"As BB&T builds its nationwide wholesale insurance operation, New York City and the Northeast is clearly a market in which CRC and BB&T would like to build a strong presence."

American Marketing Center will operate as a division of CRC.

BB&T acquired Birmingham, Ala.- based CRC on Jan. 1.

Edwin Levine, president and founder of American Marketing Company, cited CRC's position as one of the largest wholesale brokers in the nation as a benefit of the partnership.

American Marketing Center, which began life as a wholesale broker for real estate products, now has wholesale operations devoted to specialty lines including professional liability for the health care industry, liability coverage for directors and officers, errors and omissions policies, and other property-casualty coverages.

A detailed profile of American Marketing Center is contained in the June 4, 2001 print edition of National Underwriter (page 6).

With 105 employees, American Marketing Center operates branch offices in Chatham, N.J., Harrisburg, Pa., Fort. Lauderdale, Fla., and on Long Island, N.Y. American Marketing Center's Fort Lauderdale, Fla., office will be combined with CRC's Boca Raton, Fla., office.

Founded in 1982, CRC was the largest independently-owned wholesale insurance broker in the nation before it was acquired by BB&T, according to the firm.

CRC said it expects to generate $700 million this year in sales of property, casualty and professional insurance company placements, primarily for commercial businesses. With 260 employees, CRC operates in 45 states.

Branch Banking and Trust Company is the principal subsidiary of Salem-based BB&T Corporation. With $74.9 billion in assets, BB&T Corp. operates more than 1,100 banking offices in 10 states and Washington, D.C.