Three Greater Des Moines-based operations were among 11 businesses awarded economic development incentives this morning from the Iowa Economic Development Board.

Insurance services firm Seabury & Smith, which operates as ConsumerConnexions and is part of Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc., will receive $1 million from the Community Economic Betterment Account and tax benefits from the High Quality Jobs Creation program for its expansion into a new 215,000-square-foot building in Urbandale. The project is expected to bring 450 new jobs to the state as part of a two-phase expansion. A second phase in 2009 will include a $20 million building project. Among the jobs to be created, 61 jobs will pay an average wage of $44.33 per hour and 245 jobs will pay an average wage of $26.54 per hour.

Worldwide Integrated Supply Chain Solutions, an Urbandale firm providing shipping and distribution management services, was awarded $300,000 in CEBA funds. The company expects to create 101 jobs paying an average wage of $18.40 per hour. Worldwide ISCS customers include several major Iowa trucking firms.

W.R. Berkley Corp. will receive $350,000 in CEBA funds as well as tax benefits from the HQJC program. The company plans to acquire and renovate a 122,000-square-foot building in Urbandale for use in operations serving its property and casualty insurance businesses. The project potentially creates and retains 215 jobs; 76 possible new jobs are estimated to pay an average wage of $35.77 per hour. The new facility is intended to serve Berkley Technology Services LLC and Continental Western Group, both of which are subsidiaries of W. R. Berkley Corp.

To view a spreadsheet of all the awards, visit http://www.iowalifechanging.com/downloads/feb08awards.pdf