Winning Broker of the Year

Last week, I was named “Broker of the Year” by Benefits PRO magazine, a leading publication in our industry.  Words can’t express how excited and proud I was to receive this award from such a prestigious publication.  Thank you Benefits PRO.

There were four other Finalists up for the award, each one equally deserving of the award themselves.  I really enjoyed getting to know them a bit more, and hopefully we will all stay in touch with one another. 

The question has already come up, “What did you do to earn this award?”  Not in a bad way, but just in a curious way.  So, I’d like to take a minute to share some of the things that I believe led to me winning this award.

1. Innovation:  At Butler Benefits, we are always striving to either find or develop innovative solutions to high health care costs.  The work we do for our clients impacts the unit cost of care, especially in the key areas of acute care, outpatient surgical procedures, diagnostic imaging, and prescription drugs.  These four areas are driving the vast majority of health care expenditures in all companies.  We have very unique ways to mitigate risk/cost in these areas.
2. Transparency:  For years, Butler Benefits has been 100% transparent with our clients in regards to compensation.  In this industry, there are many misaligned incentives that may influence the advice a company receives from their broker.  By disclosing compensation, it aligns the interests of our clients with our firm.  Now transparency is the law, and brokers/advisors are required to disclose compensation….something we’ve already been doing for years.
3. Passion:  I believe that employers hold the keys to systemic change in healthcare, after all, 2/3 of our country still accesses our health care system via an employer sponsored health plan.  I believe that healthcare is hurting businesses and families in this country, mainly financially, and that the status quo is unsustainable.  My passion for solving healthcare’s greatest challenges is expressed in the work we do for our clients.  We will prevail.  We are prevailing, one employer at a time.
4. Team work:  I am extremely blessed to have a very productive team of people I work with at Butler Benefits.  Each person on our team fulfills something a bit unique in their rolls at the agency.  My wife Allison, who is also my business partner, is meticulous and thoughtful in her work, overseeing our service team.  Winning new business is only half of what makes a successful brokerage/consulting firm.  Keeping that business requires an entirely different skill set.  Much of my success, our success, is derived from a team effort to win and retain clients. 

While I do not know the specific methodology behind choosing a winner for Broker of the Year, I’d like to believe these few reasons were partly the reasons why.

To everyone who has reached out to congratulate me, thank you!  I appreciate your support.  But now it is back to helping people in our own unique way, one employer at a time.