BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - May 20, 2020 - (Newswire.com)
Valent Group, the risk consulting and insurance division of EBSCO Industries (EBSCO), announces that former attorney and business owner Billy DeBuys has joined the company as vice president in its Employee Benefits Practice.
DeBuys comes to Valent Group after an impressive legal career serving as a workers’ compensation litigator for privately held companies such as Georgia-Pacific, Buffalo Rock, Drummond Company and Rockwood Casualty Insurance. His experience as a commercial business owner in the Birmingham area is a perfect fit for Valent Group, since the firm also focuses on privately held companies headquartered in Alabama and the Southeast.
“As a former business owner, Billy understands first-hand what it takes to serve our clients with the excellence and passion they require and expect,” says Paul Barber, Valent Group president. “While Billy will be focused primarily on caring for our employee benefits clients, his deep workers’ compensation acumen will also contribute to our consulting around related coverages in our Property & Casualty practice.”
According to Cooper Johnson, Benefits Practice leader for Valent Group: “We’re proud to add Billy to our team. The combination of his legal background and experience working with HR professionals will add value to our benefits clients.”
Prior to Valent Group, DeBuys spent nearly eight years as a litigator with Starnes Davis Florie, one of the largest litigation firms in Alabama, and several years leading Apollo Roofing, a commercial roofing contractor based in Birmingham.
“Transitioning to the risk management industry – and in particular to an employee benefits consulting role – is a natural progression of my interests to solve complex problems for business leaders across Alabama,” says DeBuys. “Both Valent Group and our parent company, EBSCO Industries, are well-respected in the insurance and benefits space; add to that the internal culture they foster among their team, and I’m honored to be a part of the Valent family, making a difference in our community together.”
DeBuys earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Samford University in 2010 and his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in business administration from Washington and Lee University in 2005. Originally from Mountain Brook, he’s invested his career in the Birmingham area.
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ABOUT VALENT GROUP:
Valent Group provides risk consulting and insurance for businesses, employer benefit groups and individuals across Alabama and nationwide. Valent Group is an independently owned firm headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, with offices in Huntsville, Mobile and Decatur. They are a subsidiary of EBSCO Industries, a privately held global company. For more information, visit www.valentgroup.com
ABOUT EBSCO INDUSTRIES, INC.:
Founded in 1944 by the late Elton B. Stephens, EBSCO Industries, Inc. has evolved into a global company with businesses in a range of industries, including Information Services, Publishing and Digital Media, Outdoor Products, Real Estate, Manufacturing and Distribution and Business Services. Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, EBSCO operates divisions and subsidiaries in 23 countries, employing almost 5,000 people. Visit www.ebscoind.com
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Original Source: Former Workers' Compensation Litigator and Private Business Owner Joins Valent Group's Employee Benefits Practice
