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 over 4,200 employees, 190+ locations, 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
Pam S. Davis, CLU®, ChFC®
Vice President, Wealth Services
Pam started with the firm in 1978 in an administrative capacity. She became an advisor in 1979 and has since been one of the firm’s leading advisors. During her distinguished tenure with the firm, Pam has provided services to individuals and businesses throughout the country. She is a repeat member of the Top of the Table, a group comprised of leading life insurance and financial services professionals worldwide. Throughout her career, Pam has been the top female advisor at the firm. She is the first and only female to become Advisor of the Year for her production at the firm. Pam is also among the first women in the country to break the Top 10 Advisors level within her broker-dealer.
Active in many charities and organizations, one of Pam’s greatest passions is that all children, no matter their circumstances, have access to an outstanding education. To help realize that goal, Pam was a member of the Leadership Council of The Chicago Public Education Fund for a number of years. Pam has also worked with AUSL (Academy for Urban School Leadership) and was on the Board of Trustees for the Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago. Pam currently serves on the Family Advisory Council for Cradles to Crayons in Chicago and is a member of the Campaign Cabinet of the Lake County Community Foundation.
Pam and her husband Dan live in Highland Park, Illinois. Their two passions are spending time with their adult children and three grandchildren and traveling. Pam and Dan travel extensively and delight in exploring countries across the globe and learning about different cultures. They also spend time each year in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they enjoy hiking, frequenting art galleries and spending time with friends.
Credentials: Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®)
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.
CA license # 0C59058
Rockwood Edwards
Senior Wealth Advisor | Wealth Services
Rock joined the firm in 1999, where he specializes in the use of life insurance for estate planning, business succession, and executive compensation strategies. He has worked in the financial services industry since 1982, when he joined Planned Futures Incorporated. In 1995 he became President of Planned Futures. Rock is a past Director of Wintrust Financial Corporation, and he is also on the fundraising committee for The Hope Foundation for Autism and Epilepsy. Rock and his wife, Beth, have three children and live in Northfield, Illinois.
Education: B.A., Business and Marketing, University of Indiana; Massachusetts Mutual Business and Estate Planning School.
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.
CA license # 0759683
Gregg Elstien, ARM, CIC
Senior Vice President, Property & Casualty
Gregg Elstien is considered one of the strongest advocates in the commercial insurance and risk management fields. His approach involves a proprietary analysis to uncover areas of need in order to develop a sustainable program that will reduce costs tied with evolving risk. Over 26 years in this industry, Gregg believes that to truly understand opportunities for improvement, you must take time to understand what makes a business distinctive. Furthermore, if the outcome of his analysis does not provide significant value, then he feels we would not be the right partner. Gregg works predominantly with businesses who are focused on constant improvement with a partner who understands how critical due diligence, cost reduction, claim management and safety are to their operations.
Gregg is a contributing member of Alera’s captive vertical. He also has a deep focus in manufacturing, distribution, transportation/logistics and nonprofits.
Because Alera Group has such an excellent bench in health insurance, financial services, life insurance as well as personal home and auto insurance, he coordinates those efforts to help businesses in the same areas of cost reduction and improved service, many that companies don’t know about.
Beyond what he provides in insurance risk management experience, Gregg also understands how important it is to help his clients in areas outside of their insurance needs. He is a very active professional networker and brings his extensive group of professionals in a variety of industries to his relationships to grow their operations.
Gregg has been a professional speaker on a multitude of topics for over 26 years. His speaking engagements include the Illinois CPA Society, Rockford University, Axelson Center and the Nonprofit CFO Roundtable. He is also the Chicago co-host for the CFO Mastermind.
Gregg is the Chair of the Advisory Board for Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center, a nonprofit that is the first responder to children who have been sexually abused and/or physically abused. They work to heal both children and families as well as help prosecute the perpetrators.
Gregg is an Advisory Committee Member for Reclaim 13, which prevents child trafficking and prevents child exploitation.
Michael Engelhardt
Vice President, Benefits Consulting | Employee Benefits
Having specialized in Health & Welfare for over 20 years, Michael has designed an approach that is truly unique. He’s designed an approach to benefits that leverages the principles of LEAN, to improve efficiencies and drive greater outcomes for his clients.
At a time when employers often change carriers to improve pricing or benefits, Michael helps his customers maintain their current programs and enjoy both improvements in costs and benefits. He does this by leveraging the numerous Advanced Healthcare Strategies, that he’s continuously vetting out and validating as part of the AHS Vertical at The Alera Group. The less obvious outcome of his services is Michael ultimately helps to reduce the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH), for the employees and dependents of his clients, and supports their journey towards Health Equity.
In addition to his market knowledge from over 20 years in the insurance industry, Michael is a regular speaker on a wide range of industry related topics, including cost containment strategies, healthcare captives, benchmarking and underwriting strategies. His client-centric service model is supported by best-in-class analytics, communications, legal, actuarial and technology deliverables.
Michael is the President of the Chicagoland chapter of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, is a past Board Member of the Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Board, where we served as Chairperson. He lives in Sugar Grove with his wife and four children, enjoys an active lifestyle and is an avid Illini Sports fan.
Education: B.S. Economics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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
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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Employee Benefits
Optimize Your Benefits: A Three-Pronged Approach
Want to lower healthcare costs and enrich your benefits program at the same time? If so, this webinar is for you.
June 20, 2024 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
[Alera Engage] Benchmarking for the Win: How Does Your Benefits Program Rate?
Ask our clients about the No.1 tool that helps them develop an impactful benefits program, and they'll tell you is benchmarking.
July 18, 2024 at 02:00 pm CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Retirement Plan Services
Millennials Redefining Retirement
Millennials are reshaping retirement, prioritizing financial freedom over age. Discover their varied retirement plans and challenges like money dysmorphia and debt management.
May 14, 2024
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Property and Casualty
Perfect Storm Hitting Personal Lines of Insurance
A convergence of disruptive forces is hitting the market for personal lines of insurance in 2024, making it extremely challenging for insurers to provide coverage personal property and casualty (P&C) coverage, particularly Home and Auto Insurance.
May 14, 2024
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Wealth Services
Weekly Market Update
Stocks notched a solid gain last week as rate-cut expectations paced the rally as the Q1 earnings season wound down.
May 13, 2024
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Wealth Services
Monthly Market and Economic Update - April 2024
Read about the latest insights on the market and economy from our Director of Investments, Bob Janson.
May 8, 2024
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