Nationwide Seeks Shop for West Region

DALLAS Nationwide Insurance is expected to name an agency next week to handle its $15-20 million co-op account in the West, sources said.

The search consultant is ABA Partners of Dallas.

The new shop would consolidate regional accounts currently held by several small agencies, sources said.

Finalists include Omnicom’s Integer Group of Golden, Colo., Havas’ Euro Retail in Plano, Texas, and Interpublic Group’s TM Advertising of Irving, Texas. TM is agency of record for the client’s national account.

Incumbents on the regional accounts include independents Strategic America of Des Moines, Iowa; Cahoon & Cross in Chesapeake, Va.; Willis Case Harwood of Dayton, Ohio; Buchholzer Advertising in Akron, Ohio; and PPO&S of Harrisburg, Pa.

Nationwide, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, is expected to launch a similar search this year for regional accounts in the Eastern U.S., sources said.