Tag Archives: Ascende an EPIC Company

Suzanne McGarey, Matias Ormaza and Louis Hefter of EPIC Honored as Risk & Insurance Magazine 2018 Power Brokers

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Managing Principal Suzanne McGarey and Senior Vice President Matias Ormaza have been recognized as 2018 Power Brokers by Risk & Insurance Magazine. Principal Louis Hefter was named a finalist.

"We are honored that three of our team members have been recognized by Risk & Insurance among their 2018 Power Brokers," said Pete Garvey, CEO of EPIC. "Suzanne, Matias and Lou personify EPIC's core values of providing the highest quality of service while always putting people first. They are well-deserving of this prestigious industry recognition."

A Power Broker is an individual who stands out among their peers for the exceptional client work they delivered over the past year. While brokers play many key roles in the insurance industry and risk profession, a Power Broker award recognizes problem solving, customer service and industry knowledge, in particular.

Managing Principal Suzanne McGarey was selected in the Employee Benefits category for her work helping clients develop effective benefits strategies. She helped a private equity firm revamp its benefits offerings to recruit the best of the best by conducting a survey of employees to determine what benefits are found most valuable.

Senior Vice President Matias Ormaza was selected in the Construction category for his work in supporting a client's conversion from a public company to private, a credit facility refinancing and a large acquisition, in which the client credited Ormaza for years of work that culminated in these accomplishments. Ormaza made recommendations to another client that saved them over $1 million in premium this year.

Principal Louis Hefter was named a finalist in the Transportation category for his work in alternative risk insurance programs.

About Suzanne McGarey, Managing Principal at Ascende - a Division of EPIC:

Suzanne McGarey joined Ascende - A Division of EPIC in 2001. Today her primary focus is on the firm's delivery of health and welfare consulting and business analytic services. She also provides oversight and integration of services for the company's additional consulting practices. She guides the practice leaders and managing consultants in developing cohesive strategies to advance our clients' business objectives. In addition, she meets with industry leaders and participates on executive advisory councils for the major health insurance carriers to engage in developing trends and represent the issues our clients face.

Her experience at Ascende includes managing the design, funding, administration and communication of employer-sponsored health and welfare plans. She provides expertise on the technical requirements, financial impacts and administrative mandates associated with the Affordable Care Act, as well as its wide-ranging effects on the industry.

McGarey began her career with Towers Perrin, where she worked in both the health and welfare and communications practices and gained experience analyzing employer welfare plans, researching compliance issues and developing employee communications. She later joined Business Health Companies, Inc. to assist in the development of a Houston-based Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), the Houston Healthcare Purchasing Organization (HHPO). Her responsibilities entailed marketing the network and developing ancillary services to assist clients in reducing health care expenditures in self-funded medical plans. McGarey played a key role in the success of the HHPO, which is now a cornerstone of a national network.

McGarey graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She earned the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designations and actively served on the board of the Houston Chapter of the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (ISCEBS), including as president.

About Matias Ormaza, Senior Vice President at Greyling - a Division of EPIC:

Matias Ormaza is a Senior Vice President with Greyling Insurance - a Division of EPIC. In his role, he negotiates and places coverage for large design firms and design-builders. He works closely with clients who have global exposures and revenue ranging from $25 million to more than $1 billion. He is experienced in the unique coverage needs of design firms and has negotiated a wide range of large and complex project-specific policies for professional liability, pollution liability and builders risk programs.

Ormaza joined Greyling in 2007. Prior to that, he was an administrative manager of underwriting with Insurance Specialists, Inc., where he focused on lawyers professional liability insurance. He was a professional tennis player on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tour from 1999 through 2001. Ormaza holds the Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) professional designation.

Ormaza earned his degree from University of Georgia, where he majored in risk management and insurance with an emphasis on finance. He is originally from Argentina and is fluent in Spanish.

About Louis Hefter, Principal at The Capacity Group - an EPIC Company:

Louis Hefter has been insuring Moving & Storage, Final Mile Home Delivery and Warehousing/Logistics companies for approximately 20 years. Since joining The Capacity Group - an EPIC Company, Hefter has been instrumental in launching several alternative risk insurance programs. With a strong background and expertise in the industry, Hefter has been published numerous times addressing risk and liability for moving and storage companies.

About Risk & Insurance Power Broker Awards:

A Risk & Insurance(r) Power Broker(r) is an individual who stands out among their peers for the exceptional client work they delivered over the past year. While brokers play many key roles in the insurance industry and risk profession, a Power Broker(r) award recognizes problem solving, customer service and industry knowledge.

Our goal is to broadly recognize and promote outstanding risk management and customer service among the brokerage community. Therefore, we don't select a single winner but instead recognize four to six winners in different industry categories.

About EPIC:

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence.

EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 1,400 team members operating from 50 offices across the U.S., providing Property and Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients.

With run rate revenues greater than $400 million, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the U.S. Backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country.

For additional information, please visit https://www.epicbrokers.com/.

News from EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants ('EPIC'), a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Managing Principal Suzanne McGarey and Senior Vice President Matias Ormaza have been recognized as 2018 Power Brokers by Risk & Insurance Magazine. Principal Louis Hefter was named a finalist.

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This version of news story was published on ScoopCloud™ (ScoopCloud.com) - part of and © the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved.

EPIC Attends Worldwide Broker Network Global Conference in Paris and Hosts WBN 2018 Spring Conference

HOUSTON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that it is attending the 57th Worldwide Broker Network (WBN) Global Conference on Oct. 25-28, 2017 in Paris, France.

WBN members, clients, prospects and insurer partners meet in Global Conferences twice a year to collaborate, learn and maintain professional and personal relationships. The 57th WBN Global Conference will host 250 brokers from more than 100 countries for discussions on international insurance programs, plenary sessions, technical workshops, the sharing of experiences and business appointments.

Ascende - a division of EPIC is hosting the Spring conference on April 11-14, 2018. This comes from EPIC Southwest Region President Jim Watt's close ties to WBN. Formerly the WBN treasurer, WBN is announcing Jim's 2018 chairman of the board appointment at the conference in Paris this week.

As is customary at the Fall and Spring WBN conferences, the host city of the upcoming conference reveals the next conference location by presenting a video to promote the upcoming venue.

Here's a link to the video promoting the 58th annual WBN Global Conference in Texas: https://vimeo.com/238336204/7cf7a06134

Through EPIC's partnership with WBN - the largest fully integrated network of independent Property and Casualty and Employee Benefits brokers in the world - it is positioned to conduct business internationally with maximum flexibility, innovation and success. WBN brokers are located in over 100 countries and have offices in more than 500 cities around the globe. This partnership gives EPIC instant access to insurance experts from nearly every conceivable insurance specialty and current, reliable information on changes in their markets.

Click here for more information: https://wbnglobal.com/conferences/2017-october-paris.html

About Worldwide Broker Network:

Founded in 1989, WBN has grown from nine member firms in Western Europe to more than 100 firms spanning the globe and serving clients through 500+ offices in six continents. Today, as an important part of the insurance industry's distribution network, WBN generates over $5 billion in P&C and Employee Benefits revenue annually.

About EPIC:

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 1,300 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property & Casualty insurance, Employee Benefits Consulting, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 30,000 clients.

With run rate revenues of roughly $400 million, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country.

For additional information, please visit http://www.epicbrokers.com/.

*LOGO for media: Send2Press.com/300dpi/16-0308-epic-insurance-300dpi.jpg

TWITTER: @WBNGlobal @EPIC_Insurance

News from EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants (EPIC), a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that it is attending the 57th Worldwide Broker Network (WBN) Global Conference on Oct. 25-28, 2017 in Paris, France.

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This version of news story was published on ScoopCloud™ (ScoopCloud.com) - part of and © the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved.

Two EPIC Insurance Consultants Recognized Among the 30 Most Influential Women in Benefit Advising

MAHWAH, N.J. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Principal Susan L. Combs and Senior Vice President Suzanne McGarey have been recognized among Employee Benefit Adviser's "2017 Most Influential Women in Benefit Advising."

The 2017 Most Influential Women in Benefit Advising list highlights national benefits consulting leaders who stood out in a large field of highly qualified nominees for both personal and professional reasons.

Susan L. Combs, Principal of The Capacity Group - an EPIC Company, served as the youngest president of Women in Insurance and Financial Services (WIFS) in the group's 81 year history. A strong advocate of bringing more women into the benefits advising field, Combs was instrumental in establishing WIFS's national mentorship program.

Suzanne McGarey, senior vice president of Ascende - a Division of EPIC, has helped to lead Ascende's health and welfare team for more than a decade, working to differentiate the company through industry specific benefits benchmarking surveys and other business intelligence initiatives, as well as defining best practice in compliance advisory services.

"We are pleased and proud that these extraordinary EPIC women have been recognized among the 2017 Most Influential Women in Benefit Advising," said John Hahn, CEO of EPIC. "To have two of our consultants included in this small, elite group nationally is a wonderful accomplishment, which speaks to the character and ability of both the women and men who choose to make EPIC their business home."

See the full list of the 2017 Most Influential Women in Benefits Advising here: https://www.employeebenefitadviser.com/slideshow/ebas-2017-most-influential-women-in-benefit-advising

About EPIC:
EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 1,000 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients.

With run rate revenues approaching $300 million, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by the Carlyle Group, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country.

For additional information, please visit http://www.epicbrokers.com/.

MULTIMEDIA:
* PHOTOS for Media:
(1) Send2Press.com/mediaboom/17-0628s2p-scombs-300dpi.jpg
Photo Caption: Susan L. Combs, Principal of The Capacity Group - an EPIC Company.

(2) Send2Press.com/mediaboom/17-0628s2p-mcgarey-300dpi.jpg
Photo Caption: Suzanne McGarey, senior vice president of Ascende - a Division of EPIC.

News from EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Principal Susan L. Combs and Senior Vice President Suzanne McGarey have been recognized among Employee Benefit Adviser's "2017 Most Influential Women in Benefit Advising."

Related link:

This version of news story was published on ScoopCloud™ (ScoopCloud.com) - part of and © the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved.

ScoopCloud Newswire

EPIC Insurance Receives Multiple Honors from 2017 Communicator Awards

HOUSTON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that the firm's Marketing, Communications and Creative Services Team has received one "Gold Award of Excellence" and eight "Silver Awards of Distinction" from the 23rd Annual Communicator Awards, the leading international awards program recognizing excellence and big ideas in marketing, communications and design.

From more than 6,000 entries, EPIC was selected for the "Gold Award of Excellence" in the Marketing Effectiveness category for the distinctiveness and creative work in its HealthCare Brochure, used to communicate with prospects and clients regarding the capabilities and expertise of EPIC's Healthcare Practice.

EPIC also won the "Silver Award of Distinction" in Print Advertising for its Leader's Edge Magazine advertisement promoting partnering with EPIC; in Video Education for their Fruit Growers Supply Company Integrated Campaign; and in the Business Campaign category for their Kering RFP Response.

In addition, EPICness Magazine, EPIC's internal semi-annual news magazine, was recognized in the Overall Design and Newsletter category

Ascende - a Division of EPIC was awarded the "Silver Award of Distinction" in the Business-to-Business Brochure category, for the Energy Acumen Executive Summary and for their Publicity Campaign for Aggreko Benefits Toolbox and Website Corporate Communications for Newfieldbenefits.com.

Winners were selected by the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, an invitation-only group consisting of top-tier professionals from acclaimed media, communications, advertising, and creative and marketing firms.

"It is an honor to be recognized nine times for our team's consistent ability to produce impactful, top-tier communications that delivers significant value to our clients - both internal and external," said Dave Hock, senior vice president of marketing and communications at EPIC. "This recognition validates the hard work, collaboration and dedication of our team, whose creativity and innovative ideas continue to drive unique, interesting and successful communications and engagement."

The "Award of Excellence," the highest honor, is given to entrants whose ability to communicate positions them as the best in the field. "The Award of Distinction" is presented for projects that exceed industry standards in quality and achievement.

See the full list of winners of the 23rd Annual Communicator Awards here: http://www.communicatorawards.com/winners/

About EPIC:

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has 1,100 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients.

With run rate revenues approaching $300 million, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by the Carlyle Group, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country. For additional information, please visit http://www.epicbrokers.com/.

*LOGO for media: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/16-0308-epic-insurance-300dpi.jpg

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that the firm's Marketing, Communications and Creative Services Team has received one "Gold Award of Excellence" and eight "Silver Awards of Distinction" from the 23rd Annual Communicator Awards, the leading international awards program recognizing excellence and big ideas in marketing, communications and design.

This version of news story was published on ScoopCloud™ (ScoopCloud.com) - part of the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved.

ScoopCloud Newswire

EPIC Insurance Kicks Off 2017 Energy Forum in Houston

HOUSTON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today the successful launch of their 2017 Energy Forum in Houston and that they will host two additional Energy Forum presentations in Dallas and Oklahoma City next week.

EPIC's Ascende Division, their southwest regional hub and the premier benefit consultant for the oil and gas industry, kicked off its annual Energy Forum roadshow in Houston on Thursday, May 25 moments after OPEC announced it would extend the status quo an additional nine months-curbing oil output until the end of March 2018.

The event attracted 50 different energy companies for a total showing of nearly 200 HR executives and consultants.

The EPIC Energy Forum provides HR professionals in the energy industry the opportunity to learn the results of EPIC's annual Energy Acumen Employee Benefit Plan Survey and network with their peers facing similar market challenges. The Energy Acumen survey is the leading source of benefits benchmarking information for the oil and gas industry and provides sector-specific reports, as well as a unique report on international assignee benefits to companies that participate in EPIC's Global Employee Benefit Plan Survey.

In addition to a detailed overview of EPIC's employee benefit plan survey data, Houston attendees also heard from a panel of HR executives representing Archrock, Diamond Offshore and Pioneer Energy Services, who candidly discussed key HR issues impacting energy companies.

Employers use the survey's benchmarking data to gauge where their company stands among peer companies in the industry, leveraging the survey's reported trends to support their strategies with executive leadership.

"The first words out of my CEO's mouth when we talk benefits strategy is 'What is the market doing?'" said Jane Johnapelus Munoz, director of Global Employee Services at Diamond Offshore. "The second question out of my CEO's mouth is 'Are we going to hit the Cadillac Tax, and when?'"

The panel also encouraged putting heightened focus on employee retention, since no one can afford to lose key talent. The key is communicating each employee's total rewards and not failing to promote benefit offerings that help your company stand out, panelists noted.

By using the survey's benchmarking data to realign HR programs and benefit strategies so that they offer better value to employees at a lower cost, companies can make more meaningful decisions employees will appreciate.

"2017 may not be the year of growth, but for us, it's the year of the employee," said Sharon Paul, VPHR at Archrock. "Give your savings back to your employees. This year, we put our savings back into our employees' pocket by increasing HSA contributions and lowering premiums."

EPIC's Carl Pilger, director of Employee Benefits Compliance Services also delivered an ACA compliance update to a crowd of HR executives who agreed they'd rather keep compliance issues in their broker or consultant's hand so they can divert attention back to their employees.

Companies who weren't able to make the kickoff presentation in Houston are encouraged to join EPIC in Dallas - Fort Worth, Texas on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at 3 p.m. at the Hilton - Arlington or in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on Thursday, June 8 at 3 p.m. at the Tasting Room.

Click here to RSVP to the event: http://go.epicbrokers.com/l/322651/2017-05-03/34yb.

About EPIC:
EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has 1,100 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients.

With run rate revenues approaching $300 million, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by the Carlyle Group, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country. For additional information, please visit http://www.epicbrokers.com/.

*LOGO for media: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/16-0308-epic-insurance-300dpi.jpg

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today the successful launch of their 2017 Energy Forum in Houston and that they will host two additional Energy Forum presentations in Dallas and Oklahoma City next week.

This version of news story was published on ScoopCloud™ (ScoopCloud.com) - part of the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved.

ScoopCloud Newswire

EPIC Insurance adds Reba Mathew, Pharm.D., R.Ph to Employee Benefits Consulting Pharmacy Practice

HOUSTON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Reba Mathew Pharm.D., R.Ph has joined the firm's Employee Benefits Consulting Practice as Pharmacy Practice Director.

Dr. Mathew will be based in Houston, Texas and will report to Cliff Caldwell, Chief Operating Office of Ascende - a Division of EPIC.

Dr. Mathew completed her Managed Care Pharmacy Residency with one of the largest Medicare health plans. During her residency she worked on several pharmacy initiatives such as medication therapy management, pay for performance, and quality improvement.

In addition to residency, Dr. Mathew has worked as a clinical pharmacist in both the hospital and retail setting. Her significant clinical experience led her to the pharmacy consulting practice for two of the world's largest brokerage services, managing nearly $250 million annually in pharmacy benefits.

Dr. Mathew was able to achieve significant clinical goals for her clients, including improvement in generic dispensing rates and medication adherence, implementation of customized and standard utilization management programs and formularies, and reduction in total pharmacy spend.

Said Cliff Caldwell, "We are pleased and excited to have Reba join Robin Rankin R. Ph in leading our Pharmacy Practice team and the Ascendent Pharmacy Coalition. Her knowledge, depth of experience and strong, client-focused consulting skills deepen and strengthen the resources and services available to EPIC clients across the country."

Dr. Reba Mathew can be reached at:
Ascende - a Division of EPIC
Office: 832-476-8454
Mobile: 713-515-8058
reba.mathew@epicbrokers.com
rmathew@ascende.com

About the Ascendent(R) Pharmacy Coalition:

Launched in 2002, the Ascendent(R) Pharmacy Coalition brings the power of a purchasing coalition to mid-market clients looking for a more effective means of delivering transparent pharmacy pricing and discounted rates. Participants in the coalition realized over $100 Million dollars in savings in 2016.

About EPIC:

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 1,000 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients.

With roughly $280 million in run rate revenues, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by the Carlyle Group, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country.

For additional information, please visit http://www.epicbrokers.com/.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Dave Hock
650-295-4608
dave.hock@epicbrokers.com

Nicole Conley
408-295-4309 x104
nicole.conley@taniscomm.com

*PHOTO for media: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/17-0516s2p-Reba-Mathew-300dpi.jpg

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Reba Mathew Pharm.D., R.Ph has joined the firm's Employee Benefits Consulting Practice as Pharmacy Practice Director.

This version of news story was published on ScoopCloud™ (ScoopCloud.com) - part of the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved.

ScoopCloud Newswire

Ascende – an EPIC Company adds Gary C. McKinney to Southwest Region Business Development Team

HOUSTON, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Gary C. McKinney has joined the firm's Southwest Region Employee Benefits Consulting Practice in Houston (Ascende - an EPIC Company) as Business Development Manager.

McKinney is responsible for communicating the Ascende/EPIC difference and value to business leaders and the broader community. Through these interactions, he identifies opportunities to improve employee programs and administrative services, as well as to better manage costs and optimize a company's return on investment in their people. He collaborates with executive leadership and Ascende/EPIC subject matter experts to craft tailored solutions to advance each client's specific business goals.

McKinney began his career in HR leadership positions with Schlumberger, Ltd and Compaq Computer Corporation. He also served as the VPHR of Landmark Graphics Corp., a software company that assists the E&P industry with finding and developing hydrocarbons, and a wholly owned company of Halliburton. In addition, McKinney served as the CHRO for Valerus LP, a PE backed energy Services Company, and where he helped to drive 20% YOY annualized growth.

Prior to joining Ascende - an EPIC Company, McKinney worked as a CHRO for several Private Equity backed, rapid growth organizations and focused on leveraging human capital to meet both strategic and operational objectives. His emphasis on talent management and development allowed these organizations to maximize the return on their investments in people.

McKinney has also held leadership positions for professional organizations; the Human Capital Planning Society and the Information Services Human Resources Association, as well as serving on the Board of the Baylor Research Initiative and Collaborative.

McKinney received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Psychology from Presbyterian College. Professionally, he earned the Executive HR Certificate from Stanford University and the University of Michigan.

"Gary brings a wealth of knowledge combining his significant experience as a CHRO for some of the world's most successful organizations and supporting the needs of capital sponsors where private equity investments have been made," said Brett Haugh, EPIC's Managing Principal of the Southwest Region. "He has a solid perspective around the orchestration of benefit plans, communications, and the effective use of HR technology to align with business objectives. Gary is a committed, results orientated individual, with a passion for delivering creative, value-added solutions, and he has a reputation for providing thought leadership and a commitment to building strong, positive relationships that align with our core values. We are excited to have Gary join our growing operation in the Southwest Region and across the country."

Said McKinney, "As a senior HR professional, I am responsible for developing new business relationships, introducing the Ascende/EPIC approach and value, and helping our clients develop strategic solutions in all areas of human capital management and employee engagement and retention. This is truly an exciting opportunity for me."

Gary McKinney can be reached at:
Ascende - an EPIC Company
Office: 832-476-9942
Mobile: 713-557-4152
gary.mckinney@epicbrokers.com

About EPIC:
EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 1,000 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients.

With more than $200 million in revenues, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by the Carlyle Group, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country.

More information: http://www.epicbrokers.com/.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Dave Hock, of EPIC
650-295-4608
dave.hock@epicbrokers.com

Nicole Conley
408-295-4309 x104
nicole.conley@taniscomm.com

*PHOTO: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/17-0313s2p-McKinney-300dpi.jpg

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Gary C. McKinney has joined the firm's Southwest Region Employee Benefits Consulting Practice in Houston (Ascende - an EPIC Company) as Business Development Manager.

This version of news story was published on ScoopCloud™ (ScoopCloud.com) - part of the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved.

Ascende Wealth Advisers, Inc. named a top 100 retirement plan adviser team for third year in a row

Ascende an EPIC Company

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and HOUSTON, Texas, March 10, 2016 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- For the third time in a row, Ascende Wealth Advisers, Inc. (AWAI) has been named one of PLANADVISER'S Top 100 Adviser Teams in America. Nominated by several clients, vendors and peers, AWAI now qualifies for the PLANSPONSOR Retirement Plan Adviser Team of the Year award - a prestigious recognition the team almost brought home in 2014 when placing as a finalist just three years into AWAI's existence.

"It's an incredible honor to be nominated three years in a row. It really is a testament to how hard this team works," said Rob Massa, Ascende - an EPIC Company Retirement Director. "It's a wonderful achievement to have our clients nominate us, but it also justifies everything we've been working toward the last three years-talking about fiduciary best practices and creating solutions that lead to participants' success."

To be considered, small teams had to advise more than $2 billion in retirement plan assets or more than 100 plans; large teams needed more than $3 billion in retirement plan AUA or more than 170 plans. AWAI has quickly earned its place among a list of elite retirement plan advisers. The team now manages $3.2 billion in assets-an incredible achievement for any investment advisory firm, especially one formed as recently as 2011.

Rob Massa and his team will be recognized at the PLANSPONSOR/PLANADVISER Awards for Excellence in New York on March 31, 2016. This is an annual networking event celebrating the country's top plan sponsors, retirement plan advisers and industry providers. "We are very pleased with the well-deserved recognition that Rob and his team have received and we are looking forward to growing our retirement advisory practice at EPIC with them," said Chris Duncan, Chief Growth Officer for EPIC.

AWAI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ascende - an EPIC Company and was created to provide independence, protection and results to retirement plan sponsors and committees by fulfilling their fiduciary obligations with respect to plan investment selection, monitoring, oversight and compliance.

Launched in 2006, PLANADVISER is the only magazine to address the specific needs and concerns of advisers who specialize in institutional retirement plans, including 401(k) and defined benefit plans. PLANSPONSOR, a sister magazine, helps plan sponsors stay informed on crucial issues and innovative solutions.

About Ascende Wealth Advisers, Inc. (AWAI):

AWAI is an SEC registered investment advisory firm dedicated to providing unbiased investment advice by acting as either an ERISA 3(21) co-fiduciary or an ERISA 3(38) investment fiduciary to corporate sponsored qualified and nonqualified plans, as well as international and offshore savings arrangements. More information: http://www.ascende.com/.

About EPIC:

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 850 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 13,000 clients.

With more than $200 million in revenues, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by the Carlyle Group, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country. For additional information, please visit http://www.epicbrokers.com/.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Dave Hock, of EPIC
650-295-4608
dave.hock@epicbrokers.com

Nicole Conley
650-422-3156
nicole.conley@taniscomm.com

Twitter: @AscendeInc @EPIC_Insurance

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NEWS SOURCE Ascende Wealth Advisers Inc. :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (who is solely responsible for its accuracy) by and Copr. © 2016 Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®.