United Benefit Advisors Recognizing Outstanding Leaders with 2016 “UBBIE” Awards
Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) June 09, 2016 -- United Benefit Advisors (UBA), the nation’s leading independent employee benefits advisory organization, has announced the winners of its annual “UBBIE” Awards (pronounced you-bee) for 2016. The award honors Partner Firms, Principals, agency staff, and Strategic Partners who have demonstrated significant achievements toward their involvement with UBA, the clients they serve, and the benefits insurance industry as a whole.
“The United Benefit Advisors’ UBBIE Awards celebrate people and organizations who exemplify the UBA spirit of ‘Shared Wisdom. Powerful Results.®’ and also recognizes innovation, quality of work, professionalism, and contributions to programs that enhance business practices for the greater good of the entire organization,” says UBA CEO Les McPhearson. “I value every volunteer hour our Partner Firms give to UBA and these award recipients not only represent, but also cultivate excellence through the development of resources and education. There is no higher recognition within the UBA organization!”
The UBBIE Award winners were announced at the 2016 UBA Spring Meeting & Expo in Chicago, Illinois, which had a record attendance of more than 500 employee benefit and financial advisors and Strategic Partners. This annual event is an opportunity for UBA thought leaders to discuss the rapidly changing benefits industry and what is required of successful advisor firms looking to stay ahead of emerging trends. Please join UBA in congratulating the following UBBIE Award winners.
UBA PARTNER FIRM OF THE YEAR: Hanna Global Solutions of Concord, California
This Firm is a leader not only in their market, but also in UBA. It consistently promotes the benefits of their UBA relationship, adopts UBA products and services, and participates in UBA surveys to contribute to the greater good of the entire organization. When UBA Partners cast their votes for this Firm, they cited its positive impact on the organization as a whole and eagerness to share their knowledge with others. With dynamic leadership at the helm, this agency exemplifies the high-caliber Firms represented throughout the organization. This Firm is consistently on the industry’s leading edge, identifying product improvement opportunities by listening to the needs of UBA Partners and refined the Benefits Passport product to better serve clients. UBA is honored to count this agency as part of the organization and to present them with this prestigious award, as elected by their colleagues and peers.
UBA PARTNER FIRM PRINCIPALS OF THE YEAR: Brian Coté from 44North and Charles Carlson from Benefit Intelligence
This year is unique in that it marks the first time UBA had two winners for the UBA Partner Firm Principal of the Year. The Firms of these two Principals had an excellent year of growth while challenging the norm and pushing into uncharted areas in order to expand their reach. Both Principals actively participate in UBA including meetings, committees, and forum discussions while clearly demonstrating the spirit of the UBA culture by routinely giving back to the UBA community and unconditionally sharing knowledge and resources with other Partner Firms. The UBA Partner Firm Principals of the Year were instrumental in retooling the Teladoc program and are definitely invaluable resources for the UBA organization. These Principals were lauded by other Partners on multiple counts; among them their continuous contributions to UBA, and often being the first to take the lead with critical issues, which makes everyone better advisors.
UBA PARTNER FIRM STAFF MEMBER OF THE YEAR: Matt Weimer from Diversified Insurance Solutions
Even though the staff member is not a Principal, this person is an indispensable employee at a UBA Partner Firm who helps drive growth for both the agency and its employees. While sharing information with UBA peers, this person also leverages UBA’s wisdom and resources to help clients better manage their benefits programs. The UBA Partner Firm Staff Member of the Year regularly contributes to Partner discussions and collaborative efforts. This person has written blogs for UBA and is always readily available when asked to share knowledge and success stories. Through this person's leadership and understanding of the power of collaboration, this person encouraged Partners to share success stories and case studies with their peers to grow their business, and acquire and retain clients. Furthermore, this person continually has an ear to the ground to foresee issues and better serve the needs of UBA Partners and the clients they serve.
UBA STRATEGIC PARTNER OF THE YEAR: Sun Life Financial
This Strategic Partner has established a distinct UBA product or offering that has been extremely successful and exceeded the expectations of UBA Partners. They are eager to interact with UBA Firms, participate in UBA national and regional meetings, keep product information current, and genuinely appreciate the relationships they have with UBA. Besides working with UBA as an organization, they exhibit flexibility and a willingness to consider individual Partner needs by responding with opportunities, knowledge, resources, and solutions. Finally, yet perhaps more importantly, the Strategic Partner always gives priority to its relationship with UBA and there is significant growth of UBA Partners’ books of business with them. The UBA Strategic Partner of the Year is one of the organizations’s top Strategic Partners, with more than $30 million in Partner Firm production in 2015 alone and total inforce with UBA of more than $100 million. They have been instrumental in UBA’s ability to earn new business and retain existing business while they continuously develop new products and markets. Partners cited their great commitment and participation with the entire UBA organization, and also noted that they are great to work with as well!
ABOUT United Benefit Advisors®
United Benefit Advisors® (UBA) is the nation’s leading independent employee benefits advisory organization with more than 200 offices throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. UBA empowers more than 2,000 Partners to both maintain their individuality and pool their expertise, insight, and market presence to provide best-in-class services and solutions. Employers, advisors and industry-related organizations interested in obtaining powerful results from the shared wisdom of our Partners should visit http://www.UBAbenefits.com.
# # #
Bill Olson, UBA, http://www.ubabenefits.com, +1 760-331-3547, [email protected]
Share this article