Ben Merris is a Senior Vice President and Director of the CRC Public Sector & Education (PS&E) Team. He also leads the Chicago and Connecticut based team responsible for placing insurance and reinsurance for public entity and higher education clients across the country.
Ben earned a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Behavior and Management from Brown University before joining Mutual of NY & Guardian in 2000. Five years later, Ben took a Senior Analyst position with Brown & Brown’s Internal Audit Department, ultimately transitioning into a wholesale production role at Apex (a Brown & Brown owned public entity wholesaler) in 2007 where he remained until 2012 when he was hired away by Swett & Crawford to create the Swett & Crawford/CRC Public Entity Practice. Starting from scratch, Ben has played a foundational role in building the practice into a nationally recognized presence and hopes to continue to help it grow into the best and largest in the nation.
Across more than 20 years in the industry, Ben has remained committed to expanding his expertise, earning Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Associate in Risk Management for Public Entities (ARM-P), Associate in Risk Management (ARM), and Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI) designations. He has also received awards such as 2017 CRC Casualty Broker of the Year and 2021 CRC Broker of the Year (Overall). Known for his creativity, deep market relationships, analytical ability, and attention to detail, Ben loves collaborating with team members, retail agents, and carriers to craft high-quality solutions for clients.
Ben, his wife Meghan, and their 3 children make their home in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Outside the office, you’ll often find Ben diving into a good book, enjoying a day on the golf course, or cheering on the New York Giants.