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All About BBI -- People, Process & Results InfoThis page is all about BBI, who we are, what we do, how we want to serve you and what you can expect to gain from our relationship.We want you to get to know us on this page, to get a feel for what we're like and how we do our business.
We think that's what's really crucial. After all, you're the one who's taking a chance, making a change, evaluating alternative sources of information. Here's what you'll have after dealing with BBI:
So, OK, let's go, right? One warning first --
To find out how to contact us, click here to go from "About BBI" to "Contact BBI" But probably before you want to contact us, you want to know if we're the kind of folks you want to work with... the kind of company that can really help you... the kind of company with enough experience to solve your problems.
So, let's do first things first. Let's begin with, We're Business Benefits Insurance Brokerage, Inc. Most of our clients simply call us BBI... and that's how we answer the phone -- it's a lot easier than "Business Benefits Insurance Brokerage." But that's just the company name... a company is only as good as the people who are behind it and who answer the phone. OK, Who Are the BBI People?Doreen Mason
First, there's Doreen. She's been with me longer than anyone -- since 1999. When you're talking about BBI, she's the first subject to come up.
When we first met, we decided in about five minutes that I couldn't afford anyone as experienced as she is with as much executive talent as she has.
She was an underwriter at both Delta Dental and Blue Cross of New Hampshire. Then she went into marketing management... she'd done everything except work for a (then) pipsqueak company.
But we enjoyed each other's company and the thought processes we both shared, to say nothing of the complimentary strengths (She's organized, I'm not. I'm a global thinker (big picture), she figures how to get things done on time... you get the idea.)
So we spent the next half hour figuring out how we could make the "deal" happen, irrespective of my inability to afford her.
Doreen's primary responsibilities are
Chip Brogan
He joined me in March of 2006, after spending 11 years with Mutual of Omaha's Boston sales office -- as both manager and as a broker representative sales executive. He found out about BBI because he was our representative while there. Prior to that, he was with the Grandaddy of all Disabiliy companies, UNUM for 8 years. As they say, he's forgotten more about group STD, LTD, Life, and Dental than most brokers ever knew. We met while he was with Mutual of Omaha, and he helped me help clients, so long before he joined us, he was around and about BBI for a while. He works with existing clients and is also active in selectively adding new members to our family of happy clients.
Kathi started with us in the later winter/spring of 2007. How did she find out about BBI? We did the benefits for her husband's company until it was sold, so when she decided to get into the benefits and insurance business, she looked us up. She comes from a totally different insurance background than the rest of us. She cut her teeth in the Property and Casualty field as a risk analyst for a major firm. This gives her a unique perspective when she approaches a case analysis, and it makes her amazingly quick to grasp new concepts and to suggest alternative ways of doing traditional things. Her insight has helped us modify our plan design process, and the results have pleased quite a number of our clients -- despite never having met her face-to-face.
Tifini Durant
She's a sophomore at Salem State College, and she's studying accounting. And doing quite well, I might add... she's as intelligent as she is attractive. She's also talented. In 2007, Tifini was first runner-up in the Miss Black Massachusetts contest -- clearly, she was robbed!! We first hired Tifini when she was 16, and she learned about BBI through the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence, where she was an active participant. Even at that tender age, she grasped the importance and seriousness of work, and she gave us great value for what we paid her. We've had her back regularly since then, and she is now with us on every holiday and vacation period. We hope she stays for many years. Yours Truly
Then there's me, Jim Edholm. I entered the insurance business in -- God help me -- 1975, and I first began dabbling in group insurance in 1982.
I quit doing anything else in 1992, and candidly, I've never looked back. But it's not all about BBI...
But New England is now home (Chicago used to be, and it still exerts its siren song at least a couple of times a year), so warm or cold, here I am and here I'll remain. While I spend most of my time thinking about BBI, my other passions are travel (anywhere's fine, but Europe is both my particular favorite and that of my wife, Kathy.) I also like -- no love -- golfing, although as you can see from the picture above, boating isn't so bad either... as long as I can get my friend, Clark, to do the maintenance on the boat! In fact, anything in warm weather is OK with me.
 Some people say perhaps too much... but I don't let that stop me. If you have ANY professional organization that would like to hear from someone on benefits, benefit cost control, the latest developments in health care... anything to do with benefits -- let me know. Click on the Contact Page and call me, email me, whatever. I'll be there. I promise you, it won't just be about BBI... I work very hard to pack up-to-the-minute information that's useful to whatever audience I address! The BBI Group As a Whole I think we're pretty responsible people, and we all get involved in our local communities. Here's a picture of us at Thanksgiving, 2007, when we all, including spouses, went down to the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence to help serve dinner to 650 kids.
Yes, But What Do We For You?It's simple -- we're your "benefits quarterback." When you think about benefits, we want you to think about BBI.We want to be your resource for EVERY benefits-related problem you have. Whatever you have a question about, BBI is your answer. For example, our direct specialties are:
But That's Not AllEven in the areas that we don't do directly, we're still there to help you.Other businesses are just like you... they have the same problems, the same concerns, the same needs. So we've assembled a network of specialists in those areas where we don't directly provide services:
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But first, what's in it for you?
This isn't the Contact Info page!!
Doreen heard about BBI through the husband of a former employee, and I heard about her when I was looking for help.
Then there's Chip Brogan.
Kathi Levine
Tifini is our newest associate. She's part-time because her full-time vocation is student.
I legitimately love the group benefits business (and pardon my burgeoning ego, but I think I have a bit of a flair for it), but I have to admit, I'd prefer to find a warmer climate in which to do it.
