Exhibit 10.9

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

         WHEREAS, GGS Management, Inc. and its subsidiaries  (collectively,  the
"Company")  considers it essential to its best  interests and the best interests
of its  stockholders  to foster the continuous  employment of its key management
personnel  and,  accordingly,  the Company  desires to employ Roger C.  Sullivan
("You",  "Your"or  "Executive"),  upon the terms and conditions  hereinafter set
forth; and

         WHEREAS,  the  Executive  desires to  continue  to be  employed  by the
Company, upon the terms and conditions contained herein.

         NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration of the covenants and agreements set
forth below, the parties agree as follows:

1.       Employment

         1.1 Term of  Agreement.  The  Company  agrees  to employ  Executive  as
Executive  Vice  President  of  Superior   Insurance   Company   (including  its
subsidiaries,  "Superior"),  effective as of April 23, 1997 and continuing until
March 31, 2002 ("Initial Term"),  unless such employment is terminated  pursuant
to Section 3 below;  provided,  however,  that the term of this Agreement  shall
automatically  be extended without further action of either party for additional
one (1) year periods  thereafter unless, not later than twelve (12) months prior
to the end of the then effective term, either the Company or the Executive shall
have  given  written  notice  that such  party  does not  intend to extend  this
Agreement.  (the Initial Term and any extension thereof, the "Term"). If Company
gives  Executive  such a notice of  non-renewal,  Executive's  employment  shall
terminate  as of  the  expiration  date  of  this  Agreement.  It  is  expressly
understood and agreed that a notice of  non-renewal  issued by the Company shall
not extinguish the Executive's non-competition obligations pursuant to Section 4
herein.

         1.2 Terms of  Employment.  During the Term, You agree to be a full-time
employee of the Company  serving in the position of Executive  Vice President of
Superior  or other  positions  as the Chief  Executive  Officer  or the Board of
Directors  so  direct  and  further  agree to devote  substantially  all of Your
working time and  attention to the business and affairs of Superior  and, to the
extent necessary to discharge the responsibilities associated with Your position
as Executive  Vice President of Superior and to use Your best efforts to perform
faithfully and efficiently such  responsibilities.  Executive shall perform such
duties  and  responsibilities  as may be  determined  from  time  to time by the
Chairman and/or Chief  Executive  Officer of Superior and the Board of Directors
of Superior,  which duties  shall be  consistent  with the position of Executive
Vice   President   of   Superior,   which  shall  grant   Executive   authority,
responsibility,  title and standing  comparable  to that of the  executive  vice
president and of a stock  insurance  company of similar  standing and which will
not require  Executive to relocate  his  principal  place of residence  from the
metropolitan  Atlanta,  Georgia  area.  Nothing  herein shall  prohibit You from
devoting  Your time to civic  and  community  activities  or  managing  personal
investments,  as long as the foregoing do not interfere with the  performance of
Your duties hereunder.

                                       -1-

<PAGE>



         1.3 Appointment and Responsibility.  The Board of Directors of Superior
shall,  following  the  effective  date of this  Agreement,  elect  and  appoint
Executive as Executive  Vice  President of Superior and Executive  shall also be
elected to the Board of Directors of Superior. The parties hereby agree that the
failure to elect  Executive  to the Board of Directors  of Superior  shall,  for
purposes of this Agreement, be a Termination of Executive without cause.

2.       Compensation, Benefits and Prerequisites

         2.1 Salary.  Company shall pay Executive a salary,  in equal  bi-weekly
installments, equal to an annualized salary rate of $185,000. Executive's salary
as payable  pursuant to this  Agreement  may be  increased  from time to time as
mutually  agreed upon by Executive  and the Company.  Notwithstanding  any other
provision  of this  Agreement,  Executive's  salary paid by Company for any year
covered by this  Agreement  shall not be less than such salary paid to Executive
for the immediately  preceding  calendar year. All salary and bonus amounts paid
to Executive pursuant to this Agreement shall be in U.S. dollars.

         2.2 Bonus.  The Company  and  Executive  understand  and agree that the
Company expects to achieve  significant growth during the term of this Agreement
and that Executive will make a material  contribution  to that growth which will
require  certain  personal and  familial  sacrifices  on the part of  Executive.
Accordingly,  it is the desire and intention of the Company to reward  Executive
for the attainment of that growth through bonus and other means (including,  but
not limited to,  stock  options,  stock  appreciation  rights and other forms of
incentive  compensation).  Therefore,  the Company will pay Executive a lump-sum
bonus  (subject to normal  withholdings)  within  thirty (30) business days from
receipt by Company of its consolidated,  annual audited financial  statements in
an amount which shall be  determined  in  accordance  with the  following  Bonus
Table. All amounts used for calculation  purposes in this section shall be based
on the audited,  consolidated financial statements of Superior (or any successor
thereto), with such financial statements having been prepared in accordance with
applicable  Generally Accepted  Accounting  Principles,  applied on a consistent
basis with that of prior years. It is agreed that Executive's  minimum bonus for
the first  year of this  Agreement  shall  not be less  than 35% of  Executive's
salary.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                   BONUS TABLE

    <S>                                     <C>
    If Audited Net                          % of Annual Salary
    Income (as a % of                       Payable to Executive
    Budgeted Net Income Is                        As Bonus

    Less Than 75%                                    -0-
    75% or more, but less than 90%                  12.5%
    90% or more, but less than 100%                 25.0%
    100% or more, but less than 115%                37.5%
    115% or more                                    50.0%

</TABLE>


                                       -2-

<PAGE>


         2.3  Employee  Benefits.  Executive  shall be  entitled  to receive all
benefits and  prerequisites  which are provided to other  Executives  of Company
under the  applicable  Company  plans and policies,  and to future  benefits and
prerequisites  made  generally  available to executive  employees of the Company
with duties and compensation comparable to that of Executive upon the same terms
and conditions as other Company participants in such plans.

         2.4      Additional Prerequisites.  During the term of this Agreement,
Company shall provide Executive with:

         (a) Not less than four (4) weeks paid  vacation  during  each  calendar
             year.

         (b) A  vehicle  commensurate  with  Executive's  position  or,  at
             Executive's  option,  a vehicle  allowance of at least $600.00
             per month.

         2.5 Expenses. During the period of his employment hereunder,  Executive
shall be entitled to receive  reimbursement from the Company (in accordance with
the policies  and  procedures  in effect for the  Company's  employees)  for all
reasonable travel,  entertainment and other business expenses incurred by him in
connection with his services hereunder.

         2.6 Stock  Options.  Within  sixty (60) days of the  execution  of this
Agreement,  Executive  will receive  options to purchase  5,000 shares of Symons
International Group, Inc. which vest in accordance with the Symons International
Group 1996 Stock Option Plan and 5,000 shares of GGS Management  Holdings,  Inc.
which vest in accordance  with the GGS  Management  Holdings,  Inc. Stock Option
Plan. These options shall be in addition to any options granted to the Executive
prior  to the  commencement  of this  Agreement.  Further,  Executive  shall  be
eligible  to be  awarded  stock  options,  in the  discretion  of the  Board  of
Directors of GGS Management Holdings, Inc. and Symons International Group, Inc.

3.       Termination of Executive's Employment

         3.1 Change of Control.  Notwithstanding  any other  provisions  of this
Agreement,  if (i) a Change of  Control  shall  occur;  and (ii)  within six (6)
months  of any such  Change  of  Control,  Executive  (a)  receives  a Notice of
Non-Renewal,  (b) is terminated for any reason other than for cause,  (c) is not
employed  elsewhere in the Goran Group on terms  consistent with this Agreement,
or (d)  Company  (including  its  successors,  if  any)  is in  breach  of  this
Agreement,  then  Executive  shall  continue to receive  his current  salary (in
bi-weekly payments) until the earlier to occur of:

         (a)  Executive  shall  commence  employment  with a firm or  entity
              other than the Company or any of its Affiliates, such that his
              base  salary  is at  or  greater  than  existing  base  salary
              pursuant to this Agreement; or

         (b)  The expiration of the Term.


                                       -3-

<PAGE>



The receipt by Executive of payment pursuant to this Section 3.1 is specifically
conditioned,  and no  payments  pursuant  to this  Section  3.1 shall be made to
Executive if he is, at the time of his  Termination,  in breach of any provision
(specifically  including,  but not limited to, the  provisions of this Agreement
pertaining  to  non-competition  and  confidentiality)  of this  Agreement  and,
further,  if such payments have already begun,  the  continuation of payments to
Executive  pursuant to this Section 3.1 shall cease at the time Executive  shall
fail to  comply  with the  non-competition  and  confidentiality  provisions  of
Article 4 herein.  It is expressly  understood and agreed that the amount of any
payment to Executive required pursuant to this Section 3.1 shall be reduced (but
not below  zero) by any  compensation  received by  Executive  during the period
called for in this Section 3.1.

         A Change of  Control  shall mean the  failure  of Symons  International
Group,  Inc.  (including  any  of  its  Affiliates)  to  own a  majority  of the
outstanding  common stock of either GGS  Management  Holdings,  Inc. or Superior
Insurance Company.

         3.2 Termination of Employment and Severance Pay. Executive's employment
under  this  Agreement  may be  terminated  by either  party at any time for any
reason; provided,  however, that if Executive's employment is terminated for any
reason other than for cause or poor performance,  he shall receive, as severance
pay  salary  continuation,  at  the  salary  rate  in  effect  at  the  time  of
termination, until the end of the Term, (the "Severance Payments").  Further, if
Executive  shall be  terminated  without  cause,  receipt of severance  payments
described in the preceding  sentence are conditioned upon execution by Executive
and the Company of that mutual Waiver and Release  attached hereto as Exhibit A.
Further,  Executive shall receive  severance pay in accordance with this Section
3.2 if Executive  shall  terminate this Agreement due to a breach thereof by the
Company or if Executive is directed by the Company  (including,  if  applicable,
any successor) to engage in any act or action constituting fraud or any unlawful
conduct  relating  to the  Company  or its  business  as  may be  determined  by
application of applicable law. Should  Executive fail to adequately  perform his
duties as Executive Vice President of Superior,  Executive shall receive written
notification  of such  performance  issues  and shall have  ninety  (90) days to
rectify such problem.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if
Executive  (a)  shall  be  terminated  for  poor  performance  (which  shall  be
determined by the Chief  Executive  Officer of the Company and concurred in by a
majority of the Board of  Directors  of  Superior);  or (b) provided a Notice of
Non-Renewal, then Executive shall receive, as severance pay, salary continuation
until the  earlier  to occur of:  (a) one (1) year from the date of  Executive's
termination,  or (b) Executive  shall commence  employment with a firm or entity
other than the  Company  or its  Affiliates  such that his base  salary is at or
greater  than  the  existing  base  salary  pursuant  to this  Agreement.  It is
expressly  understood  and agreed  that the amount of any  payment to  Executive
required  pursuant to this  Section 3.2 shall be reduced (but not below zero) by
any  compensation  received by  Executive  during the period  called for in this
Section 3.2.

                                       -4-

<PAGE>



         3.3 Cause. For purposes of this Section 3, "cause" shall mean:

         (a)      the Executive being convicted in the United States of America,
                  any State therein,  or the District of Columbia,  or in Canada
                  or any Province therein (each, a "Relevant Jurisdiction"),  of
                  a crime for which the maximum penalty may include imprisonment
                  for one year or longer (a  "felony") or the  Executive  having
                  entered  against him or consenting to any judgment,  decree or
                  order (whether  criminal or otherwise)  based upon  fraudulent
                  conduct or violation of securities laws;

         (b)      the Executive's  being indicted for, charged with or otherwise
                  the subject of any formal  proceeding  (criminal or otherwise)
                  in connection with any felony, fraudulent conduct or violation
                  of securities  laws, in a case brought by a law enforcement or
                  securities  regulatory  official,  agency  or  authority  in a
                  Relevant Jurisdiction;

         (c)      the Executive  engaging in fraud,  or engaging in any unlawful
                  conduct  relating  to the Company or its  business,  in either
                  case  as   determined   under   the   laws  of  any   Relevant
                  Jurisdiction;

         (d)      the Executive breaching any provision of this Agreement; or

         (e)      gross negligence or willful misconduct by the Executive in the
                  performance of his duties hereunder.

         3.4 Disability. So long as otherwise permitted by law, if Executive has
become permanently disabled from performing his duties under this Agreement, the
Company's  Chairman  of the  Board,  may,  in  his  discretion,  determine  that
Executive  will not return to work and  terminate  his  employment  as  provided
below. Upon any such termination for disability,  Executive shall be entitled to
such disability,  medical, life insurance, and other benefits as may be provided
generally  for  disabled  employees  of  Company  during  the  period he remains
disabled,  as  well  as  a  continuation  of a  portion  of  Executive's  salary
("Supplemental  Payments")  necessary to make Executive's total remuneration for
the period  beginning on the date of  Executive's  disability and ending six (6)
months  thereafter at least equal to Executive's Base Salary at the time of Your
disability.  Permanent  disability shall be determined  pursuant to the terms of
Executive's  long term  disability  insurance  policy  provided by the  Company.
Should  Executive  decease  during the Term,  the Company  will  continue to pay
Executive's salary, in regular bi-weekly payments, for the lesser of (a) six (6)
months, or (b) the remaining period of the Term of this Agreement.

         3.5  Indemnification.  Executive  shall be indemnified by Company (and,
where  applicable,   its  subsidiaries)  to  the  maximum  extent  permitted  by
applicable law for actions  undertaken for, or on behalf of, the Company and its
subsidiaries.

                                       -5-

<PAGE>



4.       Non-Competition, Confidentiality and Trade Secrets

         4.1  Noncompetition.  In consideration  of the Company's  entering into
this Agreement and the  compensation  and benefits to be provided by the Company
to You hereunder,  and further in  consideration of Your exposure to proprietary
information of the Company, You agree as follows:

         (a)      Until the date of termination or expiration of  this Agreement
                  for any reason (the "Date of Termination") You agree not to
                  enter into competitive endeavors and not to undertake any
                  commercial activity which is contrary to the best interests of
                  the Company or its Affiliates, including, directly or
                  indirectly, becoming an employee, consultant, owner (except
                  for passive investments of not more than one percent (1%) of
                  the outstanding shares of, or any other equity interest in,
                  any company or entity listed or traded on a national
                  securities exchange or in an over-the-counter securities
                  market), officer, agent or director of, or otherwise
                  participating in the management, operation, control or profits
                  of (a) any firm or person engaged in the operation of a
                  business engaged in the acquisition of insurance businesses or
                  (b) any firm or person which either directly competes with a
                  line or lines of business of the Company accounting for five
                  percent (5%) or more of the Company's gross sales, revenues or
                  earnings before taxes or derives five percent (5%) or more
                  of such firm's or person's gross sales, revenues or earnings
                  before taxes from a line or lines of business which directly
                  compete with the Company.

         Notwithstanding  any provision of this  Agreement to the contrary,  You
agree that Your breach of the provisions of this Section 4.1(a) shall permit the
Company to terminate Your employment for cause.

         (b)      If Your employment is terminated by You, or by reason of Your
                  Disability,  by the Company for cause, or pursuant to a notice
                  of non-renewal as outlined in Section 1.1, then, during the
                  period you receive payments pursuant to Article 3 hereof, but
                  in no event for a period of less than one (1) year after the
                  Date of Termination, You agree not to become, directly or
                  indirectly, an employee, consultant, owner (except for
                  passive investments of not more than one percent (1%) of the
                  outstanding shares of, or any other equity interest in, any
                  company or entity listed or traded on a national securities
                  exchange or in an over-the-counter securities market),
                  officer, agent or director of, or otherwise to participate in
                  the management, operation, control or profits of, any firm or
                  person which directly competes with a business of the
                  Company which at the Date of Termination produced any class of
                  products or business accounting for five percent (5%) or more
                  of the Company's gross sales, revenues or earnings before
                  taxes at which the Date of Termination derived five percent
                  (5%) or more of such firm's or person's gross sales, revenues
                  or earnings before taxes.


                                       -6-

<PAGE>



         (c)      You acknowledge and agree that damages for breach of the
                  covenant not to compete in this Section  4.1 will be difficult
                  to determine and will not afford a full and adequate remedy,
                  and therefore agree that the Company shall be entitled to an
                  immediate injunction and restraining order (without the
                  necessity of a bond) to prevent such breach or threatened or
                  continued breach by You and any persons or entities acting for
                  or with You, without having to prove damages, and to all costs
                  and expenses (if a court or arbitrator determines that the
                  Executive has breached the covenant not to compete in this
                  Section 4.1, including reasonable attorneys' fees and costs,
                  in addition to any other remedies to which the Company may be
                  entitled at law or in equity.  You and the Company agree that
                  the provisions of this covenant not to compete are reasonable
                  and necessary for the operation of the Company and its
                  subsidiaries.  However, should any court or arbitrator
                  determine that any provision of this covenant not to compete
                  is unreasonable, either in period of time, geographical area,
                  or otherwise, the parties agree that this covenant not to
                  compete should be interpreted and enforced to the maximum
                  extent which such court or arbitrator deems reasonable.

         4.2 Confidentiality.  You shall not knowingly disclose or reveal to any
unauthorized  person,  during  or after  the  Term,  any  trade  secret or other
confidential information (as outlined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act) relating
to the Company or any of its Affiliates,  or any of their respective  businesses
or principals,  and You confirm that such information is the exclusive  property
of the Company and its Affiliates.  You agree to hold as the Company's  property
all memoranda,  books, papers, letters and other data, and all copies thereof or
therefrom,  in  any  way  relating  to  the  business  of the  Company  and  its
Affiliates, whether made by You or otherwise coming into Your possession and, on
termination  of Your  employment,  or on demand of the  Company at any time,  to
deliver the same to the Company.

         Any ideas, processes, characters,  productions, schemes, titles, names,
formats,  policies,   adaptations,   plots,  slogans,   catchwords,   incidents,
treatment,  and dialogue which You may conceive,  create,  organize,  prepare or
produce during the period of Your  employment and which ideas,  processes,  etc.
relate to any of the  businesses  of the Company,  shall be owned by the Company
and its  Affiliates  whether  or not You should in fact  execute  an  assignment
thereof to the Company, but You agree to execute any assignment thereof or other
instrument or document  which may be reasonably  necessary to protect and secure
such rights to the Company.

5.       Miscellaneous

         5.1 Amendment. This Agreement may be amended only in writing, signed by
both parties.

         5.2 Entire Agreement.  This Agreement contains the entire understanding
of the parties with regard to all matters contained  herein.  There are no other
agreements,  conditions  or  representations,  oral  or  written,  expressed  or
implied, with regard to the employment of Executive

                                       -7-

<PAGE>



or the  obligations of the Company or the Executive.  This Agreement  supersedes
all prior  employment  contracts  and  non-competition  agreements  between  the
parties.

         5.3 Notices. Any notice required to be given under this Agreement shall
be in  writing  and shall be  delivered  either in  person  or by  certified  or
registered mail, return receipt requested.
Any notice by mail shall be addressed as follows:

         If to the Company, to:

         Superior Insurance Company
         4720 Kingsway Drive
         Indianapolis, Indiana  46205
         Attention:  President and Chief Executive Officer

         If to Executive, to:

         Roger C. Sullivan
         280 Interstate Circle North, N.W.
         Atlanta, Georgia  30339

or to such other  addresses  as one party may  designate in writing to the other
party from time to time.

         5.4 Waiver of Breach. Any waiver by either party of compliance with any
provision of this Agreement by the other party shall not operate or be construed
as a waiver of any  other  provision  of this  Agreement,  or of any  subsequent
breach by such party of a provision of this Agreement.

         5.5 Validity.  The invalidity or  unenforceability  of any provision of
this  Agreement  shall not affect the  validity or  enforceability  of any other
provision of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect.

         5.6 Governing Law. This Agreement  shall be interpreted and enforced in
accordance  with the laws of the  State of  Indiana,  without  giving  effect to
conflict of law principles.

         5.7 Headings. The headings of articles and sections herein are included
solely for  convenience  and  reference  and shall not  control  the  meaning or
interpretation of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

         5.8  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be  executed  by either of the
parties in  counterparts,  each of which shall be deemed to be an original,  but
all such counterparts shall constitute a single instrument.

         5.9 Survival.  Company's  obligations under Section 3.1 and Executive's
obligations under Section 4 shall survive the termination and expiration of this
Agreement in accordance  with the specific  provisions of those  Paragraphs  and
Sections and this  Agreement in its entirety shall be binding upon, and inure to
the benefit of, the successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

                                       -8-

<PAGE>



         5.10  Miscellaneous.  No provision of this  Agreement  may be modified,
waived or discharged unless such waiver,  modification or discharge is agreed to
in writing and signed by You and such officer as may be specifically  designated
by the Board.  No waiver by either party hereto at any time of any breach by the
other party hereto of, or  compliance  with,  any condition or provision of this
Agreement  to be  performed  by such  other  party  shall be  deemed a waiver of
similar  or  dissimilar  provisions  or  conditions  at the same or at any prior
subsequent time.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the parties have executed this Agreement effective
as of the date set forth above.

                                        GGS MANAGEMENT, INC.
                                        ("Company")


                                        By:__________________________________

                                        Title:________________________________


State of Indiana            )
                                     ) SS:
County of __________)

         Before me the undersigned,  a Notary Public for _______________ County,
State  of   Indiana,   personally   appeared   __________________________,   and
acknowledged   the   execution   of  this   instrument   this   _______  day  of
___________________, 1997.


                                        ------------------------------
                                        , Notary Public
                                        State of Indiana
                                        My Commission Expires:________________

                                       -9-

<PAGE>


                                        ROGER C. SULLIVAN
                                        ("Executive")


                                        ------------------------------

State of Indiana            )
                                     ) SS:
County of __________)

         Before me the undersigned,  a Notary Public for _______________ County,
State of Indiana,  personally  appeared Roger C. Sullivan,  and acknowledged the
execution of this instrument this _______ day of ___________________, 1997.

                                        -------------------------------
                                        , Notary Public
                                         State of Indiana
                                         My Commission Expires:_________________

                                      -10-