Elizabeth Galentine

There are four words that sum up the tremendous growth experienced by San Mateo, Calif. brokerage Sequoia Benefits and Insurance Services in 2012: "Coming through for people." To Greg Golub, CEO and founder, it is that simple, and it all comes back to impeccable customer service. In a year when other firms struggled to remain solvent, Sequoia brought in 135 new clients and 50 new 401(k) plans, developed an innovative smartphone application and overhauled its online customer service portal.A client-first attitude yields tremendous growth and employee admiration for Sequoia's Greg Golub, EBA's 2012 Employee Benefit Adviser of the Year.

Benefits Advisors Network members rally to tackle market uncertainty says executive director of 45-member BAN.

Workout program tied to Xbox allows employees to get fit, save on health care premiums.

EBA editor Elizabeth Galentine says how technology is not always the answer for brokers

Sequoia's Greg Golub is EBA's 2012 Employee Benefit Adviser of the Year.

Smartphones are a good tool to engage employees in wellness programs but access challenges remain.

When Boston benefits firm Longfellow Benefits decided to elevate their technology system by converting to a cloud computing model they knew there'd be a little turbulence as they made the switch.

The primary cause of stress, points out James Werner, CEO of Wealth Habit, is finances. With the average employer spending just under 9% of payroll on extended disability absences - most of which are related to stress - Werner believes an increased focus on financial wellness in the workplace has the potential to not only help employees save, but also save their employers "hundreds of thousands, or even billions, of dollars a year."

In a profession on the brink of radical change, advisers need deeper insight, more analysis, and broader perspectives. They need actionable, timely information in the formats in which they can best absorb it. And they need it now.

"The whole onsite clinic thing has been a buzz the last few years," says Michael Troup, partner at Forsite Benefits.

I recently returned from my first Million Dollar Round Table convention. It was one of the most inspirational shows I've ever attended. There's something to say about the attitude of successful people. Not only were the approximately 5,000 attendees a motivated and attentive bunch - even at 8 a.m. - but there was also an air of optimism about the crowd that I found to be truly refreshing.

"The whole onsite clinic thing has been a buzz the last few years," says Michael Troup, partner at Forsite Benefits.

As the economy struggles toward a meaningful recovery, health care costs continue to rise. With these factors in play, "decisions have moved higher up in the organization," says John DeLorenzo, SVP of sales and account management for Prudential Group Insurance. "So it's not just the human resources department or the benefits department making those decisions. It's moved all the way up ... into the C-suite."

With consumer-driven health care plans increasing the out-of-pocket contribution for a growing number of employees, employers and their advisers are looking for ways to offset these costs. Consult A Doctor's telephonic program connects employees to a doctor in a matter of minutes, no office visit copay required, just a fee-for-service that is often covered by the employer.

Anyone doubting the sustainability and projected growth of mobile technology should take heed of these statistics from technology and communication leaders Qualcomm Life and Virgin HealthMiles.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I met with a financial planner for the first time. Setting up the appointment was my idea - I suppose three and a half years of constant exposure to press releases entailing Americans' alarming lack of retirement preparedness will do that to a person.

Aon Hewitt isn't letting health care reform dictate its business model. If anything, it's the other way around. In addition to publishing an influential report on the implications of health reform for large employers, CEO Kristi Savacool has been to the White House several times in recent months to discuss the company's retiree health care exchange and upcoming active employee exchange model. "We have been on the front line," says Savacool, "really influencing the development of health care reform, influencing our clients with respect to how they put their own health care strategies together."

Throughout his 35-year career in the employee benefit business Larry Brodsky has come across few opportunities to introduce a product to an employer that is both new and almost universally appreciated. The president of Lawrence S. Brodsky Agency in Palatine, Ill., found such a product about two years ago after a Web search for pet insurance introduced him to Pet Assure. Not an insurance program - but a discount plan for pet owners.

The concept of value-based benefit design is still an evolving one, but it boils down to the market's effort to determine how to best derive value out of a health care plan, says Stephanie Elliott, director of activation strategies at UMR. EBA spoke with Elliott and client Rebecca Shipley, director of total rewards at Vail Resorts, about the success Vail has achieved in a few short months by using VBBD with its unique employee base.

The last week of March was a busy one here at EBA HQ. With the Supreme Court hearing oral arguments on the constitutionality of health care reform's individual mandate in our own backyard, EBA couldn't miss the opportunity to head down to Capitol Hill to check out the scene for ourselves - and bring you the latest news on the proceedings in the process.