Cottingham & Butler Names Mike Hessling as President

For over 138 years, we've operated on a simple belief: take care of our clients, invest in our colleagues, and good things will follow. That philosophy has guided us from our start as a small main street shop to becoming the third largest privately and independently held insurance broker in the United States.

Now, we're adding a new chapter to that story.

We're excited to announce that Mike Hessling has joined Cottingham & Butler as President, effective January 19, 2026. Mike’s appointment reflects our commitment to our bright future while staying true to the values that got us here.

Mike Hessling President

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Building on Momentum

Over the last few decades, we've had the privilege of serving more clients in more ways than ever before – and we see even more opportunity ahead. Adding a President gives us the capacity to go after it. Mike will partner with CEO David Becker to develop and execute our strategic agenda, with a focus on continued growth and long-term planning. He joins an already strong leadership team, and our people will keep doing what they do best - delivering for our clients.

Cottingham & Butler has been family-owned and independent since its founding in 1887, something that's increasingly rare in an industry marked by consolidation. For the Butler family and the over 1,400 passionate professionals, that independence isn’t just a tradition; it’s the foundation of how we serve our clients Better Every Day.

"What I love about our business is we make decisions that are right for our clients, our employees, and the long-term future of this company," said Andrew Butler, Executive Chairman. "Mike understands that, and it's part of what makes this such a good fit – for him and for us. We're excited about what's ahead."

The Right Leader at the Right Time

Mike joins us from Gallagher Bassett, where he spent over 12 years and rose to CEO of North America. In that role, he led a $1B+ claims operation and a team of more than 3,000 professionals, delivering consistent organic growth year after year.

But it wasn't just the numbers that caught our attention – it was how he achieved them.

"We've built something special at Cottingham & Butler and adding Mike positions us to build on that momentum," said CEO David Becker. "His track record speaks for itself, but what impressed us most was how he's built his success – taking care of clients, developing people, and running a disciplined operation. Those are the same things we prioritize here at C&B."

Mike brings a diverse background to the role. He started his career at Arthur Andersen, then spent years in management consulting at Bridge Strategy Group and Bain & Company before joining Gallagher Bassett in 2012, bringing both strategic perspective and operational expertise to his work.

He holds an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and a BS in Accounting from Penn State. He's a CPA who scored in the top 1% in Illinois on the exam. He's been recognized on the Insurance Business Global 100 list three times and received the Business Insurance Break-Out Award in 2017, which honors the next generation of industry leaders.

Beyond business, Mike founded and chaired Gallagher Bassett's Inclusion & Diversity initiative and serves on the board of Youth Outreach Services in Chicago. He and his wife Val are the proud parents of eight children and are relocating to Dubuque from the Chicago area  – we're excited to welcome them to our community.

A Shared Vision

For Mike, the decision to leave a successful tenure at Gallagher Bassett came down to something harder to quantify than revenue or growth targets.

"I've admired Cottingham & Butler from afar for years – the culture, the client focus, and the way they take care of their people," he said. "I'm excited to join this team and help build on what's already a tremendous foundation."

It's a sentiment that resonates with C&B's leadership. In a market where service and quality matter more than ever, Cottingham & Butler has carved out a distinctive and stellar reputation – one that Hessling says he's eager to be part of.

"This is an investment in our future," Becker said. "We want to make sure we have the leadership in place to pursue new opportunities while never losing sight of what matters most – taking care of our clients and building great careers for our people."