Every spring, the nation is captivated by March Madness, watching over a two-week period as the field of 64 is steadily whittled down to the Final Four and, eventually, a single champion is left standing. Over the past few months, our editorial staff has undertaken a winnowing process of our own while selecting the five finalists for Benefits Selling's 2016 Broker of the Year.

Now, I'm not saying that anyone would be glued to their screen if we televised the process—a group of editors debating over a pile of nomination forms is hardly must-see TV. Still, it's something we take very seriously, and we've spent hours poring over hundreds of applications, talking with potential candidates, and going back and forth about the respective strengths of our favorites.

I'm not going to lie, it's an exhausting experience. But it's also a rewarding one.