EXPERTS

Chicago Office: (312) 429-2253
What He Does: Provides vision and leadership for making Laurus Strategies one of the nation's fastest-growing consulting and professional services firms, orchestrates our mergers and acquisitions, is a champion for enabling employees to provide unsurpassed service and success levels to clients.

Why We Want Him Leading Us: Dan loves his job, saying, "I have always wanted to run a company based on an Employee-Customer-Shareholder business model. You invest in employees first. And when employees feel invested in, it carries over in great service to our clients." That core value is what compels Dan—and therefore all of us—to continually surpass the expectations of our clients and our shareholders. Dan ensures that each of us has the right resources to focus on what’s most important: getting results for the clients we serve.

With a high-level insurance background spanning more than 15 years, Dan has been involved in sales, service, underwriting and operational structure. He led development of several multimillion-dollar businesses in numerous U.S. cities and has earned countless awards and accolades throughout the financial services industry. A believer in community participation, Dan serves on boards for non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations and community organizations.

rczapiewski@laurusstrategies.com
Milford Office: (248) 438-2205

What He Does: Heads Laurus Strategies' finance and accounting departments, provides resources as part of Laurus Strategies' integral management team.

Why We Hired Him: Rob brings an extraordinary level of expertise in both public corporate and personal tax and accounting. In addition to being the president and CEO of a large Professional Employer Organization (PEO ) — which we later acquired—he's held positions of audit manager, quality control manager, corporate and personal tax consultant, personal financial planner and corporate/tax accountant. As Laurus Strategies' CFO , Rob helped structure the mergers and acquisitions that today comprise Laurus Strategies. Plus, he’s just really smart.

Global Workforce Strategies Practice
temerick@laurusstrategies.com
Office: (479) 957-4902

What He Does: Calls upon his vast knowledge in Global HR strategy, benefits and health care reform to help employers effectively navigate their way through today’s complex health care benefits arena.

Why We Hired Him: When it comes to understanding the intricacies of today’s health care benefits and programs, Tom isn’t even slightly intimidated. He knows the field inside and out, and he thrives on helping clients build and implement innovative solutions that satisfy ethical, quality and cost standards. And we believe there’s no one who can do it better. That’s because Tom’s experience in developing groundbreaking employee benefit plans is virtually unmatched in the industry. Before launching the consulting firm of Emerick Consulting, LLC, Tom served as Vice President of Global Benefit Design for Walmart. There, he developed and managed benefits for more than one million employees in the U.S. and 300,000 internationally; pioneered Walmart’s nationally recognized "medical travel" program; and headed the company’s Lean Six Sigma and process improvement initiatives. 

Tom’s lengthy and impressive resume also includes holding positions with Burger King Corporation, British Petroleum and American Fidelity Assurance Company; serving on the boards of the National Business Group on Health and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Benefit Committee, among others; and regularly speaking at major national and international benefits and healthcare conferences. In 2009, he was named to the top-100 list of innovators in U.S. healthcare for his work on medical ethics.

HR Technology Consulting Practice
tkennard@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2279

What He Does: Responsible for strategic growth initiatives while driving unparalleled service to our clients from an operational standpoint. Streamlines HR processes for clients through utilization of technology.

Why We Hired Him: Tony’s vast employee benefits experience and his tireless pursuit of superior client service make him a powerhouse performer. Over the past 26 years, Tony has held senior management positions in which he created and implemented results-driven services and solutions for national insurance companies, consulting firms and administrators. During his years at Prudential and US Healthcare, he was awarded for developing a hybrid claim/call center, which reduced turnaround time of claim disputes by 300%. He retrained claim units, increasing accuracy by 35% and COB savings by 265%. He was also awarded for restructuring the training delivery process for Towers Perrin, reducing prep time by 70%. At Trion, he was tasked with developing an administrative practice from the ground up, building one of the nation’s first web-based enrollment and eligibility systems integrated with carriers, clients and other third party platforms. That’s just a sampling of the reasons we wanted Tony to be part of our team. But the bottom-line is: Tony has the operational and technical expertise essential to delivering incomparable service.

Property & Casualty Practice
ahulett@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2251

What He Does: Oversees new business development and is managing partner of the Property & Casualty practice, is responsible for developing several multimillion dollar businesses in multiple cities across the country.

Why We Hired Him: It’s more accurate to say that he hired us! With his exceptional record in consultative sales and marketing, Andy co-founded Laurus Strategies. His core competencies include carefully assessing client risk management issues, including identifying and analyzing risk, strategically engaging the right resources to address issues, programming for savings potential and strategic risk financing, and delivering quantifiable results. This expertise comes from nearly 15 years of experience in many key aspects of the business including sales, service, client satisfaction and underwriting.

Human Resource Solutions
godonoghue@laurusstrategies.com
Dallas Office: (214) 505-1570

What He Does: Directs implementations and administrative services software technology, including HRIS and UltiPro systems.

Why We Hired Him: His vast experience and track record made bringing Greg onboard a slam-dunk. Greg has over 20 years of experience in human resource, payroll, benefits and HRIS support, and has worked with the UltiPro product for more than 10 years. He's left his mark on Dell Computer Corporation, Hyundai Electronics, Cyberlane and Affiliated Computer Systems (ACS ). He also worked with the renowned Dr. Jac Fitz-enz at the Saratoga Institute, where he specialized in tracking best-in-class HR practices and reporting on the key metrics to some of the top HR organizations in the country. Greg also worked as a product specialist at PDS and later Ultimate Software, and headed up the HR function at Cyberlane, a San Diego-based research and development company. Before joining Laurus Strategies, he served as the vice president of implementation and professional services for HR America, a company that utilizes UltiPro to provide outsourced HR and payroll services to mid-market companies.

Human Resource Solutions, Employee Benefits Consulting
jmichaud@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2293

What He Does: Works with organizations to design and implement results-driven human resources and employee benefits strategies; applies his vast experience in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and location realignments to help clients with restructuring and associated human resource challenges.

Why We Hired Him: Jim lives and breathes human resources and labor relations, and has vast experience in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and location realignments in helping clients with restructuring and associated human resource challenges. Most recently, as vice president of human resources for the Americas for the world’s largest steel company, Arcelor Mittal, Jim was accountable for all HR strategy and execution, including labor relations. He successfully integrated more than a dozen global companies into the Arcelor Mittal organization, and completed labor negotiations with the United SteelWorkers.

Prior to Arcelor Mittal, Jim served Alcoa for 27 years in a variety of senior human resource and labor relations positions at the plant, business unit and corporate levels. Today Jim also is a guest instructor at the Michigan State University School of Human Resources and Labor Relations, widely recognized as one of the top HR/LR programs in the country.

Employee Benefits Consulting
jfitzpatrick@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2252

What He Does: Focuses on new business development, packaging unique and creative solutions for clients, and making sure that we deliver on our promises to ensure client satisfaction.

Why We Hired Him: We didn’t, exactly. But we are sure glad he’s here. John is a cofounder of Laurus Strategies who had previously worked at three different insurance companies. His extensive insurance experience—in sales, service, client satisfaction and underwriting—includes calling on brokers and consultants and writing many millions of dollars in premium. The companies he represented are Laurus Strategies vendors today. And because John thoroughly understands their inner workings, he is able to use that knowledge to benefit our clients. John believes giving back to the community is as important as business success. He currently sits on the board for United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Chicago and the Mary Crane Center, and he is a founding member of the Chicago Business Resource Group (CBRG ). In addition, he coaches boys and girls basketball at Immaculate Conception.

mkendall@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2287

What He Does: Mark is masterful at aligning corporations’ strategic and tactical objectives in a way that enhances their financial position with the insurance carrier. He is certified in EMPAQ (Employer Measures of Productivity, Absence and Quality).

Why We Hired Him: Mark provides us with about two degrees of separation. If he doesn't know someone, he knows someone who does. With nearly 25 years’ experience and working with Fortune 1000 companies and their employees, he's created over $120 million in documented savings relative to life, accident, disability, voluntary benefits and international coverages. Beginning his ninth year in consulting large corporations, Mark’s past experience includes; leading the sales initiatives of Unum's Chicago operation and Prudential Financial’s Midwest operation. Mark is active in both industry associations and multiple community organizations.

mbruni@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (708) 774-2494

What He Does: Simply, Mike and his team help non-profit institutions raise more money. Specifically, Mike empowers organizations by building strong relationships with prospective and current donors, non-profit leaders, and volunteers, as well as local and state legislators. Mike prides himself on forming close partnerships with his clients, thereby assisting them to strategically plan and execute successful fundraising campaigns, build their annual funds, and help improve productivity from both staff and volunteer board leadership.

Why We Hired Him: For more than 20 years, Mike has lived and breathed fundraising. As a founder and partner in LatzBruni Partners, he interfaced with every component of non-profits, helping non–profit organizations raise more than $265 million. Early in his development career, Mike pursued—and received–federal grants for the Illinois Department of Corrections and Illinois Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse which enabled the first treatment program for the incarcerated in the State of Illinois, a pilot program which then became a national model. Before starting LatzBruni Partners, he worked as the Vice President of Advancement at Marian Catholic High School where he managed their first-ever Capital Campaign and led the school’s annual fund to a 240% increase in just four years.

Mike is passionate about the nature of non-profits, which fuels his desire to raise funds that are critical to enhancing his clients’ missions and improving their service line. Mike has served as a trainer, speaker and facilitator for over 100 educational institutions and community organizations, has been recognized as the Volunteer of the Year by both the Illinois Drug Education Alliance and the DuPage County Juvenile Officers Association, and is actively involved in numerous other community organizations.

Human Resource Solutions
mrogers@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2280

What He Does: Designs and implements strategic initiatives that create operational efficiencies, maximize ROI , improve areas of state and federal compliance and promote clear, consistent methods of communication between the clients and their human capital.

Why We Hired Him: For nearly 15 years, Mitch has worked very closely with professionals in the human resources, corporate finance and insurance fields. For example, he led regional sales teams for three major market employee benefits insurance companies and consistently ranked as a top performer in client retention and new sales objectives. Mitch has implemented strategic initiatives with organizations from start-up to over 5,000 employees. That’s the kind of expertise we count on.

Employee Benefits Consulting Practice
nlombaer@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2276]

What She Does: Helps clients with all aspects of health and welfare benefits, including strategy, health promotion and management, consumerism, pricing analysis, design and plan/vendor management.

Why We Hired Her: Nancy’s a pro who’s proved her metal time and time again. During her 25 years in employee benefits consulting and finance, she served as the primary national resource to Towers Perrin, an international consulting firm, on financial and actuarial issues related to managed care. Nancy also held positions of vice president, group underwriting for two major insurance carriers—Prudential and Blue Cross of CA (now part of Anthem/Wellpoint), and a for-profit hospital company. Among her many achievements, she created and implemented pricing policy and financial controls for managed care products and developed a feasibility model for one of the initial "start-up" Consumer Driven Health Plan companies to determine their viability in the large group market.

Employee Benefits Consulting Practice
bbryan@laurusstrategies.com
Wisconsin Office: (262) 347-4430

What He Does: Guides national clients in developing innovative long-term benefit plan strategies, plans vendor management, and leads client teams in delivering and managing those strategies.

Why We Hired Him: Bob has been in the employee benefits industry for nearly 30 years in a variety of roles including underwriting, marketing, consulting and management. His impressive track record of success was built from a benefits consulting background at firms including Sedgwick Nobel Lowndes and Aon Consulting. When it comes to long-term strategic planning, plan design and funding, mergers, acquisitions and helping clients manage their benefit plan cost, clients look to Bob as their one-stop resource. Clients know that they can trust Bob to deliver and they consider his client teams to be an integral part of their organization. He founded the first expansion of FST Associates in Milwaukee, WI, which ultimately became part of Laurus Strategies. He’s civic-minded and clients have great respect for him.

Corporate Financial Consulting Services
skaniewski@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2299

What He Does: Helps companies with strategic initiatives, including business performance improvements, mergers and acquisitions, corporate and financial institution turnaround and restructuring, crisis management and interim management; provides capital markets expertise, including investment management and capital-raising strategic services, to corporations, pension funds and insurance companies.

Why We Hired Him: It was just impossible to ignore his strengths—20 years of experience in corporate restructuring and finance, senior management and investment management, and experience as chairman of the board, president, chief financial officer, chief restructuring officer and chief investment officer. Scott provided workout and restructuring services to VMS Realty Partners during the Savings and Loan Crisis. He's raised over $500 million of debt and equity, restructured more than $1 billion of debt and has been involved in the merger, acquisition and disposition of more than 50 entities. He’s a member of the Turnaround Management Association.

Employee Benefits Consulting
scarter@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2245

What He Does: Creates sustainable employee benefit strategies and programs to support clients' company missions, develops and manages innovative long-term strategies, plans and vendors, leads client teams in executing the strategy in a way that produces the intended results.

Why We Hired Him: Scott is a high achiever, plain and simple. With 14 years of experience in corporate employee benefit consulting, he brings a national perspective on benefit plan issues and solutions, essential for clients with a multi-state presence. One of Scott's significant accomplishments was recommending and implementing one of the first full-replacement consumer-directed health plans of its size—for more than 30,000 employees across 33 states. He also dedicates time to the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization as a serving member on the board of directors.

Employee Benefits Consulting Practice
zportanova@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 431-0450

What He Does: Zeb utilizes his extensive public policy, business and philanthropic experiences to bring value to Laurus Strategies' health care, strategy and non-profit areas of expertise. As a business owner, investor and someone who sits on multiple boards, Zeb is no stranger to analyzing complex data, making tough decisions and utilizing his relationships to add value for Laurus Strategies clients. Recently, the majority of his time has been focused on providing significant health care savings for companies via direct contracts and Laurus Strategies’ MedTravel program.

Why We Hired Him: Zeb’s health care roots dig deep. His family has been involved in health care for generations, so he knows the business well. In addition to working on health care policy for a United States Congresswoman, which included the drafting of policies for seniors’ benefits and insurance eligibility, Zeb received his masters degree in Public Policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and was given the task of briefing Dr. David Ellwood, Kennedy School Dean, on health care reform in America. His policy analysis on health care in America enabled him to be selected for two consecutive years as a regional finalist for the White House Fellows Program, arguably our country’s most prestigious award for public service. In 2006, Zeb volunteered an entire year of his life working full time, pro bono, to enhance the mission of a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Florida, where he went on to manage 30 employees as Executive Director. After being elected to the board of directors, he served two terms as their youngest Chairman of the Board in history.

Zeb currently serves on the board of directors for a foundation that donates over $2 million annually throughout the State of Indiana. In addition to his health care and philanthropic achievements, Zeb lived through the rise and fall of a $1 billion real estate project in Florida and learned first-hand what it means to be the "last man standing." Zeb brings significant business knowledge and an extreme work ethic to the Laurus Strategies team. And if that wasn’t enough, he has a black belt in Shotokan Karate, which further demonstrates that "giving up" is not in his dictionary.

Human Resource Consulting Practice
acarr@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2284

What She Does: As the Managing Partner for the HR Consulting Practice, helps clients identify and implement smart solutions for all aspects of human resources-compliance, strategy development, total talent management, organizational design and more.

Why We Hired Her: When it comes to knowing how to build and develop high-functioning HR programs and teams, Andrea’s a proven performer. During her 20 years of in-house leadership and consulting experience, she has successfully managed people, and developed strategies, processes and solution-driven programs in diverse organizations. For example, she led the design and execution of comprehensive organizational and best practice assessments for the North American offices of one of the world's largest law firms, Baker & McKenzie, LLP; she helped guide a start-up entertainment firm to triple its size in less than one year; and she launched and implemented a decentralized statewide Human Resources program for Washington State, Department of Labor and Industries.

Employee Benefits Consulting Practice
kklotz@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2271

What He Does: As a Financial Manager and Client Lead within the Financial Management team, Kevin partners with clients to develop and leverage highly effective employee benefits practices. He also oversees the Financial team in underwriting protocol and client deliverables such as financial reports, budget projections and marketing analyses and summaries.

Why We Hired Him: With over 20 years’ industry experience, Kevin continues to deliver results for internal and external clients in diverse aspects of employee benefits including consulting, underwriting and client services. Having held various management positions in Underwriting at insurance carriers in the Midwest and on the West coast, he handled overall administrative, underwriting and financial profitability responsibilities for small, medium and large-sized clients. His diverse background in underwriting and direct work with actuaries has played a key role in developing rating methodologies as well as underwriting training.

Employee Benefits Consulting Practice
jnoonan@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2269

What She Does: Works with clients to create and manage sustainable health and welfare strategies and programs.

Why We Hired Her: Based on Joanne’s extensive and remarkable expertise, we hired her in 2002 and never looked back. Joanne has inside-out knowledge of the ever-changing benefits arena, including health care strategy, managed care, consumerism, pricing analysis, design and plan/vendor management.  Prior to joining Laurus Strategies, she had worked with several national insurance carriers and managed all aspects of employee benefits: administrative services, stop loss, HMOs, prescription drugs, group life and disability, and Medicare Advantage/PDP plans. Today she continues to leverage her vast knowledge to support effective, efficient benefits programs for Laurus Strategies’ clients in diverse industries. Among them are home construction, auto suppliers, construction equipment manufacturing and rental companies, printing and pharmaceutical companies. 

Employee Benefits Consulting Practice
bphillips@laurusstrategies.com
Chicago Office: (312) 429-2264

What He Does: In his role as a Client Lead on the Financial Management team, helps multi-site gaming, education and manufacturing clients develop and leverage highly effective employee benefits practices. He also helps Kevin Klotz guide the rest of the Financial team in underwriting protocol and client deliverables, such as financial reports, budget projections, and marketing analyses and summaries.

Why We Hired Him: When we first met Brian back in 2000, we would have guessed that his credo was to serve clients to the nth degree. And we would have been right. For nearly 30 years, Brian has been going to bat for internal and external clients in diverse aspects of employee benefits, including consulting, underwriting and client services. And he’s an ace manager. As Director of a Regional Business Unit for a major insurance carrier, he held overall administrative, underwriting and financial profitability responsibilities for over 350 group insurance clients. He also played a key role in developing an underwriting training program for new hires and provided technical advice for the entire underwriting operation.