Holmes Murphy announced it has partnered with Minneapolis-based Cobb Strecker Dunphy & Zimmermann Inc., an insurance firm specializing in the construction and surety industries. The merger, which adds more than 100 CSDZ employees, makes Waukee-based Holmes Murphy one of the largest employee-owned brokerages in the country. “By adding CSDZ’s expertise, we’re able to take our knowledge and capabilities to the next level,” Chairman and CEO Dan Keough said. In the future, Holmes Murphy plans to expand further by bringing its employee benefits, captive and personal lines expertise into the mix of property casualty services already offered by both companies. CSDZ will continue to operate on a stand-alone basis and will remain in its three locations of Minneapolis, Salt Lake City and Madison, Wis. The Minneapolis firm was founded in 1919 and has since grown into a nationally recognized specialty risk management organization. Holmes Murphy employs 350 people at its headquarters in Waukee.