Burnham Benefits Executive Earns Prestigious Recognition From Association for Corporate Growth

IRVINE, CA--(Marketwired - May 12, 2016) - Burnham Benefits Insurance Services -- one of the most highly respected industry leaders in the California employee benefits brokerage space -- recently achieved another acclaimed mark of excellence from the business community. On May 5, the 21^st Annual Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) event highlighted exceptional Orange County middle market companies. Kristen Allison, 20-year president and CEO of Burnham Benefits, was presented with the distinguished Founders Award. This eminent designation each year honors one long-standing business leader who fosters and delivers phenomenal growth, while exemplifying the best traits of record achievement and goodwill through community service.

"I could not be more proud of this achievement and its significance," said Allison. "The ACG is a remarkable organization focused on advancing the growth of the corporate sector, so to receive this honor speaks volumes to what Burnham Benefits is achieving in the marketplace. This award belongs to all of our talented team members who bring outstanding expertise and insight to our clients in employee benefits consulting, insurance and brokerage services."

Burnham, which now serves over 400 clients and employs more than 80 skilled professionals across California and Washington D.C., began in 1995 with Allison's bold decision to acquire the benefits practice of 50-year-old industry veteran firm John Burnham & Company. "My vision for the company was to grow organically by servicing our clients at the highest level, providing them with the finest suite of benefits and insurance options and delivering extraordinary value every day," said Allison.

With those tenets in place, the Burnham culture has grown in line with her expectations and commitment to best-in-class accomplishments. Burnham is now nationally considered one of the most innovative, tactically strategic and comprehensive providers of services in the benefits, insurance, financial and compliance sphere.

Allison's dedicated approach to her clients, employees and community has been unwavering since she entered the benefits sphere over 30 years ago. As a result, Burnham holds national recognition as Business Insurance's #1 Best Place to Work in Insurance 2013 and 2014, and for five consecutive years it has been named a Best Place to Work by the Orange County Business Journal. Her philanthropic efforts include protecting and empowering the disadvantaged youth though early care, after school programs and emancipated youth programs such as Insuring the Children, Orangewood Foundation, Mustard Seed Ranch, CASA Youth Shelter and CHOC.

Burnham has also recently joined the exclusive membership of over 1,700 Certified B Corps, companies aligning together to harness the energy and dynamism of business to solve the world's social, environmental and commercial problems. "We are pleased to join companies from more than 50 countries and over 130 industries to transform our world through the entrepreneurial spirit of business," Allison said.

In accepting the ACG Founders Award, Allison along with the Burnham team can appreciate how their approach to clients and community are producing real and meaningful impacts. "I realize how important all of Burnham's stakeholders are to the organization," Allison said. "Our company is dedicated to continued delivery of an unparalleled level of service, resource capacity and operational excellence."

For more information about Burnham Benefits, please visit: www.burnhambenefits.com.

About Burnham Benefits Insurance Services: Burnham Benefits Insurance Services, Inc. is a privately held, full-service employee benefits consulting and brokerage firm headquartered in Irvine, Calif. The firm is among the largest in the state to specialize solely in strategic employee benefits consulting and brokerage services. With a comprehensive offering of client-first health and wellness programs, Burnham effectively manages more than $1.5 billion in premiums for more than 400 clients. A certified Benefits Corporation (B Corp), the firm maintains a more than 95 percent client retention rate and has averaged 25 percent growth annually over the past 10 years. Because Burnham Benefits does not have outside shareholders, it can easily adapt and create customized solutions that fit clients' best interests -- investing in cutting-edge technology and the tools and resources needed to provide the specialized level of service that today's rapidly challenging climate demands. Its team of more than 80 highly skilled industry professionals includes in-house underwriters, compliance officers, healthcare reform consultants, communications specialists and wellness experts. Through a strategic partnership with Burnham Gibson Wealth Advisors, Burnham also provides retirement planning and wealth management services. Burnham Benefits' footprint currently spans offices in Orange County, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sacramento and San Diego, Calif., as well as a satellite office in the Washington D.C. metro area. Burnham Benefits holds national recognition as Business Insurance's #1 Best Places to Work in Insurance 2013 and 2014 and has been ranked a Best Place to Work by the Orange County Business Journal for five years running. For more information, visit www.burnhambenefits.com.