The holistic financial planning firm announced it has acquired Wholehan Marketing, a brokerage general agency (BGA) with offices in Tampa, Florida, and Toledo, Ohio. The deal brings Wholehan’s leadership—Chris Wholehan and Jessica Hernandez—into the Simplicity partnership and expands the firm’s footprint across life insurance, annuities, disability income (DI), and long-term care (LTC) markets.

While financial terms were not disclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen product capabilities and accelerate advisor growth through scale.

Expanding the Accumulation-and-Protection Model

Simplicity positions itself as a firm that blends accumulation strategies—such as investment and wealth-building products—with protection solutions like life insurance and annuities. The Wholehan acquisition strengthens the protection side of that equation.

Wholehan Marketing has built a reputation since 1987 as an independently owned BGA offering consultative support in case design, underwriting, suitability guidance, and advanced market strategies. Its portfolio spans life insurance, annuities, DI, and LTC products, serving insurance agents, financial advisors, and registered representatives nationwide.

By integrating Wholehan into its broader platform, Simplicity aims to enhance its point-of-sale capabilities and give advisors access to a larger product suite and marketing infrastructure.

“We are thrilled to welcome Chris and Jessica to the Simplicity partnership,” said Bruce Donaldson, Partner and CEO of Simplicity. He described Wholehan as a “high-caliber team” with a proven track record and emphasized that integration into Simplicity’s marketing engine would deliver “immediate, tangible benefits” to advisors.

The BGA Consolidation Trend

The acquisition reflects a broader industry trend: consolidation among brokerage general agencies and insurance distribution platforms.

Over the past decade, private equity-backed rollups and national insurance marketing organizations (IMOs) have increasingly sought to aggregate independent agencies. The rationale is straightforward—scale brings negotiating power with carriers, access to broader product lines, and investment capacity in technology and compliance infrastructure.

For advisors, joining a larger platform can mean enhanced back-office support, marketing automation tools, and access to advanced planning expertise. For firms like Simplicity, acquisitions accelerate geographic reach and deepen relationships across advisor networks.

Wholehan’s consultative model—particularly its strength in case design and advanced market support—fits squarely within that strategy.

What Advisors Gain

From Wholehan’s perspective, the partnership offers access to Simplicity’s:

• National advisor network

• Expanded product suite

• Marketing engine and lead-generation capabilities

• Shared operational and compliance resources

“Partnering with Simplicity Group marks a pivotal milestone for our team,” said Chris Wholehan. He highlighted access to scale and collective intelligence as key advantages for agents seeking to elevate client service.

For advisors operating in today’s regulatory and competitive landscape, expanded support in underwriting, suitability, and advanced planning can be a differentiator—especially in complex cases involving estate planning, retirement income strategies, or long-term care structuring.

Strategic Implications

The insurance and financial advisory sectors are under mounting pressure to modernize. Technology-driven platforms are reshaping client expectations, while regulatory requirements continue to evolve. Firms that combine scale with specialized expertise are often better positioned to navigate that environment.

By acquiring Wholehan, Simplicity strengthens its bench in protection products and advanced markets—areas where technical depth matters. It also reinforces its strategy of building a national network that blends independent agency agility with enterprise-level infrastructure.

For Wholehan’s advisors, the move signals continuity paired with expansion. The brand’s longstanding consultative identity remains intact, but it now operates within a broader ecosystem.

The Bigger Picture

As independent agencies face increasing competition from digital-first platforms and large financial conglomerates, partnerships like this may become more common. Scale, technology, and diversified product access are quickly becoming prerequisites rather than advantages.

Simplicity’s momentum suggests it intends to be a consolidator rather than a consolidation target.

Whether that translates into measurable advisor growth and improved client outcomes will unfold over time. But the acquisition underscores a clear direction: in today’s financial services landscape, growth increasingly hinges on strategic alignment, expanded capabilities, and national reach.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.