News Alert: For Immediate Release

Farley Towse joins Gowrie Group as a producer and insurance advisor.

Westbrook, Connecticut. Gowrie Group, Connecticut's largest and most prestigious independent insurance agency, announced that Farley Towse joined the company in early February as a producer and insurance advisor in its Darien office. In his role at Gowrie, Farley will be focused on advising clients throughout New England on their insurance needs, including home, auto, umbrella, and yacht insurance.

"Farley is a strategic addition to the growing Gowrie team who will enable us to bring insurance expertise, customized solutions, and the Gowrie service experience to many new clients across the region," said John Fisher, president and principal of Gowrie's Personal Insurance Division.

Prior to Gowrie, Farley served in various capacities at Secured Marine Trust, a marine oriented financial services software company. At the company, his roles included sales, business development, treasurer, and operations manager. He is a licensed property & casualty agent in Connecticut.

Farley graduated from Trinity College with a BA in American Studies. He is an avid and accomplished offshore sailor, having won major events such as the Newport Bermuda Race, Marblehead Halifax Race, Vineyard Race, and Block Island Race. Farley currently resides in Duxbury, MA with his wife.

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News Alert: For Immediate Release

Gowrie Group corporate challenge raises $70,760 to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries.

Westbrook, Connecticut. This year marked the 6th annual Gowrie Group corporate challenge to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Each year the leadership team and employees at Gowrie make it a goal to give back to the shoreline community in a meaningful way. The Gowrie team feels the Soup Kitchen's mission of providing food and fellowship to people in need, along with their focus on educating our communities about hunger and poverty, is particularly critical today.

The focus of our annual corporate challenge, which ran from November 15th through December 31st, was to raise much needed money for The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries (SSKP). As in the past, Gowrie matched dollar for dollar up to $25,000, and the LC Doane Company matched the next $5,000. Almost 175 businesses and friends contributed to the challenge, resulting in an amazing $70,760 in total to benefit the Soup Kitchen and our neighbors in need. This amount provides 283,040 meals worth of food.

To compliment our financial support, Gowrie employees also donate their time as volunteers at the SSKP. In the early weeks of December, when the soup kitchens typically see a lull in support, Gowrie employees focused on the SSKP. On December 2nd, almost 50 Gowrie employees helped prepare, cook, and serve lunch at the Old Saybrook Grace Church soup kitchen. Throughout December, a Gowrie employee food collection resulted in multiple car loads of additional food donated to the SSKP. Throughout the year, Gowrie employees also assist at food distribution sites and spend time planting and harvesting from the SSKP's garden.

While this past year has certainly been challenging for all, it has been particularly hard on families in need, and those families that have had to turn to the food pantries for the first time in the lives. In 2009, the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries distributed 873,137 meals, up 25% over the amount provided in 2008.

All of us at Gowrie Group are grateful for all the generous donations to our annual corporate challenge. Gowrie would also like to give a special thanks to our large contributors this year, The Essex Community Fund and Tom & Diane Neligon of Webster Bank Mortgages. In these difficult economic times, we are proud to be part of a very generous shoreline community.

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News Alert: For Immediate Release

Insurance agency unveils new online presence as part of overall corporate rebranding strategy.

Westbrook, Connecticut. Gowrie Group, a leading insurance, employee benefits, and finance company announces the launch of the company’s new website – www.gowrie.com

The new website is a key element of the company’s rebranding initiative. In 2009 Gowrie Group consolidated its multiple trade names and began offering its employee benefit and insurance solutions under the Gowrie Group brand.

“Our new website is yet another resource through which we can keep communication simple, provide expert advice, and deliver the creative and customized solutions our clients need and deserve today,” said Carter Gowrie, President and CEO of the Gowrie Group.

The new Gowrie.com website uses bold crisp imagery, an intuitive navigation scheme, and concise messaging to optimize the user experience. The new user-friendly interface features a simplified navigation and always present full sitemap displayed in the footer to enable site visitors to quickly and efficiently explore and learn about Gowrie’s complete offerings. The site also allows visitors to request a quote directly online. Gowrie.com is designed to meet the needs of multiple audiences, including prospects first experiencing Gowrie Group, and current clients learning about new services, seeking claims reporting information, or searching for specific contact information. Designed to give prospects and clients all the resources necessary to make informed decisions about their insurance and benefits, the new site brings to life the Gowrie Group brand in a digital format for a growing online audience.

The new Gowrie Group website was developed by Mascola Group, and its partner, Caffeine Interactive, a multi-discipline marketing firm based in New Haven, CT. Please visit us at www.gowrie.com

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News Alert: For Immediate Release

Dawn Speros Relocating to Gowrie Group's Newport
RI Office.

Newport, RI. Dawn M. Speros, a twenty year veteran of the marine insurance industry and Senior Yacht Advisor at Gowrie Group, is relocating to Gowrie's thriving Newport RI office. The office is located in the recently restored Aquidneck Mill Building, which is on the waterfront campus of the International Yacht Restoration School.

Dawn says, "While my office address is different, the quality service and personalized attention I have always provided my clients will not change. The Gowrie team and I will continue to provide all my current and new clients the advice and solutions needed to best protect their boats and other assets."

Gowrie's COO, Ed Gumbrecht says, "Dawn joins Steve Prime, our EVP, who has operated out of the Newport area for years. Together they will focus on providing the individuals and companies in the boating community and beyond, insurance advice, solutions and services to best protect their assets, businesses, and life styles."

Please stop in and see Dawn and Steve the next time you visit downtown Newport.

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News Alert: For Immediate Release

Gowrie launches corporate challenge to raise $60,000 for The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries

Westbrook, Connecticut: This year marks the 6th annual Gowrie Group corporate challenge to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. The leadership team and employees at Gowrie make it a goal to give back to the shoreline community in a meaningful way. Gowrie feels the Soup Kitchen's mission of providing food and fellowship to people in need, along with their focus on educating our communities about hunger and poverty, feels particularly critical today.

The focus of our annual corporate challenge, which runs from November 15th through December 31st, is to raise much needed money for The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries (SSKP). As in the past, Gowrie will match dollar for dollar up to $25,000. For the second year, the LC Doane Company will match the next $5,000 for funds raised over $25,000. Between the two companies and generous donations of other local companies, we can raise $60,000 and more, which will provide 240,000+ meals! In the past, the support of local companies and Gowrie clients has been generous and greatly appreciated; last year in our challenge we raised an amazing $74,289 for the SSKP.

While this past year has certainly been challenging for all, it has been particularly hard on families in need, and those families that have had to turn to the food pantries for the first time in the lives. In 2008, the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries distributed 691,379 meals. In the first half of 2009, the SSKP distributed almost 500,000 meals. Every donation is meaningful when you consider that the SSKP can provide 1 meal for 25¢, 4 meals for a $1, and feed 10 children for a full year for $1000.

To compliment our financial support, Gowrie employees also donate their time as volunteers at the SSKP. Employees can be found helping out at the food distribution sites and spending time planting and harvesting from the SSKP's garden. This year during the campaign, in the early weeks of December when the SSKP typically sees a lull in support, Gowrie employees will be cooking and serving lunch at the Old Saybrook SSKP location on December 2nd and having an employee canned food drive at their Westbrook, Darien, and Newport locations.

Gowrie and its employees believe strongly in the need to support the SSKP and our community at this time. All the funds raised through the Gowrie corporate matching challenge will be used to purchase and provide healthy meals for those in need in our community.

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Chris Brodeur Joins Gowrie as a Commercial Insurance VP.

October 2009, Westbrook, CT:
Gowrie Group is pleased to announce that Christopher T. Brodeur has joined the company as a Vice President in its commercial insurance division. In his role at Gowrie Mr. Brodeur will work with business owners and executives throughout Connecticut, New England, New York and New Jersey to customize property and casualty insurance programs to best fit the unique needs of each client.

Mr. Brodeur is a commercial lines agent with over twenty years experience in the business insurance industry. He began his career with the Hartford Insurance Company, and embarked on his agency career in 1989 with the Levine Agency of Waterford, which was acquired by the Webster Insurance Agency and more recently USI, Inc.

“Chris is one of the most respected commercial insurance professionals in the state,” said Ed Gumbrecht, Gowrie’s Chief Operating Officer. “His decision to join Gowrie reflects his confidence in our ability to bring creative insurance solutions to a wider audience.”

Brodeur commented, “The Gowrie organization is unique in its customer focus, and in its niche expertise. I look forward to contributing my knowledge and experience to this truly exceptional organization.”

Chris is a graduate of the University of Connecticut school of Business with a major in Risk and Insurance. He resides in Glastonbury, and will operate from Gowrie’s Westbrook headquarters.

Gowrie provides insurance, employee benefits, and financial services to individual and businesses throughout the US.

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Gowrie’s Dawn Speros Sees Opportunity for Boaters in the Current Marine Insurance Market.

Newport, RI. Dawn M. Speros, a twenty year veteran of the marine insurance industry and Senior Yacht Insurance Specialist at Gowrie Group presented to marine industry leaders at the Newport International Boat Show Seminar Series last week. She portrayed the changing marine insurance landscape as one with hidden opportunities for boaters. Key insights included:

• How marine insurance carriers are showing an expanding appetite for boat and yacht business - which is resulting in competitive pricing for customers
• How to avoid liability exposures by understanding what to look for at marine facilities and how to interpret hold harmless clauses required by those facilities
• How focusing on yacht valuation, navigation plans, and usage schedules can improve pricing and ensure appropriate and needed coverage is in place
• How to get credits for consolidating yacht, home, auto and umbrella insurance, and the advantages of a thorough, annual account review

Gowrie provides insurance, employee benefits, and financial services to individuals and businesses throughout the US, and specializes in marine insurance products and services.

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Gowrie Group supports the non-profit program, “Dress for Success”.

Westbrook, Connecticut: The Gowrie Group, an insurance, employee benefits, and finance company, strongly believes in the need to support the greater CT community through outreach and philanthropy.

In late June, to benefit “Dress for Success”, Gowrie held a clothing drive which collected over 300 women’s clothing items, for the “Dress for Success” Fairfield branch. Items collected from employees and clients of Gowrie included business suits, business attire, shoes, handbags, and accessories.

“Dress for Success” is a national non-profit which promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Their efforts help disadvantaged women achieve a polished look, both inside and out. While the suiting program provides polish on the outside, the Career Success Coaching Program provides woman the support needed to polish their interpersonal skills and successfully manage business relationships and job responsibilities.

Lindas Dillon, the Gowrie employee who spearheaded the effort said, “The generosity of our employees and clients who contributed to this overwhelmed me! The Dress for Success office was thrilled to receive our bounty of items, which will provide needy women in our state with appropriate interview clothing, as well a confidence boost.”

Gowrie plans to host another clothing drive to benefit the Hartford branch of “Dress for Success” in September of this year. In addition to these clothing drives and Gowrie’s ongoing commitment to community activities, Gowrie’s primary outreach effort is through the corporate challenge it hosts each year to benefit the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Gowrie matches donations up to $25,000. In the 2008 challenge, almost 150 businesses and individuals contributed, raising an amazing $74,298 in total. This year’s Gowrie Soup Kitchen challenge will begin in November 2009.

The Gowrie Group provides insurance, benefits, and financial services to individuals and businesses throughout the US, and specializes in customized business, home, auto, and marine insurance products and services. For more information about Gowrie Group visit www.gowrie.com or 800.262.8911.

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Gowrie Group launches new branding upgrade.

Insurance firm consolidates services, identity, and message.

Westbrook, Connecticut: The Gowrie Group, an insurance, employee benefits, and finance company formerly known as Gowrie, Barden & Brett, announces its new branding, effective immediately. The Connecticut and Rhode Island based organization is making the name change, along with a new logo and message, to reflect the consolidation of the increasing number of services it offers.

“The new Gowrie Group name and branding clearly represents Gowrie’s commitment to keeping communication simple, providing expert advice, and delivering the creative and customized solutions our clients need,” said Carter Gowrie, President. “The new name and branding ties together all of Gowrie’s services, programs, and companies – under one unified platform.”

Over the years, Gowrie’s services have grown to encompass insurance, employee benefits, and finance, and have been provided to clients through many linked companies and programs – Gowrie Barden & Brett, Gowrie Brett & Young, Fisher & Fisher Associates, Brewer Preferred Insurance, The Burgee Program and Customer One Financial.

While all of the Gowrie companies share the same values of insight, analysis and service, the organizational identity needed to reflect a single, dedicated team. The Gowrie Group name serves that purpose.

The new name and logo is accompanied by a new message: “Always on watch.” This is intended to reflect Gowrie Group’s understanding of the complexity of clients’ lives, whether they are at home, managing a company, or out on the water. The tagline represents a commitment to vigilance and a proactive stance in protecting client’s assets, interests, business, and traditions

“Gowrie Group and its employees are excited about the new unified name and refreshed branding,” added Carter Gowrie. “We look forward to continuing to provide the expert advice, service, and partnerships that all of our clients need and deserve.”

The new Gowrie Group identity was developed in conjunction with Mascola Group, a multi-discipline marketing firm based in New Haven, CT.

The Gowrie Group provides insurance, benefits, and financial services to individuals and businesses throughout the US, and specializes in customized business, home, auto, and marine insurance products and services. For more information about Gowrie Group visit www.gowrie.com or 800.262.8911.

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For Immediate Release: Gowrie Group opens new office in downtown Newport, RI

Newport, RI:
The Gowrie Group has officially opened its new office in the boating capital of the world, Newport, RI. The new office space is located in the newly renovated 1831 Aquidneck Mill, which shares a 2.5 acre waterfront campus on the Newport waterfront with the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS). The location was chosen to strategically align with one of Gowrie's core growth and focus areas - providing customized insurance to meet the complex needs of boaters and marine businesses.

The mill building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is one of only two remaining structures of its kind on the Newport waterfront and is constructed of native green slate and brick encasing a traditional post and beam interior. The building offers programming space for the IYRS School, a maritime research library, and 15,000 square feet of commercial office space dedicated to marine trades. Gowrie will be joined in the space by other important marine companies such as Sparkman & Stephens, Boothbay Harbor Shipyard, Nautor Swan, Jamestown Distributors, and the Museum of Yachting.

Two members of Gowrie's sales team, Steve Prime and Jim Johnstone, will serve existing and new clients out of this exciting new location. They will focus on providing the individuals and companies in the boating community and beyond, the insurance advice, products, and services they need and deserve to best protect their homes, boats, businesses, and life styles.

The Gowrie Group provides insurance, employee benefits, and financial services to individuals and businesses throughout the US, and specializes in customized business, home, auto, and marine insurance products and services. For more information about the Gowrie Group visit www.gowrie.com

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For Immediate Release: Gowrie challenge raises $74,298 to benefit Shoreline Soup Kitchens

Westbrook, Connecticut:
The 5th annual Gowrie corporate challenge to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries (SSKP) was a huge success. During the campaign, which ran from November 15th to December 31st, Gowrie matched donations up to $25,000 and LC Doane matched the next $5,000. Almost 150 businesses and individuals contributed to the challenge, raising an amazing $74,298 in total. The SSKP is able to provide 4 meals for each $1 raised, so this equates to over a quarter-million meals for people in need in our community. The past five Gowrie challenges combined have provided over one million meals for individuals and families in our shoreline communities. Gowrie is a leading insurance agency on the Connecticut shoreline which specializes in providing customized business, home, auto and marine insurance products and solutions.

Thank you to the following generous business and corporate donors:
A&W Sanitation, Co., Inc., Albin Holdings, LLC, Andre J. L'Heureux, Andre Prost, Inc., Andros, Floyd & Miller, PC, Aqua Arts, AR Mazzotta Employment Specialists, Auxiliary Lyme Volunteer Fire Co, Bogaert Construction Co. Inc., Burgess Cleaning, LLC, Buttendorf Bldg & Remodeling, LLC, Castle Marina, Chester Woods, Inc, Coast to Coast Produce, Coffee's Country Market, Congregational Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek, Cooper Capital Specialty Salvage, LLC, Deep River Design, Dermatology of Clinton, Eight to the Bar, Essex Community Fund, Essex Garden Club, Food For Thought Concert, George Penniman Architects, LLC, Gregory Gallery Interiors, Inc., Harbor Motors, Higganum Electrical Contractors, Hi-Rel Products, Inc, Industrial Surplus of Connecticut, Inc., JC Remodeling and Painting, JH & H, Inc. Realtors, Krezel Law Associates, Lucy Foundation, Lyme Art Association, Inc., Mather & Pitts Insurance, Inc, Middlesex Shoreline Association of Realtors, Inc., Nutmeg Hill Computer Services, LLC, Old Saybrook Pizza Palace , Pickett Properties, Pier 76 Marina, Inc., Pine Island Marina, Point One architects & planners, Post Road Physical Therapy Sports Medicine Clinic, LLC, Saybrook Hardware, Seaworthy Systems, Inc., Sheds OR US Inc., Sheehan & Reeve Attorneys at Law, T. Grandfield, LLC, The Appraisal Department, LLC, The Cushing Group, LLC, The Sherwood School, The Village Chocolatier on the Guilford Green, Tiezzi Construction, LLC, Tom Fetta Plumbing & Heating Co, Inc, Topside Computer, Triangle Building Associates, Inc., Wal-Mart Foundation, Webster Bank, Women's Club of Old Saybrook

Thank you to the following generous individual donors:
Ms. Dorothy Adkins, Ms. Mary Aery, Ms. Tracy Alexander, Ms. Betty Anderson, Ms. Betty Anderson, Ms. Florabel Babcock, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Barry, Mr. & Mrs James Beardsley, Jr., Mr. Michael Belanger, Mr. Martin Bell, Dr. Paul J. Bied, LLC, Mr. & Mrs Burton Boardman, Dr. James Cammarona, Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Caulfield, Mr. & Mrs.Robert Chase, Mr. Kevin Cole, Mr. & Mrs. James Dee, Jr, Ms. Sharon Dickinson, Mr. & Mrs. John Dillon, Mr. Theodore Doucette, Mr. & Mrs. Lester Duchnowski, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Dudek, Dr. & Dr. Michael Dunne, Ms. Alice Edwards, Ms. Linda Esty, Mr. & Mrs. William Fogarty, Mr. & Mrs. Michael Foley, Dr. & Mrs. Robert Frew, Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Gazda, Mr. & Mrs. William Gilbert, Jr, Dr. Richard Goldfeder, Mr. & Mrs. James Guerrera, Sr, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Hall, Ms. Merrie Harrison, Ms. Barbara Hessler, Mr. Jeff Hubbard, Mr. & Mrs David Johnson, Jr., Ms. Mary Beth Joyce, Ms. Margaret Lord & Mr. Arthur Kover, Mr. & Mrs. Edward Kritzman, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Landrey, Mr. & Mrs. William Logiodice, Mr. & Mrs. William Lowe, Mr. & Mrs. Carl Lund, Ms. Audrey Lyons, Ms. Lea Macchiaroli, Mr. & Mrs. Franck Malin, Jr, Mr. & Mrs. Dave Mann, Mr. James Mason, Ms. Gay McPhee, Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Mierzejewski, Mr. & Mrs. Jessie Modzelewski, Mr. & Mrs. Tom Neligon, Ms. E O'Donnell, Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Parson, Mr. & Mrs. Valentino Paterini, Mr. & Mrs. Neil Payne, Ms. Donna Peterson, Mr. & Mrs. Brian Powers, Ms. Maryla Radziszewski, Mr. Michael Rapini, Sr, Dr. Stephen Rothman, Mr. & Mrs. David Royston, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Russo, Ms. Pamela Rustemeyer, Mr. Thomas Santello, Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Santovasi, Mr. & Mrs. Gary Sharpe, Ms. Pamela Sibley, Mr. & Mrs. John Sikora, Mr. Brian Simpson, Ms. Sonya Skalandunas, Mr. & Mrs. Michael Sonn, Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence M Stefanski, Mr. & Mrs. Brian Stone, Mr. & Mrs. James Stopa, Mr. & Mrs. Bradford Sullivan, Mr. & Mrs. Sweeney, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Thomas, II, Ms. Karen Thomas, Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Weeks, Mr. Russell T Westcott, Mr. & Mrs. Bradley Wolff, Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Wollack, Mr. & Mrs. George Young, Jr

The Gowrie Group of Companies provide insurance, benefits, and financial services to individuals and businesses throughout the US, and specialize in customized business, home, auto and marine insurance solutions. For more information about The Gowrie Group of Companies, go to www.gowrie.com

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