The PennZone

ST. LOUIS - PennZone -- WalkerHughes Insurance ("WalkerHughes"), a privately held, founder-led retail insurance brokerage business headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, has acquired Independent Brokers Agency LLC ("IBA"), a Ballwin, Missouri-based insurance agency which offers personal lines, commercial lines, and employee benefits. IBA represents WalkerHughes' first acquisition outside of Indiana.

For more than three decades, IBA has been family-owned and operated. IBA's ownership saw an opportunity to accelerate their growth through the investment and support of WalkerHughes. Heather Wessels, Principal of IBA, and Mike Swatske, Partner of IBA, will continue managing the Ballwin, Missouri office as valuable members of the WalkerHughes team.

More on The PennZone

• 2026 NBA Mock Draft: New Wave of Franchise Talent Emerges in Early Lottery Projections
• Bad Bunny Leads 2026 Grammys Album of the Year Odds, Lady Gaga Emerges as Top Challenger
• Metro Detroit teen Lola Winters turns viral TikTok fame into a sold-out clothing brand
• ReedSmith® Celebrates Innovative Founders at TCVN's Survivor™ XII at SoCal Startup Day
• The global race for next-gen precious metals recovery is accelerating: $AABB is positioning itself with it's Revolutionary rGO Gold Recovery System

"We are excited to have IBA become part of the WalkerHughes story as we continue to expand our capabilities and geographic footprint," said Benjamin Schoettmer, CEO of WalkerHughes. "IBA has an excellent reputation in their local community. WalkerHughes is proud to bring them onboard and welcome Heather and Mike as key leaders in our expansion to Missouri."

The IBA team will join the WalkerHughes family with Heather and Mike assuming local leadership and continued business development roles as Regional Directors, focused on supporting the agency's continued expansion efforts in Missouri.

"We met WalkerHughes and realized nearly immediately that our values and heart for people, community and service aligned beautifully with theirs," said Heather Wessels. "We found in them an amazing partner with which we can enhance our client service through our combined expertise and shared culture. We are so excited for the next steps together."

More on The PennZone

• NorthSky Celebrates One-Year Anniversary
• Free At Last Bail Bonds Gives Back Through Major Holiday Food Distribution Efforts Across Metro Atlanta
• Discover Elevated Living - Preview the Stunning New Townhome Collection
• TownePlace Suites Prescott Valley, AZ Opens
• SIX7 Introduces Olfactory Neurodesign™ — The First Fragrance System Engineered to Influence Emotion, Memory, and Desire at the Neural Level

Mike Swatske added, "Joining WalkerHughes opens a world of opportunities for clients, allowing us to provide even greater value. We are thrilled to bring WalkerHughes to Missouri and build a differentiated regional platform."

About WalkerHughes Group, LLC.
WalkerHughes is a privately held, founder-led retail insurance brokerage business headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. WalkerHughes provides commercial lines, personal lines, and employee benefits services, with integrated operations and a leading proprietary technology system. WalkerHughes has grown organically and through 30+ acquisitions of culturally aligned retail agencies in the Midwest. Since 2023, WalkerHughes has partnered BW Forsyth Partners, a Missouri-based private investment firm with a perpetual, long-term investment horizon and evergreen capital base. For more information, visit WalkerHughes.com.