Firm's First Acquisition Expands Centri's Reach and Deepens Its Insurance Practice
PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESS Newswire / June 17, 2026 / Centri Business Consulting, one of the industry's fastest-growing and most respected accounting and advisory firms, today announced the acquisition of Altair Associates, Inc., a Minneapolis-based property and casualty insurance and reinsurance underwriting and claim services firm founded in 1990. The transaction, which closed on June 12, 2026, marks Centri's first acquisition and a significant expansion of its Insurance Practice.
"Altair has spent more than three decades providing specialized underwriting and claim advisory services to the insurance and reinsurance industry," said Michael Aiello, CEO and Managing Partner of Centri. "That kind of focused expertise is extraordinarily difficult to build. Bob Drag and his team have earned a worldwide reputation, and the depth of knowledge they bring to our clients across the insurance and reinsurance space is exactly what we were looking for in a first acquisition. This is a firm that shares our commitment to quality and our belief that the best outcomes come from genuine partnership. We are proud to welcome them to the Centri family."
Founded in 1990 by Robert (Bob) Drag and the late John Webb, Altair has built more than three decades of specialized support dedicated to underwriting, claims, and transactional advisory for the property and casualty insurance sector. The firm's thirty-plus professional underwriting and claim staff, assisted by an experienced audit advisory coordinator staff, operate from locations throughout North America and in London. Altair's client base extends throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Bermuda, the London market, including Lloyd's, Europe, Asia and beyond.
"Building Altair over the past thirty-six years has been the highlight of my fifty-four-year insurance career," said Bob Drag, President and CEO of Altair. "When I decided to look for a partner to take Altair to the next level of expertise in servicing the insurance and reinsurance industry and utilize our people and reputation to best grow and broaden our horizons, I discovered Centri, a firm that approaches this business the same way we do: with deep expertise, real accountability, and a genuine investment in the people on both sides of every engagement. I know Altair's clients and our team of dedicated professionals are in good hands and positioned for long-term success through this partnership."
Bob Drag will remain as Altair's President and serve as Senior Director for Centri. He will continue to provide oversight, guidance and daily involvement for several years following close, overseeing client relationships, supporting integration, and ensuring the standards Altair has established over 35 years carry forward through integration with Centri.
This acquisition is a direct reflection of Centri's strategic growth plan, which the firm advanced further last month with the closing of a $20 million credit facility from Citizens Bank. That plan calls for geographic expansion, targeted acquisitions, talent investments, additional AI and technology integrations, and the continued strengthening of key service capabilities, with a goal of growing from just over 200 professionals across nine offices today to 600 in 17 locations by 2030.
"What stood out as much as Altair's capabilities, world-class clients, and expertise was how closely their culture mirrors our own. Altair runs a disciplined, team-driven operation built on a core commitment to client relationships and quality," said Zach Agins, Vice President of Corporate Development at Centri. "That cultural alignment makes integration work and ensures that clients experience the same level of excellence they have always received. We've been deliberate about building the foundation for inorganic growth, and this acquisition is the first tangible expression of that strategy. Altair is the right first partner and the beginning of Centri's next chapter."
Altair's capabilities complement and deepen Centri's existing Insurance Practice, led by Joe Hayes, Managing Director and Insurance Practice Leader, and John Swanick, Senior Director. Altair's specialized expertise in underwriting, claims, and transactional advisory in the reinsurance space extends what Hayes and Swanick have built in ways that would have taken years to replicate organically. Together, the combined team can serve the full spectrum of insurance market participants at a higher level than either firm could independently.
The addition of Altair's Minneapolis headquarters expands Centri's geographic footprint to ten office locations across the United States. The Altair acquisition is the first in a series of strategic moves Centri expects to make in the near-term as it executes on its 2030 growth plan.
For more information about Centri, please visit: https://centriconsulting.com/
About Centri Business Consulting
Centri Business Consulting provides the highest quality advisory consulting services to its clients by being reliable and responsive to their needs. For 15 years, Centri has delivered trusted expertise to help companies meet their evolving reporting demands. Centri specializes in financial reporting, internal controls, technical accounting research, outsourced accounting, valuation, mergers & acquisitions, and tax, CFO and HR advisory services for companies of various sizes and industries. From complex technical accounting transactions to monthly financial reporting, our professionals can offer any organization the specialized expertise and multilayered skillsets to ensure the project is completed timely and accurately.
Media Contacts:
Jeremy Dreisbach
R&J Strategic Communications
jdreisbach@randjsc.com
973-768-0102
Amanda Zeigler
Centri Business Consulting
azeigler@centriconsulting.com
215-654-6850 Ext. 744
SOURCE: Centri Business Consulting
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/centri-announces-acquisition-of-altair-1178543
