Category: Corporate News

BrokerTech Ventures Hires Emily Schultz as Managing Director

Operations Expert and Veteran to Lead BTV’s Five Towers of Operation and Execute on Company’s Strategic Direction

Des Moines, IA – August 17, 2023 – BrokerTech Ventures (BTV), the industry’s first broker-led convening platform and accelerator program, is pleased to announce the hiring of Emily Schultz as its new Managing Director.

In this role, Schultz will be responsible for setting and executing on the strategic direction of BTV to help advance innovation within the broker technology industry. Schultz will also be responsible for leading BTV’s five distinct towers of operation — early-stage investments, innovation, capital, media & communications, and the accelerator — alongside BTV’s managing partners.

“We are beyond thrilled Emily has joined our BTV family,” said Dan Keough, Holmes Murphy Chairman & CEO and BTV Co-CEO. “Emily comes to us with deep and diversified experience in not only operations, but also in the startup and entrepreneurial space. Her understanding of our business and her strong awareness of the benefits of innovation in the industry make her the perfect fit for this role.”

Schultz comes to BTV with a plethora of experience. Most recently, Schultz was the Sr. Director of Publishing Operations and a member of the Executive Leadership Team for Business Publications Corporation (BPC), an Iowa-based media company that publishes the Des Moines Business Record and dsm magazine, along with owning and operating WriteBrain media. Prior to that, Schultz was the Project Lead for Visionary, a technology company that provides companies large and small with web design, web development, and digital marketing solutions.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the BTV team and have a front row seat to the exciting innovations that are happening throughout the insurance industry,” said Schultz. “I’ve had the pleasure of watching the BTV team in action, and I’m happy to be part of their ongoing journey of innovation.”

In the four years since BTV’s inception, it has grown to include 12 of the most sizable and innovative brokerage firms in North America, and 14 of the most notable and respected insurance companies and wholesalers with both domestic and international presence. In addition, BTV also represents 60 insurtech startups from around the world, inclusive of those in the U.S., Israeli, and Latin American accelerator programs, with investments and commercial engagements with many.

“We’re excited about the exceptional team we’re building at BTV,” said Susan Hatten, Holmes Murphy Chief Marketing Officer and BTV Chief Operating Officer. “Emily’s ability to guide critical decisions, strategy, and tactics for the greater BTV company coupled with John Jackovin’s exceptional work in the accelerator space is setting us up to be a key innovation ecosystem that will help shape the future of insurance.”

For more information on BTV, please visit www.brokertechventures.com.

About BrokerTech Ventures

Based in the insurance nucleus of Des Moines, Iowa, BrokerTech Ventures (BTV) is the first broker-led convening platform and accelerator program focused on delivering innovation to the insurance broker industry. Founded in 2019, BTV provides a venue for the best minds in insurance and technology to collaborate and bring to market leading-edge ideas and solutions. BTV invests in the research and testing for each of the chosen startups, provides access to veteran industry mentors, and helps scale the technology to market through broker distribution channels. Learn more at www.brokertechventures.com, or follow us on Twitter (@BrokerTechVen), LinkedIn, or Facebook.

About Conner Strong & Buckelew
Conner Strong & Buckelew is among America’s largest insurance, risk management and employee benefits brokerage and consulting firms. The firm is an industry leader in providing high-risk businesses with comprehensive solutions to prevent losses, manage claims, and drive bottom line growth. Its employee benefits practice focuses on providing best-in-class benefits administration, health and wellness programs and strategic advisory services.

Founded in 1959 with offices in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Massachusetts, Florida, and Delaware, Conner Strong & Buckelew has a team of 500+ professionals, serving clients throughout the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.connerstrong.com or follow us on LinkedIn (@ConnerStrong&Buckelew), Twitter (@connerstrong), Facebook (@connerstrongbuckelew) and Instagram (@connerstrongbuckelew).

Conner Strong & Buckelew’s Matt Walsh Honored as Rising Leader in the Insurance Brokerage Industry with Business Insurance 2023 Break Out Award

One of the youngest partners in firm’s history honored for industry leadership and professional accomplishments.

CAMDEN, NJ (March 24, 2023) – Conner Strong & Buckelew, a leading insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, is proud to announce that Matt Walsh has been named a 2023 Business Insurance Break Out Award winner. Walsh, one of the youngest partners in the firm’s history, is one of only 40 national winners and one of 10 Northeast regional winners. Business Insurance’s annual Break Out Award program recognizes United States-based professionals with less than 15 years of experience who are on track to be the next leaders in the risk management and property/casualty insurance field.

Walsh is a Partner and Senior Account Executive for National Accounts as well as Co-Chair of the firm’s Real Estate and Hospitality Practice Group. Since joining Conner Strong & Buckelew nearly 12 years ago, Walsh has risen the ranks, starting as an Account Analyst before assuming several progressive leadership roles. Thanks to his combination of technical industry expertise, excellent understanding of his clients’ businesses, strong market relationships, creativity, proactive management and responsiveness, his clients view Walsh as an extension of their management team – the gold standard for insurance brokers.

“Matt is a solutions-oriented problem solver who exceeds our clients’ expectations and is a strong role model for his colleagues,” said Michael Tiagwad, President & Chief Executive Officer of Conner Strong & Buckelew. “This is the second year in a row that a young Conner Strong & Buckelew leader has been recognized with this prestigious award – a true testament to the value our team consistently provides to our clients and the strength of our training program. I join the entire team at Conner Strong & Buckelew in congratulating Matt on this achievement.”

There are countless examples of Walsh leading his team to provide unprecedented value to clients. One recent instance was during the pandemic. With several clients facing potentially devastating COVID-19-related losses, Walsh’s team brought empathetic creative thinking to the table, aptly negotiating mid-term adjustments, waivers of premiums and audits and program extensions with deferred premium payments, to name a few. These and other creative solutions helped his clients weather the most challenging headwinds they had ever faced.

“In Matt’s world, timely and accurate responses can make or break successful real estate transactions because insurance is a critical component to close on financing. Matt thinks like a client and a business owner and organizes his team and client service plan accordingly,” said Jim McGlynn, Senior Partner, National Accounts, New York Region Practice Leader and Walsh’s executive mentor.

Walsh has been with Conner Strong & Buckelew for the entirety of his professional career. This milestone is increasingly commonplace at the firm, which prides itself on fostering talent from within and an industry-high employee retention rate.

Founded in 1959 with offices in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Delaware, Florida, and Georgia, Conner Strong & Buckelew has a team of more than 450 professionals, serving clients throughout the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.connerstrong.com or follow us on LinkedIn (@ConnerStrong&Buckelew), Twitter (@connerstrong), Facebook (@connerstrongbuckelew) and Instagram (@connerstrongbuckelew).

About Business Insurance’s Break Out Awards
Business Insurance’s Break Out Awards program honors 40 top professionals on track to be the next leaders in the risk management and property/casualty insurance field. Break Out winners from across the United States are recognized for their leadership and professional skills and can be working in any area of the industry – risk managers, brokers, insurers, reinsurers, MGAs, MGUs, wholesalers, captive managers, TPAs, lawyers and other providers serving the commercial insurance sector.

About Business Insurance:
Business Insurance is a singular, authoritative news and information source for executives focused upon risk management, risk transfer and risk financing. With information for risk managers, insurers, brokers and other providers of insurance products and services, Business Insurance delivers in-depth analysis on new and emerging risks, case studies of successful programs, market intelligence on trends, and guidance on how to capitalize on opportunities and overcome challenges. Business Insurance covers core risk management and insurance areas such as property/casualty insurance, captive insurance and other alternative risk transfer vehicles, and enterprise risk management.

Business Insurance provides in-depth coverage of specific industries such as health care, construction, transportation and energy. You will also read about the latest trends in specialty risks such as cyber liability, political risk, reputational risk and emerging risks such as green energy and fracking. We also cover workers compensation. We explore the technology and processes that facilitate the management of risk and the delivery of insurance products and services. Business Insurance covers the operational and strategic concerns of brokers, insurers, reinsurers and consultants for the industry. Delivered in a multi-media mix, including a monthly print magazine, and daily online and mobile news, Business Insurance helps readers do their jobs better.

BrokerTech Ventures Announces 2023 Cohort Class for Accelerator

Startups from across the U.S. and U.K. gain access to intentional engagement and distribution offerings through BrokerTech Ventures’ collective 27 agency and insurance company partners.

Des Moines, IA – March 28, 2023 – BrokerTech Ventures (BTV), the industry’s first broker-led convening platform and accelerator program, has selected the following 12 insurtech startups to take part in its highly intentional accelerator curriculum.

1Fort, New York, NY
Adapt API, San Francisco, CA
Boon Health, Bingham Farms, MI
Comulate, San Francisco, CA
Frame Fertility, San Francisco, CA
GOAT Risk Solutions, Buckinghamshire, UK
Insight Risk Holdings, Weston, CT
Irys Insurtech, Tampa, FL
Pagedip, Boulder, CO
ReFocus AI, San Diego, CA
Sertis, Reno, NV
Transharpe Solutions, Charlotte, NC

“In this, our fourth year of the BTV Accelerator, I am thrilled with the diversity of technologies that will move through the accelerator, as well as the diversity in geographies represented,” said Dan Keough, Holmes Murphy chairman and CEO and BTV co-founder. “We truly have some of the highest-caliber, early-stage and growth insurtech companies on our roster, and they touch nearly every angle of insurance risk management — from P&C commercial to cyber to health/benefits-tech solutions.”

The accelerator cohort kicks off April 4, 2023. During the program, the startups will advance their technologies, accelerate their progress through a select mentor network, receive $50,000 in seed funding, and gain immediate access to BTV’s multi-billion-dollar distribution platform to deploy the technologies.

“This class is really exciting for a number of reasons,” said John Jackovin, executive director of the BTV Accelerator. “The startups include some who had reapplied after not making it in years past. We also have more female founders than ever before, which is tremendous to see! And, of course, the products and technologies continue to improve. We are fortunate to be able to engage at this early stage to provide a tremendous value to the community.”

Collectively, BTV represents 13 of the largest independently owned insurance brokerages and 14 of the largest insurance companies in North America, with a combined multi-billion dollars in annual distribution capacity.

“The true value in our BTV Accelerator and business model is in the engagement with our trifecta ecosystem of BTV agencies, insurance companies, and capital resources,” said Keough. “Many of the startups who go through the accelerator have an engagement with our partners that lasts well beyond the accelerator as we work to deploy their technologies to collectively help our clients and the insurance industry identify risks sooner to drive down costs faster.”

In addition to activities in the United States, BTV co-founded the first broker-centric accelerator in Tel Aviv, Israel — the Israeli Insurtech Accelerator — along with InsurTech Israel. BTV has also teamed up with insurance leaders in Latin America to launch and fuel The LATAM Insurtech Accelerator (LATAMIA).

For more information on BTV, please visit www.brokertechventures.com.

About BrokerTech Ventures

About Conner Strong & Buckelew
Conner Strong & Buckelew is among America’s largest insurance brokerage, risk management and employee benefits brokerage and consulting firms. The firm is an industry leader in providing high-risk businesses with comprehensive solutions to prevent losses, manage claims, and drive bottom-line growth. Its employee benefits practice focuses on providing best-in-class benefits administration, health and wellness programs and strategic advisory services.

The company provides insurance and risk services to a wide-range of industries including but not limited to construction, education, healthcare, hospitality & gaming, life science & technology, public entity and real estate. Additionally, Conner Strong & Buckelew and its affiliates offer a number of innovative and specialty solutions which include captive strategies, construction wrap-ups, executive risk, safety and risk control, and private client services.

Founded in 1959 with offices in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Massachusetts, Florida, and Delaware, Conner Strong & Buckelew has a team of 450+ professionals, serving clients throughout the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.connerstrong.com or follow us on LinkedIn (@ConnerStrong&Buckelew), Twitter (@connerstrong), Facebook (@connerstrongbuckelew) and Instagram (@connerstrongbuckelew).

Conner Strong & Buckelew Partners with Rothman Orthopedics

‘Rothman Direct’ provides select Conner Strong & Buckelew members greater access to orthopedic care.

CAMDEN, NJ (April 1, 2023) – Conner Strong & Buckelew, a leading insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, announced a strategic partnership with Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, a world leader in musculoskeletal care. Select Conner Strong & Buckelew members will have access to ‘Rothman Direct’, ‘Rothman Direct’ is a concierge service, providing member participants with expedited scheduling access with a wide range of services proven to lower total surgical costs for employers, reduce readmissions and emergency room visits and aim to get employees back to work in a more timely manner. These services include access to patient scheduling representatives, extended call center hours, nurse navigation services as well as convenient and fast online scheduling tools empowering members to self-schedule with Rothman Orthopaedic top-ranked providers.

“Gaining early and continuous access to high-quality care is a critical factor that may not only lead to better health outcomes for patients but can materially lower employer healthcare costs. Providing access to Rothman Direct is the latest demonstration of our commitment to offering our clients proven innovative tools to lower their total cost of care,” said Joe DiBella, Executive Partner, National Employee Benefits Practice Leader at Conner Strong & Buckelew. “Rothman is a world leader in orthopaedic care, and we know our clients’ members will benefit greatly from superior access to their incredible healthcare providers and facilities.”

“The partnership with Conner Strong & Buckelew strengthens our direct-to-employer channel and we are excited to provide affordable healthcare benefits to their clients and their dependents,” says Alexander R. Vaccaro, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A, President of Rothman Orthopaedics, Richard H. Rothman Professor and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics, and Professor of Neurosurgery at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals. “The integration of Rothman Direct will provide care coordination that will enable Conner Strong & Buckelew clients the world-class treatment they need faster.”

“We’ve seen time and again the difference that having primary points of contact, simple scheduling tools and nurse navigation services can make on a patient’s recovery,” said Ed Tufaro, Interim CEO of Rothman Orthopaedic Institute. “The concierge service offered through Rothman Direct makes receiving care easier and leads to significantly improved health outcomes for patients. With Rothman Direct, we can help employees get back to work faster and lower total healthcare costs for employers.”

This solution from Rothman Orthopaedics joins a long list of products Conner Strong & Buckelew provides that are designed to help its self-funded clients manage their healthcare costs. Other solutions like Enhanced Recovery After Surgery from Goldfinch Health, BeneRN and ClaimCheck are similarly designed to ensure plan members are properly supported and receive appropriate care in the best setting and ensure plan sponsors that large costs will be intensely scrutinized for accuracy. This combination of patient support and macro cost management ensures Conner Strong & Buckelew clients receive the management and oversight they need to keep costs down and manage plan members’ health.

About Rothman Orthopaedic Institute
Rothman Orthopaedic Institute is the largest musculoskeletal practice in the United States according to Becker’s Review. A world-leader in the field of orthopaedics, Rothman Orthopaedics partners with health systems, hospitals and physicians to build enduring musculoskeletal systems of care in communities that are high-quality, compassionate, affordable and grounded in evidence-based medicine.

Rothman Orthopaedic Institute orthopaedists treat patients in 43 locations and has surgical privileges at 71 facilities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Florida. With experts in nine orthopaedic sub-specialties including spine, hip & knee, foot & ankle, shoulder & elbow, hand & wrist, sports medicine, physical medicine & rehabilitation, orthopaedic oncology and trauma, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute is recognized for excellence in clinical treatment methods, research, education and technology.

Consistently recognized as national and regional “Top Docs,” Rothman Orthopaedic Institute is proud to be the official team physicians for the Philadelphia Eagles, Phillies, the Orlando Magic, the iconic Radio City Rockettes, The Big EAST Conference, as well as 63 college and high school teams.

For more information, please visit www.RothmanOrtho.com.

Five Conner Strong & Buckelew Consultants Recognized by Risk & Insurance® Power Broker® Awards

Conner Strong & Buckelew Announces New Benefits Practice Alignment and Promotions

CAMDEN, NJ (February 21, 2023) – Conner Strong & Buckelew, a leading insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, today announced it has promoted Kristine Klepper to the role of Executive Partner, Chief Operating Officer, Employee Benefits Practice. Her promotion coincides with a strategic organizational realignment in the company’s employee benefits practice to support the group’s continued expansion. In her new role, Klepper will focus on managing operations across the employee benefits practice and expanding key service areas. Klepper will be responsible for consulting teams, the firm’s data and population health capabilities, and the firm’s compliance and audit resources.

“Kris has been an instrumental leader within the organization for the past 12 years. With 30-plus years of experience, she’s a true asset and I can’t think of anyone more qualified and better to serve in this expanded role as we strive to meet our ambitious business goals,” said Joe DiBella, Executive Partner, and National Employee Benefits Leader at Conner Strong & Buckelew. DiBella oversees the Employee Benefits Practice at Conner Strong & Buckelew and has been with the organization for 18 years. Klepper’s expanded role allows DiBella to focus on strategic initiatives, new products, and organizational growth as the firm enters new markets.

As part of the realignment, Tammy Brown will now serve as Executive Partner, Public Entity and HIF Business, Training and Technology Leader, where she will focus on managing and expanding the firm’s public entity business, growing the Health Insurance Funds business, as well as improving the firm’s employee training and technology offerings. In addition, Colleen Davenport will now serve as Senior Partner, Captive and Creative Solutions Leader, where she will focus on the growth of the firm’s highly effective captive offering, as well as further expand the company’s creative solutions and communication services.

Klepper, Brown and Davenport will report to DiBella in a simplified organizational alignment.

“Benefits packages play a critical role in raising employee satisfaction and retention, two significant drivers of overall business success,” Klepper said. “Our employee benefits practice has expanded significantly over the past several years by finding new and innovative solutions that move the needle for our clients. Conner Strong & Buckelew has supported me at every step of my career, and I’m excited for the opportunity to do even more to help our business continue to grow.”

About Conner Strong & Buckelew

Conner Strong & Buckelew is among America’s largest insurance, risk management and employee benefits brokerage and consulting firms. The firm is an industry leader in providing high-risk businesses with comprehensive solutions to prevent losses, manage claims, and drive bottom line growth. Its employee benefits practice focuses on providing best-in-class benefits administration, health and wellness programs and strategic advisory services.

Conner Strong & Buckelew Named to 2022 List of 100 Healthiest Workplaces in America by Healthiest Employers®

Leading Insurance, Risk Management and Employee Benefits Brokerage and Consulting Firm Recognized for its Commitment to the Well-being and Health of Employees

CAMDEN, NJ (November 14, 2022) – Conner Strong & Buckelew, a leading insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, today announced it has been named to Healthiest Employers’ 2022 list of the 100 Healthiest Workplaces in America. This recognition honors Conner Strong & Buckelew’s continued commitment to fostering all facets of employee mental and physical health.

“Health and well-being are the heart of our organization. We’re honored to have been recognized as one of the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America,” said Alexis Wolfson, Chief Human Resources Officer, Conner Strong & Buckelew. “We are passionate about making sure our employees have access to the benefits programs and resources they need to live well and stay well. From our daily wellness tips to our annual health fair, free flu shots, and incentivizing employees to complete physicals and biometrics screenings, Conner Strong & Buckelew is fundamentally committed to creating a culture that implements, promotes, and supports health and wellness programs that truly benefit our valued employees and their families.”

Healthiest Employers is a trusted awards program that recognizes people-first organizations taking a more proactive approach to employee health. Each year, the organization conducts a rigorous scoring and benchmarking process to comprise its Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America. Comprised of employers of all sizes, locations and industries, each company on this year’s list received exceptional scores in the following six categories:

Culture and Leadership Commitment
Foundational Components
Strategic Planning
Communications and Marketing
Programming and Interventions
Reporting and Analytics

Conner Strong recently made its largest investment in employee health and wellness to date by opening a state-of-the-art onsite health center. In addition, the company is committed to increasing awareness and offering solutions to our employees and their families to help address mental health concerns. Employees have access to an employee assistance program and to enhanced behavioral health resources via telemedicine to provide 24-7 access to psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, counselors, and therapists offering support for a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, family difficulties and more.

BrokerTech Ventures Accelerator Opens for 2023 Cohort Applications

Positions to take part in 4^th year of program up for grabs with more than $500,000 in seed funding at stake.

Des Moines, IA — November 1, 2022 – BrokerTech Ventures (BTV), the industry’s first broker-led convening platform and accelerator program, has opened the application window for its 2023 BrokerTech Ventures Accelerator program.

Since its founding, BTV has grown to include 15 of the most notable super-regional brokerage firms in the nation, 14 of the world’s most highly respected insurance carriers and wholesalers, and 48 insurtech startups from around the world, inclusive of those in the U.S., Israeli, and Latin American accelerator programs. The company is dedicated to fostering innovation in the insurance space by providing early-stage insurtech companies the support to develop tech solutions for the industry.

“As we look at launching our fourth year in the Accelerator space, I continue to be amazed with the depth and level of expertise, products, and solutions being brought forward by startups for the betterment of the insurance landscape and our clients,” said Dan Keough, Holmes Murphy Chairman and CEO and BrokerTech Ventures Co-Founder. “This coming year, I believe we can expect new insurtech solutions with greater influence and even more diversity of thought for the industry. I’m excited to see what the startups will bring to the table.”

The concept of the BTV Accelerator is to be an “innovation hub” and proof of concept environment for broker-centric products and technology solutions, ultimately bringing validated solutions to the industry. The ideal candidates for the Accelerator are early-stage insurtech startups.

“There isn’t anything that can accelerate a startup more than distribution, and that is exactly what the BrokerTech Ventures Accelerator does,” said John Jackovin, BrokerTech Ventures Accelerator Executive Director. “Our broker, carrier, and wholesaler partners are hungry for the latest technologies and products that will help them identify risks sooner, provide better service, and drive down costs. As a result, our startups achieve the acceleration they need to grow and thrive.”

The deadline for BTV Accelerator submissions is December 15, 2022. The initial review will be in January, with the top 20 startups chosen to take part in the Selection Series in early March. The Selection Series will be a virtual event where BTV partners can dig deeper into the products, companies, and teams. Subsequently, the cohort will begin the five-week Accelerator program in April 2023. More than $500,000 in funding is at stake for the selected broker-centric, seed and early-stage startups, with each startup receiving up to $50,000.

To submit an application for the 2023 Accelerator, go to www.brokertechventures.com.

If you would like to arrange a media interview to discuss the BTV Accelerator or other BTV activities, please email Susan Hatten, BrokerTech Ventures Chief Operating Officer, at [email protected].

About BrokerTech Ventures
Based in the insurance nucleus of Des Moines, Iowa, BrokerTech Ventures (BTV) is the first broker-led convening platform and accelerator program focused on delivering innovation to the insurance broker industry. Founded in 2019, BTV provides a venue for the best minds in insurance and technology to collaborate and bring to market leading-edge ideas and solutions. BTV invests in the research and testing for each of the chosen startups, provides access to veteran industry mentors, and helps scale the technology to market through broker distribution channels. Learn more at www.brokertechventures.com, or follow us on Twitter (@BrokerTechVen), LinkedIn, or Facebook.

Conner Strong & Buckelew Acquires Employee Benefits Firm Armstrong, Doyle & Carroll

CAMDEN, NJ (September 6, 2022) – Conner Strong & Buckelew, a leading insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, today announces it has acquired Pennsylvania-based employee benefits consulting and brokerage firm, Armstrong, Doyle & Carroll. In business since the 1950s, Armstrong, Doyle & Carroll is a respected, privately held firm that specializes in unique benefit plan solutions, including managing a statewide benefits insurance program for private schools and colleges in Pennsylvania.

The acquisition is the latest in a series of strategic partnerships and acquisitions by Conner Strong & Buckelew to align with high-quality benefits and property & casualty organizations. This deal, as with the firm’s other acquisitions, continues to strengthen Conner Strong’s value proposition regionally and nationally, expand the firm’s footprint and deepen the firm’s capabilities.

“We’re looking forward to Armstrong, Doyle & Carroll joining our organization. John Doyle has built a terrific company, and he and his team will add value to our business,” said Michael Tiagwad, President and CEO of Conner Strong & Buckelew. “Together, we share a reputation for delivering exceptional services to our customers, and we welcome John and his team to ours.”

“Armstrong, Doyle & Carroll has a similar vision to Conner Strong & Buckelew in how to use integrated solutions to meet the evolving needs of the employee benefits market, so they were a natural fit to join our team,” said Joseph DiBella, Executive Partner, National Employee Benefits Practice Leader at Conner Strong & Buckelew. “We look forward to working together to continue to serve our customers and grow our business.”

Led by 30-plus year employee benefits industry veteran John Doyle, Armstrong, Doyle & Carroll will ultimately operate under Conner Strong & Buckelew’s brand after a brief transition period.

“Joining Conner Strong & Buckelew will enhance and deepen our resources so we can continue to meet the needs of our clients,” said John Doyle, CEO of Armstrong, Doyle & Carroll. “We believe the alignment will be great for our employees and our customers, and we’re excited to be a part of such a premier organization.”

About Conner Strong & Buckelew

Conner Strong & Buckelew is among America’s largest insurance brokerage, risk management and employee benefits brokerage and consulting firms. The firm is an industry leader in providing high-risk businesses with comprehensive solutions to prevent losses, manage claims, and drive bottom-line growth. Its employee benefits practice focuses on providing best-in-class benefits administration, health and wellness programs and strategic advisory services.

About Armstrong, Doyle & Carroll

Founded in the 1950’s, Armstrong, Doyle & Carroll, Inc. is a full-service Employee Benefits Consulting and Brokerage firm working with employers and plan sponsors from all sectors and in all sizes, both locally and nationally with complex health and benefit plans. The firm manages specialty programs and provides unique consultancy to groups with customized and unique benefit solutions.

Conner Strong & Buckelew Partners with Goldfinch Health to Offer Cost-Saving Surgical Care Management Solution

High-impact, high-value surgical care navigation model proven to significantly speed patient recovery and lower overall healthcare costs

CAMDEN, NJ (September 1, 2022) – Conner Strong & Buckelew, a leading insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, today announced that it has partnered with Goldfinch Health, the industry leader in clinical navigation through surgery and recovery, to provide its self-funded clients access to surgical care management tools and solutions that generate significant cost savings and superior patient outcomes.

Goldfinch Health uses a model in surgical care navigation known as Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (“ERAS”). ERAS is founded on patient-centered, evidence-based pathways proven to reduce a patient’s surgical stress response, optimize their physiologic function, and facilitate recovery. These care pathways form an integrated continuum, as the patient moves through the preadmission, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases of surgery. By optimizing the care patients receive, this process can lead to a 50% reduction in opioid abuse, a 75% reduction in readmission rates, and a 32-day faster recovery rate, all of which translates to an average cost saving of $10,000 per patient.

“Surgical recovery can be a challenge for even the healthiest people, and proper facilitation and support of recovery is critical. Goldfinch Health executes the most efficient strategy in surgical recovery through ERAS,” said Jill Ambrose, RN, Director of Wellness and Population Health at Conner Strong & Buckelew. “The ERAS method is centered around the patient’s pain management. With support from the surgical care team and Goldfinch Health, the patient’s immediate need for opioid use is reduced, while also lessening the risk for acute pain to become a chronic pain management issue.”

“The unfortunate truth about surgery today is that it is far too invasive for far too many people. Not only can surgery be expensive, but it also exposes our family members, friends, and coworkers to complications like infections, dangerous doses of opioid painkillers, and extended recovery. Patients pay for these consequences and so do their employers,” said Brand Newland, PharmD, CEO of Goldfinch Health. “It doesn’t have to be this way. We are proud to partner closely with Conner Strong & Buckelew to bring a higher standard for surgical care.”

This solution from Goldfinch Health joins a long list of products Conner Strong & Buckelew provides that are designed to help its self-funded clients manage the high costs associated with chronic and catastrophic claims. Other products like BeneRN and ClaimCheck are similarly designed to ensure plan members are being properly supported, care is appropriate and provided in the best setting, and that large costs are intensely scrutinized for accuracy. This combination of patient support and macro cost management ensures Conner Strong & Buckelew clients receive the management and oversight they need to keep costs down and their plan members healthy.

“This partnership with Goldfinch Health reflects our commitment to providing our clients with a holistic suite of tools that lead to powerful health benefits and keep overall healthcare expenses down,” said Kristine Klepper, Conner Strong & Buckelew Executive Partner, Practice Leader, National & Major Accounts. “Surgeries are expensive and highly taxing on the body. As such, the patient-centered, evidence-based ERAS approach goes a long way in producing better outcomes for everyone involved. We’re excited to work with Goldfinch Health as we continue to make strides in surgical care management.”

About Conner Strong & Buckelew

Founded in 1959 with offices in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Delaware, Florida, and Georgia, Conner Strong & Buckelew has a team of 450+ professionals, serving clients throughout the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.connerstrong.com or follow us on LinkedIn (@ConnerStrong&Buckelew), Twitter (@connerstrong), Facebook (@connerstrongbuckelew) and Instagram (@connerstrongbuckelew).

About Goldfinch Health

Goldfinch Health (https://www.goldfinchhealth.com/) minimizes high-cost claimants and optimizes the surgery experience within existing provider networks, saving companies and employees time, money and addiction. Goldfinch does this with an innovative combination of tech-enabled clinical navigation and opioid-minimizing Enhanced Surgical Pathways.