Press Releases

Risk Strategies Names Chris Powers Employee Benefits Practice Leader for the Eastern U.S.

Promotion expands responsibilities from prior New England regional leadership role

BOSTON, November 05, 2019 -- Risk Strategies, a leading national specialty insurance brokerage and risk management and consulting firm, today announced that Chris Powers has been appointed to lead its employee benefits practice for the Eastern United States. Previously, Powers oversaw the New England region of the firm’s employee benefits practice.

An industry veteran with almost 25 years in insurance, including in employee benefit consulting, Powers joined Risk Strategies in 2014 with the acquisition of Benefit Development Group (BDG), an employee benefits specialty brokerage based in Worcester, MA. In two years as the New England region employee benefits leader, Powers successfully merged the Boston and Worcester operations, driving efficiency and client satisfaction across the region.

“Risk Strategies’ key to success is its people, their expertise and the firm’s resources,” said John Greenbaum, National Employee Benefits Practice Leader at Risk Strategies. “Chris has done an outstanding job of blending organizations and creating processes that allow clients to benefit from seamless access to the tools, information and expertise they need.”

In this new role, Powers will expand his geographic focus, helping local and Eastern regional leaders grow their employee benefits business while assuring excellence in the overall client experience. In the near term, the firm anticipates adding a new regional leader to oversee its employee benefit operations in the Greater New York area. Powers’ experience at the firm will allow him to provide assistance and counsel to this leader as needed.

“It’s an honor to be trusted with this position and its responsibilities so soon into my tenure with Risk Strategies,” said Powers. “I’m excited to translate what I’ve learned about developing nimble, integrated and responsive client service to other operations in our practice.”

At BDG, Powers built the firm’s group benefits business, supporting both sales and account management. When BDG was acquired by Risk Strategies, he quickly became a key resource in promoting carrier relations, representing the firm at the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB), and sitting on both local and national broker councils for several of Risk Strategies’ key carrier relationships.

Powers’ early career included time as an account executive with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of MA, focused on municipal and large national employer groups. He previously served as President of the Massachusetts Association of Health Underwriters and is now a member of the CIAB, as well as the Broker Advisory Boards for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of MA, Cigna, and several other regional medical and dental insurers.

To learn more about Risk Strategies, please visit www.riskstrategies.com

About Risk Strategies

Risk Strategies is the 9th largest privately held US brokerage firm offering comprehensive risk management advice, insurance and reinsurance placement for property & casualty, employee benefits, private client services, as well as consulting services and financial & wealth solutions. With more than 30 specialty practices, Risk Strategies serves commercial companies, nonprofits, public entities, and individuals, and has access to all major insurance markets. Risk Strategies has over 100 offices including Boston, New York City, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Grand Cayman, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. RiskStrategies.com.