Burnham Benefits Welcomes New Account Executive, Andrea Pappas

IRVINE, CA--(Marketwire - May 30, 2012) - Burnham Benefits Insurance Services, one of the largest employee benefits brokerages in Southern California and one of the few to specialize solely in strategic employee benefits consulting and brokerage services, intends to capitalize on new Account Executive Andrea Pappas' extensive experience on the carrier and consulting sides of the employee benefits field.

Pappas' primary contributions will be in developing new business, as well as overall strategic planning and management of her client's accounts. These roles include negotiating benefit plan renewals, overseeing comprehensive marketing analysis, as well as in-depth benchmarking for her clients. In addition, Pappas maintains strong relationships with the leading vendors in the marketplace and is committed to maximizing her clients' education regarding industry trends as well as the best products and technology available. She also oversees the employee communication components for all of her clients. Additionally, she will serve as an HR resource, offering legislative updates affecting benefit programs and strategizing with clients to accomplish their long-term benefit objectives.

"Andrea brings the depth of experience and client commitment that we prize at Burnham Benefits," says Kristen Allison, president of Burnham Benefits Insurance Services and a 30-year veteran of the employee benefits industry. "She backs up her years of experience with a unique ability to work extremely well with people in a variety of roles within the industry. We welcome this occasion to reinforce the resources we offer clients and look forward to making the most of her strengths to benefit both clients and our organization as a whole."

Because Pappas has worked on the carrier side and as a consultant at Aon Hewitt for five years, she can seamlessly provide a level of service that many consultants can't. Prior to joining Burnham Benefits, at Aon Hewitt, Pappas managed private- and public-sector client groups and achieved significant cost savings through renewal negotiations. Prior, she also worked for MetLife, where she managed national account clients of 20,000 lives and above.

"This is a great opportunity to utilize my HR experience and degrees to effectively help employer groups as they progress to implementation and improvement of their HR processes," says Pappas. "I look forward to bringing my experience to a firm with such a collaborative atmosphere. The sense of teamwork at Burnham Benefits does more than just foster a positive work environment; it ultimately allows us to better serve our clients."

Pappas earned a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from Central Michigan University. She's a member of the Orange County Employee Benefit Association as well as the National Human Resource Association. She also volunteers with the YMCA Family Services Group in Orange County. Pappas lives with her husband Philip and 9-month-old daughter Emmalynne in Ladera Ranch, Calif.

ABOUT BURNHAM BENEFITS INSURANCE SERVICES: Based in Irvine, Calif., Burnham Benefits Insurance Services, Inc. is one of the largest employee benefits brokerages in Southern California and one of the few to specialize solely in employee benefits. Kristen Allison, President of Burnham Benefits and a 30-year industry veteran, acquired the firm in 1995 from John Burnham Insurance Services, an Orange County mainstay for more than 50 years. Boasting the in-depth industry knowledge and Fortune 500 resources of a large firm, Burnham Benefits prides itself on retaining the flexibility, creativity and consultative service of a boutique. After steady growth of 20 percent annually for the past 10 years, the company serves more than 300 corporate clients throughout the United States and manages more than $500 million in premiums. Working with its colleagues at Burnham Gibson Financial Services, and having the added expertise of in-house underwriters, compliance officers and communications specialists, Burnham Benefits provides an integrated approach to managing a client's full spectrum of employee benefits. Named the best small company to work for by the Orange County Business Journal in 2011, the company has three offices in California: Irvine, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, as well as offices in Oregon and the Washington D.C. metro area. For more information, visit www.BurnhamBenefits.com.