Benefit Advisors Network, National Benefits Center spins off from Alera Group

Benefit Advisors Network and the National Benefits Center on April 1 spun off from Alera Group to become an independent organization.

“I’m very excited for BAN’s next chapter and even more excited to be back working with the team, members and partners,” President and CEO Perry Braun says. “Becoming an autonomous and independent organization after five years as part of Alera Group will mutually benefit both companies and allow BAN to ramp up and refocus on providing members with the resources they need to deliver standout services to their clients.”

BAN, founded in 2002, is a network of independent employee benefit brokerage and consulting companies in the United States and Canada. The Alera Group was formed in 2016 as a privately held employee benefits firm and multiline insurance agency. Twenty-three BAN members’ agencies signed on to participate in the partnership. In 2018, Benefit Advisors Network formed another partnership with Allied Advisors to help mentor and support startups and employee benefits firms in their early stages.

Braun, who previously was executive director of BAN, was part of the team that started Alera. In his most recent role as managing director of business consulting for Alera, he focused on a number of key initiatives, including working with managing partners to improve business performance, which contributed directly to stronger results. He also partnered with the property and casualty team to build a new premium finance program.

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“As the market continues to evolve and change, so must our way of looking at our industry,” he says. “The strategic actions we are taking now will provide the opportunity for a long-term sustainable company.”