For Immediate Release
For Further Information:
Stefan Petrella, SPetrella@starshep.com
Starkweather & Shepley and Martha’s Vineyard Insurance Celebrate 20 Years of Partnership
Martha’s Vineyard, September 2024 — Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage and Martha’s Vineyard Insurance, a division of Starkweather & Shepley, celebrated 20 years of partnership and collaboration with a client appreciation event on September 12 at Farm Neck Golf Club in Oak Bluffs. The gathering, which 150 clients and associates attended, was a celebration of Starkweather & Shepley and Martha’s Vineyard Insurance’s continued mission to serve the Martha’s Vineyard community.
“Over the last 20 years, we’ve benefitted greatly from our partnership with Starkweather & Shepley,” said Peter Plumb, CEO of Starkweather & Shepley and President of Martha’s Vineyard Insurance. “We were honored to celebrate with our clients, associates, and the community of Martha’s Vineyard. The partnership between Starkweather & Shepley and Martha’s Vineyard Insurance has allowed us to provide the personal, localized service that has made Martha’s Vineyard Insurance an institution on the island for 139 years, with the backing and resources of a large, nationwide insurance brokerage firm.”
The event also honored four non-profits on the island: the Red Stocking Fund, which provides warm winter clothing and other necessities to children in need on Martha’s Vineyard at Christmas and the holiday season; the Island Food Pantry, which strives to cultivate a healthy, hunger-free community on Martha’s Vineyard by providing a dependable source of food to those in need; MV Community Services, whose mission is to enhance the lives of islanders from every corner of the Vineyard community and in every season of their lives; and the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club, an organization committed to empowering island youth and ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to excel in school, engage in the community, and develop healthy habits to last a lifetime by providing them with caring mentors and innovative and collaborative programs.
Starkweather & Shepley Insurance and Martha’s Vineyard Insurance honored each of these organizations with a $5,000 donation.
“Starkweather & Shepley is incredibly proud of our 20 years of partnership with Martha’s Vineyard Insurance,” said Andrew Fotopulos, Chairman of Starkweather & Shepley. “This event was a great way to gather with our friends and partners on this special island and celebrate our commitment to serving the island community we know so well.”
Sandy Ray, chairman of Martha’s Vineyard Insurance, and Bill Brown, the former president of Martha’s Vineyard Insurance, were also in attendance at the event. Artwork from island resident Lisa Brown Langley was raffled off, along with a gift from Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank, and the Mike Benjamin Band provided entertainment. And, of course, dessert was courtesy of island mainstay Murdock Fudge.
With nearly 140 years of history on the island, Martha’s Vineyard Insurance provides comprehensive and innovative insurance solutions for businesses, individuals, municipalities, and families on Martha’s Vineyard. The company has on-island offices in Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Vineyard Haven. Martha’s Vineyard Insurance is a division of Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage, the largest independent insurance agency in Rhode Island and the 61st largest insurance brokerage firm in the United States.
For more information on Starkweather & Shepley and Martha’s Vineyard Insurance, to see photos from the event, or to arrange an interview with members of the leadership teams, please contact Stefan Petrella at spetrella@starshep.com.
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About Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage, Inc.
Established in 1879, Starkweather & Shepley is the largest independent insurance agency in Rhode Island and the 61st largest insurance brokerage firm in the United States. Consistently ranked among the Top 10 Best Places to Work in Insurance by Business Insurance Magazine, the firm provides comprehensive insurance solutions for a variety of industries, including commercial and personal insurance, health and employee benefits, and surety bonding and risk management services, nationally and internationally through the firm’s partnership with Assurex Global. Starkweather & Shepley has been held in Trust since 1935, ensuring that the firm will remain privately held in perpetuity, providing certainty and continuity for clients and associates alike. Starkweather & Shepley is headquartered in East Providence, RI, with additional offices in Providence, Newport, Middletown, and Westerly, RI; Bristol and Shelton, CT; Burlington, Sturbridge, Westwood, and Martha’s Vineyard, MA, and Palm Beach Gardens and Naples, FL. For more information, visit starshep.com.
