[BETHLEHEM, PA] October 2021
BSI Corporate Benefits has announced the acquisition of the Ashner Agency LLC. Marc Ashner, the founder of Ashner Agency LLC, started his small business in hopes of aiding in the search for best-in-class employee benefits for small businesses. Marc’s mission was to give small businesses quality assistance and top-level service that he believed they deserved. He worked with firms with less than 50 employees, helping them discover the best benefits while staying within their budget.
Marc began his career by managing benefits for approximately thirty small firms and 100 individual policies. By assisting customers in finding the best medical coverage for their employees, he created confidence and trust with local companies. Marc eventually launched a branch that specialized in individual benefits. Marc later became a licensed Medicare specialist as some of his customers began to age out of their group insurance.
This allowed Marc to offer professional counsel and support to those who were struggling to make decisions regarding their health care. “Beginning and growing my business was a very fulfilling experience for me, I have formed lifetime ties with many of my clients over the years, particularly those who were the basis of my book of business,” said Marc.
Marc was aware of BSI CORE and the benefits and security it offered small to midsize businesses, but his options were restricted. Thinking about what was best for himself, his family, and his clients, Marc began discussions with Shawn Hughes, SVP and Tony DaRe, CEO of BSI Corporate Benefits, about how BSI could help his clients. Marc decided it would be best for BSI to acquire The Ashner Agency and become the broker of record for his clients while still allowing him to manage his existing clients.
Tony founded BSI in 2003 with the mission to serve as an advocate for clients on both a human and financial level. Regardless of company size, helping clients and their insured members make better choices to effectively manage their healthcare spend and goals has always been the main objective. Today, BSI is a privately held, independently owned national employee benefits consulting firm with over 175 clients nationwide and internationally. Marc says, “the way BSI has grown over the years and become a leading employee benefits firm in our area was hard not to notice.” After the acquisition Marc joined BSI as Director of Strategic Accounts, concentrating on companies with fewer than 50 employees. Together, Marc and Tony can provide customers with a level of day-to-day support, devotion, and commitment that BSI is recognized for.
Marc is pleased with his decision to move his accounts to BSI a few months after the change. “I have never seen a firm so dedicated to their employees,” he adds, “and working at BSI is genuinely like being a part of a giant family.” The ability to provide his clients with peace of mind increased risk protection, and an in-house customer care staff to contact whenever they had a query cemented his choice to make BSI the broker of record. Another important consideration in selecting BSI was the company’s culture. BSI has established a work environment and culture in which workers understand the genuine meaning of cooperation and are encouraged to be themselves.
“I love how involved BSI is with our entire community and the way they give back,” Marc comments. Marc adds that as difficult as it was to let go of the company he had worked so hard to develop, he immediately realized that BSI was the ideal location for him, his clients, and his family. Together, they can take on any client size because of their aligned purpose, beliefs, industry knowledge, passion for the community, and ability to be a go-to resource for businesses as they navigate the difficult world of healthcare. Years of experience and client connections have helped define these two business owners, resulting in dynamic cooperation for business owners across the area.
About Ashner Agency LLC and BSI Corporate Benefits
Ashner Agency LLC
Founded in 2009, Marc Ashner wanted to aid in the search for small business employee benefits. Ashner Agency’s goal was to provide a level of support and best-in-class services to smaller businesses. Ashner Agency focused on employers with less than 50 employees to meet their financial goals while helping companies discover the best benefits.
BSI Corporate Benefits
BSI Corporate Benefits (BSI) was founded in 2003 by Agency Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Anthony (Tony) DaRe. He started BSI with the mission to be an advocate for clients on both a human and a financial level. Today, BSI is a fiercely independent national employee benefits consulting firm with client groups ranging in size from 50-15,000 employees. BSI currently represents over 150 clients in 43 states and internationally and currently manages over $550M in healthcare spend. BSI is proudly headquartered in Bethlehem, PA, and has additional offices in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and Detroit, MI.