth management advisors, retirement planning specialists, private equity firms, banks & credit unions and insurance carriers. Phil's objective is to provide clients with a seamless, comprehensive experience.

A vital resource in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), John Wepler has personally advised on more than 300 M&A and Capital Markets transactions since joining MarshBerry in 1991. He is an in-demand industry speaker because of his extensive knowledge in organic growth management, valuation enhancement strategies, business planning, perpetuation, financial management and M&A. As Chief Executive Officer of MarshBerry—and CEO of the wholly-owned FINRA registered broker/dealer MarshBerry Capital, LLC —John’s leadership and industry experience has benefited many insurance industry professionals.

As a key member of the senior executive management team since 1997, Mr. Bowler is currently responsible for all corporate development functions including acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic joint ventures. In addition, he provides guidance and leadership to the Board and Senior Executive group around business strategy and execution. Prior to his current role, Mr. Bowler was the long-time CFO of USI. During his tenure with USI, the Company transformed from a start-up regional insurance broker with less than $100 million in annual revenues to national insurance broker with annual revenues more than $3.0 billion in annual revenues. During his 30 plus years with USI, the Company completed 400+ acquisitions, an initial public offering in 2002, a $1.4 billion dollar value go-private transaction with Goldman Sachs in 2007, a $2.4 billion dollar value private equity to private equity transaction in 2012 from Goldman Sachs to Onex, a $4.4 billion dollar value private equity to private equity transaction in 2017 from Onex to KKR, and a $17.0 billion dollar value transaction pending regulatory approval from KKR to AON.

Gerard Vecchio works specifically with the Insurance Services Division of MarshBerry. Gerard’s responsibilities include providing strategic and operational consulting services to specialty insurance distributors, insurance carriers and outsourced service providers within the insurance industry.
Gerard has approximately 35 years of experience within the insurance industry where he has gained knowledge related to being a private equity investor in, board member of, and advisor to insurance distributors, underwriters and service and technology providers. Most recently, Gerard was Chief Financial Officer and head of Business Development at Distinguished Insurance Services where he was responsible for sourcing, financing and integrating insurance broker acquisitions.

Paul leads the National Insurance Distribution Banking vertical for BMO. He joined the Bank in 2019 after 20 years in various Commercial Banking roles in Chicago. Over the last seven years, Paul has built BMO’s middle market presence in the sector, helping independent insurance brokers grow, scale and compete through a combination of Bilateral, Syndicated and Institutional Debt structures. A proud MBA graduate of The University of Notre Dame, Paul resides in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two children.

Boris Rapoport is a Senior Partner and co-leads Vistria’s Financial Services practice. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors of The Mather Group (TMG), Daybright Financial, FloresHR and Lumen Risk Services. Boris has served as a Director of ProfitSolv, HealthPlanOne, Lendmark Financial Services, Therapy Brands, Datalot, Ed Broking, and Apex Fund Services. Prior to joining Vistria, Boris was a Managing Director and member of the Investment Committee at Lightyear Capital, a financial services focused private equity firm based in New York. Boris spent ten years at Lightyear Capital, where he invested in a range of financial services companies, including insurance, consumer finance, financial technology, and the intersection of healthcare and financial services. Prior to Lightyear Capital, he spent eight years at FTV Capital, a growth equity firm focused on investing in financial technology, software, and tech-enabled business services. He began his career as an investment banker in San Francisco, focused on emerging growth companies. Boris graduated from the Huntsman Program at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School and a B.A. in International Studies from the College of Arts and Sciences.

Jack is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Financial Services. He is responsible for originating new investment opportunities across all industries for the direct lending and opportunistic credit strategies.

Prior to joining Manulife | Comvest Credit Partners (formerly Comvest Credit Partners), Jack was a Director at Group1001, where he helped oversee the origination, structuring and execution of middle-market direct lending and specialty finance investments. Before that, he was an Associate at Citi in the Credit Opportunities Group (formerly the Global Special Situations Group), where he focused on U.S. and cross-border middle-market lending. Jack began his career at HSBC in the Global M&A Group.

Jack received an M.S. in Management Studies from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and a BSc in Economics and Politics from the University of Bath.

Tim Hall is Chief Executive Officer of Relation Insurance Services, a leading national insurance brokerage with approximately $400 million in annual revenue and more than 90 locations across the United States. Relation is currently ranked as the 21st largest property and casualty insurance broker in the country.

As CEO, Tim leads Relation’s overall strategy, growth agenda, and operating performance, with a focus on scaling the organization, strengthening its capabilities, and creating long-term value for clients, colleagues, and shareholders.

Tim joined Relation in 2019 following Aquiline Capital Partners’ investment in the company and has played a central role in the firm’s transformation and growth. Since joining Relation, he has led the execution of more than 100 strategic acquisitions and helped grow the company’s revenue approximately fivefold. He has also led the development of Relation’s acquisition strategy, integration capabilities, and broader efforts to build a differentiated national insurance brokerage platform.

Prior to joining Relation, Tim was a Partner and Managing Director at Waller Helms Advisors, where he advised insurance carriers, insurance distributors, and insurance services companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic transactions. Earlier in his career, he was a Vice President in Macquarie Capital’s Financial Institutions Group, where he focused on M&A and financing transactions across the financial services sector. Tim earned degrees in Finance and History from Creighton University.

Matt James is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Oakbridge Insurance, one of the largest privately-owned insurance brokerages in the U.S. Since the company’s founding, he has played a central role in shaping Oakbridge’s capital allocation strategy, agency partnerships, and long-term growth trajectory and, as CEO, leads firmwide strategy, execution, and value creation.

Prior to becoming CEO, Matt served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Acquisition Officer, leading the firm’s financial, legal, and M&A functions. He helped drive Oakbridge’s rapid expansion through disciplined capital allocation, strategic partnerships, and scalable operational infrastructure designed to support sustainable growth.

Adam Meyerowitz serves as Chief Executive Officer of Sunstar Insurance Group, leading the company’s continued growth through regional and national expansion, scaling capabilities, deepening industry relationships, and attracting high-caliber talent.

With more than 20 years of insurance industry leadership experience, Adam brings a strong track record of building and scaling successful platforms. He co-founded Prime Risk Partners and helped grow the firm into a leading U.S. brokerage before serving as Chief Operating Officer of the national insurance brokerage that acquired it. Adam is recognized for his ability to cultivate strong agency partnerships, scale platforms, strengthen industry relationships, and drive sustainable growth.

Adam is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan and holds a JD degree from the Emory University School of Law. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, golfing, and cheering on the Michigan Wolverines.

Joel Wood is the President/CEO of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers. Prior to moving into this role, he had been the top regulatory and government affairs officer at The Council since 1993. He came to Washington a decade earlier to work as a press and legislative director for Rep. Don Sundquist (R-Tenn.). Over the course of his career, Wood has been deeply engaged in many issues impacting the commercial insurance brokerage industry—from health insurance reform efforts, to terrorism reinsurance, to regulatory reforms both small and large, at both the federal and the state level—and has received numerous accolades as one of the top lobbyists in the financial services industry. In 2000, he and his wife Dana formed the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne following the diagnosis of their son James with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the world’s most lethal childhood genetic disease. Their advocacy and charitable work has led to hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of scientific research into DMD, and a corresponding decade-long increase in life expectancy for those afflicted with the disorder.