Burnham Benefits and Burnham Gibson Grow Impressively in 2012, Poised for Continued Success in 2013

IRVINE, CA--(Marketwire - Mar 25, 2013) - 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 -- closed 2012 with impressive growth, earning the loyalty of 58 new clients, six being public sector clients with an average of 800 employees. Partner company, Burnham Gibson Financial Group Inc. -- a full-service financial services firm also based in Irvine, Calif. -- saw a banner year as well with a strengthened infrastructure; strategic new hires including the addition of a senior analyst position; and investment in robust technology expansion projects in 2012 to support a growing client base comprising $750 million in assets.

"Our strategic growth plan for 2012 was to actively acquire books of business and talented professionals who complement and strengthen the organization," says Kristen Allison, president of Burnham Benefits. "We not only met our collective goals, but we entirely exceeded the expectations for revenue, personnel and client accomplishment. In 2013, we will continue striving to provide extraordinary service to the companies and employees that depend upon Burnham and building upon our industry success."

Burnham Benefits' new business gains resulted in revenue growth of 16 percent over 2011, and Burnham was able to maintain a strong 97 percent client-retention rate. To support ongoing growth and expansion, Burnham increased its internal staff by 21 percent, including the promotion of two new partners. For the second consecutive year, Burnham Benefits was named a Best Place to Work in Orange County from the Orange County Business Journal (OCBJ) in the small company category. The OCBJ also ranked Burnham at #18 on its annual Top Insurance Brokers list, with Burnham Benefits being the only employee benefits firm to make the prominent list.

Through measured, comprehensive technology upgrades, Burnham Gibson improved work flow and delivered greater efficiencies for its clients. The firm adopted a new customer relationship management (CRM) system to build out more advanced task-management systems and streamlined work flows. It also implemented a new rebalancing tool that automatically calculates trading formulae to help its wealth-management team provide reliable data and elevated customer-service capabilities. A new "fiduciary briefcase" system benefits the 401(k) department by allowing clients to log into a secure portal to access all pension-related fiduciary documents. The aggressive investment in technology allows Burnham Gibson to be more responsive to clients' questions and requests without sacrificing data quality -- an ability that places the company above the industry standard.

"These important investments in our business make our practice even more efficient and allows our advisors to devote more time to client service," says Darin Gibson, president of Burnham Gibson Financial Group. "Advisors' time and resources are typically stretched pretty thin in our industry. By continually investing in best-in-class infrastructure and making these efficiencies a priority, our advisors gain the advantage of more time to devote to proactively servicing each of our clients."

The tactical alignment between Burnham Benefits and Burnham Gibson allows both firms to offer vast service selections found in larger institutions while maintaining a high level of expertise and client-focused service. The innovative partnership was featured as the February 2012 cover story in the leading industry trade publication, Employee Benefits Adviser, to highlight the advanced combination of employee benefit and financial services expertise. Together, Burnham Gibson and Burnham Benefits have created a one-stop shop that handles all their clients' benefits, insurance and financial needs with industry-leading expert talent, a strong infrastructure and boutique-style customer service. The strategic alliance allows both firms to help fill a void in the local market for clients interested in taking an integrative approach to financial and insurance products and services.

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 insurance. Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego employers trust Burnham to understand the unique challenges of the Southern California market. 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 $600 million in premiums. Working with its colleagues at Burnham Gibson Financial Group, 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 Best Place to Work by the Orange County Business Journal in both 2011 and 2012, 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.

ABOUT BURNHAM GIBSON FINANCIAL GROUP INC.: Burnham Gibson helps corporate and individual clients accumulate wealth, manage risk and plan for the future. Based in Irvine, Calif., the robust, full-service financial services firm offers an unparalleled complement of best-in-class services to help provide for the full spectrum of clients' financial needs, and the needs of their workforces. Burnham Gibson currently advises on approximately $750 million in assets for corporate and individual clients. In 2010, the company partnered with Burnham Benefits Insurance Services to provide a comprehensive offering of integrated employee benefits solutions. The relationship allows both firms to leverage a larger organizational scale and depth of management, improving the quality and service they can provide for clients. For more information, visit www.burnhamgibson.com.

PPG 84199 (3/13)(Exp 3/15)