Key Takeaways
- • Nichols Cauley acquires The LaRocco Companies, a 46-year-old employee benefits brokerage headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, expanding specialized advisory capabilities for small and midsized businesses across the Atlanta and Georgia markets.
- • LaRocco, owned and led by brothers Andrew and Jeffrey LaRocco, brings deep expertise in plan design, administration, employee communications, carrier relationships, and regulatory compliance—competencies positioned as difficult to replicate in the SMB segment.
- • The acquisition represents the second strategic expansion for Nichols Cauley's Risk & Insurance Services business following its January 2026 combination with Partners Risk Services, backed by Madison Dearborn Partners' private equity capital.
- • The deal strengthens Nichols Cauley's integrated platform for business owners seeking consolidated risk management and employee benefits advisory across workforce and operational domains.
Summary
Nichols Cauley, a financial services firm serving small and midsized businesses, announced on September 1, 2026, the acquisition of The LaRocco Companies, a privately held employee benefits brokerage based in Norcross, Georgia. The deal expands Nichols Cauley's employee benefits service line and deepens its risk management capabilities for the SMB market.
LaRocco has operated for 46 years with a focused mandate on employee benefits strategy and administration. The firm, owned and operated by brothers Andrew and Jeffrey LaRocco, serves employers throughout the Metro Atlanta region and Georgia broadly. The company's core competencies span plan design, benefits administration, employee communications, carrier relationship management, and regulatory compliance—service areas the acquirer identified as specialized and difficult to replicate at scale within the small-to-midsized business segment.
This acquisition follows Nichols Cauley's January 2026 combination with Partners Risk Services, which established the company's Risk & Insurance Services business line. Both transactions are supported by strategic capital from Madison Dearborn Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm. According to CEO Alan Whitman, the LaRocco acquisition advances Nichols Cauley's strategy of providing integrated capabilities and support to help business owners manage risk, protect operations, and drive growth. The transaction positions Nichols Cauley to offer consolidated advisory across employee benefits and broader risk management functions—addressing what the company frames as increasing complexity in benefits administration and regulatory landscape for business owners.
LaRocco has operated for 46 years with a focused mandate on employee benefits strategy and administration. The firm, owned and operated by brothers Andrew and Jeffrey LaRocco, serves employers throughout the Metro Atlanta region and Georgia broadly. The company's core competencies span plan design, benefits administration, employee communications, carrier relationship management, and regulatory compliance—service areas the acquirer identified as specialized and difficult to replicate at scale within the small-to-midsized business segment.
This acquisition follows Nichols Cauley's January 2026 combination with Partners Risk Services, which established the company's Risk & Insurance Services business line. Both transactions are supported by strategic capital from Madison Dearborn Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm. According to CEO Alan Whitman, the LaRocco acquisition advances Nichols Cauley's strategy of providing integrated capabilities and support to help business owners manage risk, protect operations, and drive growth. The transaction positions Nichols Cauley to offer consolidated advisory across employee benefits and broader risk management functions—addressing what the company frames as increasing complexity in benefits administration and regulatory landscape for business owners.
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