Benefits Broker

A couple of thoughts before the Republican response: The early count is 34 standing ovations from both parties, four from mostly Democrats and one from Republicans (that last one in response to the president's remarks about charter schools).

As President Barack Obama prepares to step into a packed and a little more than eager Congress, I can't help but wonder how we're going to fix the economy, health care, Social Security and Afghanistan while cutting the deficit in half in four years.

William Glavin, Jr. has been appointed chief executive officer of Oppenheimer Funds Inc. He has headed MassMutual's U.S. Insurance Group since March 2006.

Max "Skip" Schrayer has been named president of Associated Agencies Inc. He will oversee commercial and personal insurance for individuals and businesses nationwide. He is also president of Auto and Home Insurance Agency.

Would you be willing to pay more in order to increase the number of Americans who have health insurance?

The "real" unemployment rate, which takes underemployment into account is 13.9 percent. The number of workers who have been forced to work part-time is increased to nearly 70 percent. Employers have cut hours for their worke

The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved a new rule that will limit motions to dismiss arbitration before investors present their case. This makes it all the more important to avoid consumer disputes in the first place. The new rule

A friend in the business called me out of the blue sometime over the last couple of weeks. (Sorry, the days run together this time of year. Seems half my time is spent managing my daughter's budding Girl Scout cookie business.) At any rate,