Burnham Benefits and G2 Establish Business Alliance

IRVINE, CA and SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Apr 7, 2014) - Burnham Benefits Insurance Services, Inc., a California-based employee benefits consulting and brokerage firm with offices throughout California, and G2 Insurance Services, LLC -- a full-service property and casualty firm based in San Francisco -- are pleased to announce the formal establishment of a business partnership designed to provide each company's clients with a more robust offering, and full access to the expertise and resources of each of the highly specialized companies.

In a time when many insurance firms are being bought and controlled by private equity or publically traded firms, Burnham Benefits and G2 stand apart from the crowd. Both privately owned firms are dedicated to providing highly personalized customer-first service and believe in investing in their clients and teams rather than being motivated by outside shareholders nor driven solely by the bottom-line. Alignment of service models, core values and company cultures led to the formation of this business alliance, which both companies believe will help better serve new and existing clients.

Burnham Benefits clients now have the opportunity to work with trusted, best-in-class property and casualty professionals, while G2 clients gain access to Burnham's industry-leading employee benefits offerings. The alliance includes a referral partnership agreement, as well as plans to share knowledge, resources, staff and infrastructure. Employees from each firm will also have access to shared space in one-another's offices.

G2 is a re-imagining of a former San Francisco Bay Area firm, Goldman Insurance Services, a historic mainstay in its time. Founded by owner Richard Goldman's grandsons in partnership with Larry Colton, a former Goldman Insurance president, G2 is based on a "retro-radical" approach to insurance services. G2 is "retro" in its highly personal service that honors the Goldman spirit, and is "radical" in its aim to provide innovative service, next-generation technology and the most forward-thinking approaches to market. This retro-radical theme is reflected in the firm's three guiding principles: to hire the best, most experienced professionals; to focus on new ways to meet the ever-changing needs of their clients; and to deliver high-touch service that lives up to the Goldman name.

G2 has grown rapidly over the past year and a half with as much as 65 percent growth in 2013. During this time, the firm found that its clients needed access to the types of resources and service offerings Burnham Benefits is able to provide.

"We feel that Burnham is an ideal partner because, like G2, they are committed to providing the highest level of service while remaining laser-focused on their niche industry -- rather than trying to be all things to all people with a one-size-fits-all approach," said Larry Colton, CEO of G2. "By combining our resources, we'll be able to offer clients a full spectrum of employee benefits and insurance services." 

For the past decade, Burnham Benefits has grown quickly and consistently, at an annual rate of 20 percent. Since 2011, Burnham has seen expansion to six locations across California. In addition to its headquarters in Irvine, the firm has offices in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.

"As an independent company, we are able to focus on our dedicated service offerings and expand how and when we want -- without having to answer to outside shareholders," says Kristen Allison, president and CEO of Burnham Benefits. According to Northern California regional president, Michael Michalski, "Establishing this partnership with G2 provides an exciting new opportunity for us to deliver our specialized services to their customer base, while offering our clients high-level property and casualty services. We are proud to join with such like-minded partners and we're confident that the alliance will lead to new levels of success for each firm."

Burnham and G2 share an excitement about the new strategic partnership and expect significant revenue growth in 2014 and beyond.

For more information about Burnham Benefits, its products, services and team members, please visit www.BurnhamBenefits.com. To learn more about G2, please visit http://g2insurance.com.

ABOUT G2 INSURANCE SERVICES: G2 Insurance Services, LLC is a privately owned full-service insurance brokerage firm headquartered in San Francisco, Calif. G2 is founded on the idea of a "retro-radical" approach to insurance -- personalized service provided by seasoned professionals combined with innovative ideas that revolutionize the industry. Experiencing 65 percent growth in 2013, G2 offers high-level services in the personal, equine, commercial, risk management, employee benefits and life insurance sectors. The firm employs top property and casualty (P&C) professionals with an average of 25 years of experience, and in 2013 became the first full-service insurance brokerage firm headquartered in Northern California to be named a Certified B Corporation. G2's executive board members Matthew and Jason Goldman have been named to the San Francisco Business Times prestigious "40 under 40" list. By reconnecting to the past, G2 is helping their clients better connect to their future. For more information, visit http://g2insurance.com.

ABOUT BURNHAM BENEFITS INSURANCE SERVICES: Burnham Benefits Insurance Services, Inc. is an independent, full-service employee benefits consulting and brokerage firm headquartered in Irvine, California. The firm is one of the largest in California and one of the few to specialize solely in strategic employee benefits consulting and brokerage services. The privately held group provides client-first health and wellness programs, and through its strategic partnership with Burnham Gibson Financial Group, it also provides retirement planning and wealth management services. Burnham Benefits effectively manages more than $1 billion in premiums for more than 300 clients, while maintaining a more than 98 percent client retention rate and a 20 percent annual growth rate. Because Burnham does not have outside shareholders, it can create customized solutions that fit clients' best interests -- investing in the tools and resources needed to provide the specialized level of service today's challenging climate demands. Its team of more than 70 highly skilled industry professionals include in-house underwriters, compliance officers, healthcare reform consultants, communications specialists and wellness experts. Burnham Benefits' footprint currently spans offices in Orange County, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, Calif. as well as satellites in Oregon and the Washington D.C. metro area. Burnham Benefits holds national recognition as one of Business Insurance's Best Places to Work in Insurance 2013 and Best Place to Work by the Orange County Business Journal three years running. For more information, visit www.BurnhamBenefits.com.