About Us
Our History
Since 1975, GCG Financial, LLC, has been a trusted partner for our clients. Our mission has been to enhance the financial security of the businesses and families we serve through exceptional employee benefits, risk management, and wealth management solutions.
In 2017, GCG Financial and 23 other like- minded, entrepreneurial firms came together to form Alera Group. Since then, Alera Group has grown to become the 11th largest independent insurance and financial services firm in the nation with over 4,000 employees, 180 firms, and thousands of clients across the country.
In 2022, we officially began embracing the Alera Group brand. What remains consistent is holding our clients at the core of our business; we focus on bringing personalized solutions, expanding our capabilities, and deepening our resources nationally.
Our Team
Trusted. Smart. Passionate.
Our team has a sincere commitment to the long- term success of our clients. With an emphasis on collaboration and teamwork, we create unique solutions that fit the distinct needs of each client. We are passionate about doing what is right for every client, driven by the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, integrity, character, fairness, trust, and confidence.
Our Presence
Our clients benefit from the expertise and resources of a large national firm, while still maintaining the advantages of local service and relationships. We leverage powerful relationships, industry experience, and resources with the goal of supporting our clients’ business strategies and elevating the experience of working with us.
Above all, our firm believes in empowering people – our clients, our team, and the individuals in the communities where we live and work.
We are headquartered in Deerfield, IL, with offices throughout Illinois and Colorado, along with more than 150 Alera Group locations across the country. Wherever you are, we can meet your needs.
Meet Our Team
Germaine Robertson
Director of Operations, Risk Management | Property & Casualty
Andy Adams
Wealth Advisor | Wealth Services
P: (847) 457-3211
As a Wealth Advisor, Andy’s goals are simple: to know his clients well, to treat them with respect and to measure his success by their success. To meet those goals, Andy develops financial plans tailored specifically to the individual needs of each of his clients. Andy values long-lasting client relationships and advises his clients through every stage of their financial journey.
Andy brings almost 25 years of experience with various institutional investing and financial planning firms to the Wealth Services team. What Andy enjoys most about his job is the opportunity to work with individuals and businesses on an intimate level. Understanding his clients’ goals and needs and the satisfaction of putting strategies in place to pursue them is his personal passion.
Outside of work, Andy enjoys spending time with his wife, Katie, and their golden retriever, Fletch. When he is away from work, he enjoys playing golf, craft beer, cooking and spending time with family and friends.
Education: B.A. Finance, Roosevelt University
Investment Advisory Services offered through Alera Investment Advisors, LLC. Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC., Member FINRA/SIPC. Triad Advisors LLC is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Triad Advisors.
Jim Berman
Vice President, Benefits Consulting | Employee Benefits
P: (303) 220-3261
Jim originally joined the firm in 1989 to build the Employee Benefits division in Illinois. After 13 years of leading the firm to tremendous growth in this area, he decided to try his skills on the carrier side of the business. In 2003 Jim joined United Healthcare as Vice President of sales for Colorado and New Mexico. His responsibilities included developing and managing a large sales and support team, developing marketing strategies for new products and services, and driving growth in membership and profitability. In 2006, Jim was promoted to a regional and national role in large accounts with the responsibility of creating and launching new products around consumer-driven strategies.
Jim returned to the firm in August 2009 after a five-year stint at United Healthcare. He also develops vendor relationships, creates sales strategies, and drives growth by attracting new customers. Jim lives in South Denver, Colorado with his wife and three kids. His hobbies include playing and coaching hockey, golfing and skiing when time permits.
Education: B.A., Communications, University of Denver, 1985.
Chris Breck, CIC, CRM
Senior Vice President, Property & Casualty
P: (312) 867-7359
Chris Breck began working with the team in 1989, and today he manages the day-to-day insurance and business needs of many of the firm's largest and most established clients. Chris acts as a risk manager for his clients, with an emphasis on working to control both risks and overall risk management costs.
His primary responsibility involves the design, marketing and implementation of commercial property and casualty insurance programs. He specializes in delivering alternative risk solutions, including captive insurance programs.
Chris maintains a broad industry focus, which includes manufacturing, service, retail, healthcare, private equity, and nonprofit companies.
Chris graduated from Illinois State University with a B.S. in Marketing/Business Administration. He has been a licensed insurance producer since 1992, has maintained his status as a Certified Insurance Counselor since 1996, and as a Certified Risk Manager since 2010.
Resources
Alera Group Spends The Week Giving Back
In the spirit of our Generous Community Giving program, Alera Group employees participated in a week of events, both in-person and virtually, for our 2023 Community Giving week.
Chicago Housing Authority Hiring Fair
Alera Group colleagues spent the day at the Chicago Housing Authority Job Fair reviewing resumes, helping with interview prep, working on communication skills, and offering general insights and advice to people just starting their professional careers. It was time well spent helping others in the community both professionally and personally.
Feed My Starving Children
The Alera Group team volunteering with Feed My Starving Children had a positive experience measuring, bagging, weighing, sealing, and packing meals for children over the course of an afternoon. Not only did they feel like they made a difference in the lives of others, but they also enjoyed using the time as a teambuilding exercise to work with colleagues outside of their department.
Lyman Woods Nature Center
Alera Group volunteers rolled up their sleeves to beautify the nature preserve by building a new fence and cleaning up the trails for the community to enjoy now that the weather has warmed up. Despite being a physically demanding morning, everyone agreed it was a rewarding experience.
Send virtual cards to patients at St. Jude
Our remote teammates were able to participate in Community Giving Week as well! They wrote dozens of encouraging notes to patients undergoing treatment for cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
The Alera Group volunteers not only gave their time and energy to make a positive impact on our communities, but unanimously agreed that they had a great time while doing it!
Alera Group’s 2023 Office 5k Raises Money for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
On October 12 we laced up our sneakers as part of our Generous Community Giving initiative. This year’s annual 5k included a record number of participants who enjoyed running and walking the outdoor course at our Deerfield, Illinois headquarters as well as a step challenge for remote employees. To keep things interesting, we added a new 5k relay event consisting of teams of four colleagues for some additional friendly competition.
The proceeds of the money raised this year benefits Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Their mission is to improve lives by accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat type 1 diabetes (T1D).
The day was billed a success as the rain clouds held off long enough for us to support an important cause while enjoying the company of our fellow team members.
An Alera Group Care Package
Alera Group colleagues came together last month to enjoy a lunch and celebrate our shared successes in 2023. The day had a bigger purpose though, as we rolled up our sleeves to kickoff our first Generous Community Giving event in the new year with nonprofit group, Blessings in a Backpack.
Blessings in a Backpack mobilizes communities, individuals, and resources to provide food on the weekends for school-aged children across America who might otherwise go hungry. By the end of the afternoon, over 100 Alera Group colleagues had packed 500 bags! Not only was it rewarding to collaborate on a physical task together, but we were thrilled to know that our work would ensure children in our community would not go hungry that weekend.
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Property and Casualty
2024 P&C Symposium
Join us as we bring together top experts to cover key risk management topics, summarize economic and personal risk market conditions and hear recommendations for strategically engaging with carrier partners.
May 1, 2024 at 09:00 am CT |
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Employee Benefits
Supporting Women’s Health Month: Trending Employee Benefits
In this session, we’ll talk about how employers are helping female employees and dependents be their best through every phase of life: From fertility, maternal care and parenting to peri/menopause, caregiving and mental health.
May 16, 2024 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
Q2 Compliance Update
Alera Group's quarterly employee benefits compliance roundup will help you stay current on the latest national regulatory developments impacting employers.
June 4, 2024 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Employee Benefits
This Mental Health Awareness Month, ‘Run Your Own Race’
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Here are tips and resources to help you get started on the route to a happier, healthier you.
April 25, 2024
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Property and Casualty
Navigating the Medical Malpractice Insurance Cycle
The rising trend of high-profile medical malpractice cases with significant monetary awards underscores the need for physicians and others in the medical industry to protect themselves with Medical Malpractice Liability Insurance.
April 23, 2024
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Wealth Services
Weekly Market Update
Stocks fell for a third straight week, as Fed Chair Jerome Powell's mixed but upbeat message could not offset the anxiety caused by the Middle East conflict.
April 22, 2024
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Retirement Plan Services
Help Participants Avoid These TDF Missteps
Target date funds (TDFs) have surged in popularity, reaching record assets of $3.5 trillion in 2023, with mutual funds slightly ahead of collective investment trusts. While TDFs offer advantages like simplified investing and automatic rebalancing, participants should understand potential pitfalls like mixing funds and changing risk preferences to maximize their benefits and avoid common missteps.
April 18, 2024
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