Author: completebodyneeds

In a few short years, US artificial intelligence startups have grown into some of the most powerful and influential businesses in the world, reaching near-trillion-dollar valuations. As two of them, Anthropic and OpenAI, prepare for initial public offerings, there’s a notable absence: The companies haven’t disclosed their greenhouse gas emissions, made net-zero pledges or published sustainability reports. (Anthropic did join a carbon-removal coalition called Frontier.) Not too long ago, investors would have cried foul. Even fossil-fuel stalwarts like ExxonMobil Holdings Corp. have been voluntarily producing sustainability reports for years. The Big Tech companies scaling up AI infrastructure — Alphabet Inc.’s…

Sunstar Insurance Group announced it has acquired RJR Faribo Insurance Agency, an independent agency serving clients in Minnesota. he collaboration marks Sunstar’s entry into Minnesota and strengthens the firm’s growing Midwest presence. With locations in Eden Prairie and Faribault, RJR Faribo traces its roots to the 1930s, with the present company formed in 1986 when Rooke & Company, Tuthill-Johnson & Associates and Renslow & Associates merged to form Rooke, Johnson & Renslow Insurance Agency, Inc. Led by Marc Lancaster, CEO of RJR, the agency has a four-decade record of serving Minnesota businesses and individuals, offering comprehensive commercial and personal insurance…

When Armin Mizani won the GOP primary for a north Texas House district in March, warning bells went off in certain Republican circles. It’s not his political ideology. Mizani is a die-hard conservative who, as mayor of Keller, proudly partnered with federal immigration officials, denounced Sharia law and slashed property taxes. It’s his profession: Mizani is a personal injury lawyer, a career path once so closely intertwined with Democratic politics that both were pushed to the sidelines when Republicans gained control in Texas in the early 2000s. But now, a quarter century later, some trial lawyers are reclaiming their political…

Washington University in St. Louis is being sued for allegedly violating federal law by firing an employee in retaliation for her opposition to race discrimination and filing a discrimination charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). According to the suit, Amega Thaier, who worked as a senior program manager at Washington University’s Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, complained to both the university and the EEOC that she was separated from her colleagues because of her race during a mandatory training session provided by the University’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Thaier complained about the incident internally in…

Lockton announced the appointment of Tom Knop as Yacht Practice Leader for Lockton Private Risk Solutions. Knop’s appointment strengthens the firm’s private yacht and recreational marine capabilities and reinforces Lockton’s commitment to providing tailored, expert-driven solutions for high-net-worth individuals and families. Tom Knop Knop joins Lockton with 30 years of high-touch experience in the insurance industry, including risk management, underwriting, program management, business development, account management, claims, and territory development. Most recently, he served as AVP, Regional Agency Manager for Chubb Recreational Marine, where he was responsible for agency relationships and product distribution for multiple regions. In his new role,…

IMA Financial Group announced the addition of seven new hires to its Private Equity and M&A Practice. The hires represent the latest investment in a practice that has become one of IMA’s fastest-growing specialty practices. Less than five years after its launch, the Private Equity practice includes 50 associates serving more than 350 private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, supporting $8.4 billion in annual transaction volume. The practice also includes IMA Diligence Services, IMA’s Chicago-based financial due diligence business, providing financial and lender due diligence and transaction advisory services to private equity firms, commercial lenders and institutional investors. The…

An Atlanta-area woman alleges that she was wrongly diagnosed with cancer and underwent an unneeded hysterectomy because of a labeling error. Cassandra Barksdale and her attorneys filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Kaiser Permanente alleging the mix-up led to the surgery and months of physical and emotional pain. According to the lawsuit, another patient’s tissue sample was mistakenly labeled as belonging to Barksdale, who at age 43 then underwent a full hysterectomy on May 15, 2025, and was told she would get instructions about chemotherapy. It’s unclear how the mix-up occurred. In September, Barksdale was informed that a DNA analysis found…

Oakbridge Insurance, ranked as one of the 50 largest independent U.S. brokerages, has signed an agreement with Valentine Insurance in Memphis, the firms announced. The deal is a strategic partnership/joint venture, not a true acquisition. The Memphis agency will be known as “Valentine Insurance, an Oakbridge Partner,” an Oakbridge official said. The move will expand the firms’ integrated advisory and risk management approach. Valentine, which also has an office in Nashville, provides property-casualty and employee benefits solutions across the Mid-South, specializing in habitational, hospitality, and dealer open-lot insurance. Henry Lindeman is CEO. It’s the latest partnership or acquisition move by…

Brown & Brown’s executive vice president and grandson of the brokerage’s founder has resigned, marking another turning point in what may prove to be one of the most turbulent periods in the 87-year-old company’s history. P. Barrett Brown, younger brother to CEO J. Powell Brown and head of retail operations since 2020, stepped down Aug. 10. But he will continue some work with the Daytona Beach firm through July 2027, according to a Brown & Brown filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this week. Brown will receive a severance package of $2.5 million, along with his current base…

Commercial property insurer FM said it has acquired FortressFire, a provider of wildfire intelligence solutions for homes, businesses and communities. FortressFire will operate as an independent, wholly owned division of Johnston, Rhode Island-based FM and will continue its work to quantify ignition risk through fire physics, leading to verifiable mitigation recommendations and monitoring. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. San Mateo, California-based FortressFire enables insurers and property owners to better understand and manage wildfire risk down to an individual property level. Its wildfire intelligence solutions include aerial wildfire reports, monitoring, analytics, ground inspections and mitigation assessments to provide actionable,…