News from CopperPoint Insurance Companies, Moneymap,Transamerica, Willis Towers Watson, Hub International, StoneStreetPearl River, Washington Financial Group, WhartonHill Advisors, EPICRetirement Services Consulting and more. (Photo:Shutterstock)

The employee benefits and retirement industry continues toevolve and innovate but doesn't veer from its purpose: tohelp employers, advisors, brokers, and other benefits professionalsassist employees in making the most of theirbenefits. Here's news about partnerships, M&As, hiringand promotion, award winners, and more.

Collective Health announced a new C-level hire,Haleigh Tebben, who will oversee partnershipsacross Collective Health's business. As Chief BusinessDevelopment Officer, she will be responsible for the company's keyconsultant relationships and the overall development of corporatehealth programs for Collective Health'sclients.  Marianne Holt is alsojoining Collective Health as the new Director ofBenefits. She's Collective Health's first hirewho was once a client. Previously, Marianne was the Director ofBenefits at Lululemon and Uber.

MaestroHealth announced its Board of Directors has accepted theresignation of Founder Rob Butler from theposition of Chief Executive Officer and has appointed CraigMaloney as its next CEO, effective Oct. 7, 2019. CraigMaloney most recently served as president of Aon Voluntary Benefitsand Enrollments Solutions Division, where he spent 20 years of hiscareer.

Transamerica announced that JasonBouldin joined the company as Regional Vice President forits large-market retirement plan sales team. Based inAtlanta, he will focus on sales efforts in Florida andGeorgia and reports to Robert Goldman, National SalesDirector, Large-Market Retirement Plans. With more than two decadesof retirement plan experience, he work with financialadvisors on acquiring retirement plans with $50 million or more inassets.

AmericanPublic Life Insurance Company (APL) announced thatJerry Horton has been appointed as APL's new ChiefOperating Officer. Horton assumes his new role September 9 and willwork alongside CEO Jim Pate until Pates'retirement in 2020. Horton comes to APL with an extensivebackground in supplemental benefits, most recently, as the WorksitePractice Leader for The Guardian Life Insurance Company.

PayActiv, a financialwellness provider, announced it has become a Public BenefitCorporation (PBC).  It also introducedRaj Sisodia as the newest addition to its advisoryboard. The co-founder and co-chairman of ConsciousCapitalism, he  brings more than 28 years of industryexperience. He's  currently the F.W. Olin DistinguishedProfessor of Global Business and Whole Foods Market ResearchScholar in Conscious Capitalism at Babson College.

MercerAdvisors, a national Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) withAUM exceeding $16.5 billion, announced  a recapitalizationwhereby Oak Hill Capital will acquire an equitystake in the company from current private equity owners GenstarCapital  and Lovell Minnick Partners. Based in Denver,Mercer Advisors has a national footprint with 44 offices and over370 employees.

Bluecrew, the on-demand staffing platform for flexibleW-2 work, announced the appointment of Sam Estesas Vice President of Sales and Tom Knight asDirector of Growth. Estes most recently led regional sales forPaycom Software. He will direct Bluecrew's salesteam. Knight led driver growth and retention strategy for Lyft. Hewill lead Bluecrew's worker acquisition strategy.

CopperPoint InsuranceCompanies, a western-based regional commercial insurancecompany, announced an agreement to acquire Alaska NationalCorporation and its wholly owned subsidiary AlaskaNational Insurance Company (ANIC), an Alaska domiciled workers'compensation and commercial insurance carrier.  AlaskaNational is licensed in 26 states. CopperPoint's headquarters willremain in Phoenix, Arizona, while Alaska National will continueoperating under its company name and will remain in Anchorage,Alaska. The combined companies will have a locally-focusedfootprint with 10 offices in Anchorage, Boise, Denver, Irvine, LasVegas, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, Walnut Creek and WestlakeVillage.

HubInternational Limited (Hub) announced across subsequent daysthat it has acquired the assets of the following:

• EPIC Retirement Services Consulting,LLC (EPIC). Located in New York City, NewYork, EPIC is an independent investment consulting firmspecializing in 401(k), 403(b) and pension plans. EPIC has beenoffering customized retirement plan solutions and services to plansponsors as well as employee education to plan participants sincetheir inception in 1999. Eva Kalivas, Co-Founder of EPIC, will joinHub Northeast.
• StoneStreet Pearl River LLC(StoneStreet). Based in Pearl River, New York,led by Barbara Delaney, StoneStreet is an independent andnationally recognized firm providing retirement plan consultingservices to defined benefit, defined contribution and non-qualifiedplans. Ms. Delaney will join Hub Northeast.
• Wash Financial, L.L.C., d/b/a Washington FinancialGroup (WFG). Headquartered in McLean, Virginia,led by CEO Joe DeNoyior and President Jeff Hamblen, WFG providesemployer plan and wealth management services. DeNoyior will joinHub Mid-Atlantic.
• Hub announced that it has acquired certain assets ofWhartonHill Retirement Services, LLC,Strategic Planning Resources, Inc. andKaren McCloskey (collectively doing business asWhartonHill Advisors). Located in Ft. Washington,Pennsylvania, WhartonHill Advisors is an institutional investmentconsulting and private wealth firm. Its assets under advisement, asof June 30, 2019, are in excess of $3 billion. Principals AndrewDeGroat, John Wenz and Karen McCloskey will join Hub.

Duke University's Center for Advanced Hindsight and Moneymapare embarking on a research initiative to develop evidence-basedrecommendations for scaling financial coaching to help employeesmaximize their money and reduce financial stress. They arecurrently taking applications for a limited number of employers toparticipate in the research, providing early access to results andfree coaching services for up to 1,000 employees for selectedemployers, worth up to $135,000.

WillisTowers Watson announced the expansion of its benefit financingteam in North America with the appointment of PaulMcNiff as a director in its Global Services and Solutionsconsulting business. McNiff will consult with employers in allareas of global benefit financing and, specifically, employeebenefit captives. He has been with Willis Towers Watson for over 12years, most recently having served as a consulting actuary. He willbe based in the New York office.

NovaHealthcare Administrators announced James "Jim"Walleshauser has been named as president, effectiveimmediately. Walleshauser has more than 20 years of seniormanagement experience with a proven track record of strategicplanning and organizational leadership, most recently as presidentof Evolve Practice Partners.

The Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO)recognized excellence in the field of workplace health andwell-being with the presentation of the 2019 HERO Health andWell-Being Awards during the recent HERO Forum in Portland, OR.Award recipients included the following:

• Fikry Isaac, MD (Bill Whitmer Leadership Award)
• Debra Lerner, MSc, Ph.D. (Mark Dundon Research Award)
• Craft O'Neal (Jerry Noyce Executive Health Champion Award)
• Philip DiRusso (Heart of HERO Award)
• Keara Vance (Healthy HERO Award)

Vantage Leadership Consulting announced DavidBinkley, the former chief human resources officer forWhirlpool Corp., has joined the firm as a senior advisor instrategic talent management. Binkley leverages more than 30 yearsof experience within Fortune 150 companies, including the last 15years as CHRO of Whirlpool. Binkley will also launch Vantage's HRstrategy and advisory services in 2020.

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