About Us
Since 1999, Champion Benefits has been a trusted partner for our clients. Led by Neil Phillips, who has been consistently recognized as a Top Employee Benefit Advisor by Atlanta Business Chronicle/NAIFA, our mission is to transform the client experience by providing a greater depth and breadth of cutting-edge tools and resources, personalized solutions, innovative thinking, and top tier collaboration.
Our highly vetted and experienced benefits team has become known as a leading curator of advanced benefit solutions. The founding aspirational vision was reflected in “Champion” being part of our name, which means “to work for or fight for the cause of another; to contend for another’s rights.” This continues to undergird our approach and commitment to our clients.
In 2018, Champion Benefits joined Alera Group as the first firm based in Georgia. Since then, Alera Group has grown to become the 11th largest independent insurance and financial services firm in the nation with over 4,200 employees, 180 firms, and thousands of clients across the country.
Throughout this evolution, what remains consistent is holding our clients at the core of our focus. Which is to say, we do employee benefits with you and your employees wellbeing and success at the center of all we do. The Way It Should Be.
Meet Our Team
Neil Phillips
Managing Partner
Neil Phillips is the Managing Partner of the Atlanta office of Alera Group after serving as the President for Champion Benefits from 1999 through 2018. As a licensed insurance benefits counselor with over 29 years of experience, Neil and his team work with mid to large employers to deploy advanced cost management strategies and innovation. His experience working with a broad spectrum of industries from technology to healthcare to manufacturing provides a diverse and modern range of insights that enable him to create the most competitive and creative benefit offerings for his clients.
Neil’s drive, authenticity, and dedication as an ambitious leader has cultivated an impressive and loyal client following. His philosophy centers on a high level of excellence and high-touch service which sets the foundation for the way he and his team serves their clients – seeking to be their champion in creating better healthcare experiences.
Neil has been honored as a Top Employee Benefit Advisor in Georgia by NAIFA (2020-2025) and is a multi-year recipient of the prestigious Alera President’s Million Dollar Club, an exclusive recognition awarded to a select group of the nation’s top benefit consultants.
Anne Hudson
Senior Client Executive
Anne joined Alera Group as Senior Client Executive with 10+ years of employee benefits experience, managing large diverse books of business at other consulting firms. She has consulted clients of all sizes but specializes in mid-to-large self-funded employers. She has unique experience to offer clients with regard to self-funding and stop-loss considerations that will protect organizations from unforeseen compliance gaps or financial impacts. Anne also brings innovative and extensive consulting experience in the offering of onsite or near-site healthcare clinic offerings to your employee benefits package, removing barriers and incentivizing preventive whole-person healthcare for employees. You can count on Anne to ensure you are successful in maintaining a competitive advantage by helping to attract and retain top talent through a transformational and strategic approach. Anne has a genuine passion for people, a high attention to detail, and strong work ethic. Clients and associates trust Anne because she creates a service environment focused on embracing humility, kindness, and transparency for the good of your organization as well as employees.
Nick Frazier
Account Manager
Nick joined Alera Group with over seven years of employee benefits experience, managing accounts and leading benefit technology implementations/integrations. Nick has a degree in business/finance and brings front-line experience as well as knowledge of day-to-day challenges of all aspects of employee benefit administration. Nick takes high interest in getting to know his clients and is responsible for supporting day to day employee/HR questions and overseeing vendor project plans and implementations.
Diana Prieto
Senior Account Manager
Diana joined Alera Group in 2024, bringing 10 years of experience in employee benefits. With a diverse book of business, she has successfully managed day-to-day operations, renewals, and facilitated implementations and open enrollment meetings. Diana holds a degree in Health Services Administration and combines her strong academic background with hands-on experience, offering a deep understanding of the challenges in employee benefits. Her practical knowledge and dedication allow her to effectively support clients in navigating the complexities of employee benefits.
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Employee Benefits
Balancing Cost and Care: Could a Captive solution be the right fit for you?
In this session, our experts will discuss how Captive solutions work and what you need to consider for your own group’s needs.
April 17, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
Q2 2025 Quarterly Compliance Webinar
Alera Group's quarterly employee benefits compliance roundup will help you stay current on the latest national regulatory developments impacting employers.
May 6, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
2025 Healthcare and Employee Benefits Benchmarking Report: How Does Your Benefits Program Stack Up?
In this session, our experts will dive into the results of our annual, market-leading benchmarking survey.
June 26, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Employee Benefits
Deadline for San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance is approaching
The annual San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance (SF HCSO) reporting by employers that have employees who work in the City of or County of San Francisco is due by May 2, 2025. Employers should be aware of the upcoming deadline even if they are not located in San Francisco.
The SF HCSO requires large and medium-sized employers to provide covered employees with benefits equal to or greater than the expenditure rate. Covered employees are those who have been employed for more than 90 days and who regularly work at least eight hours per week within the City of and County of San Francisco.
April 14, 2025
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Employee Benefits
Webinar: Is Captive Insurance the Right Solution for Your Business?
Join Alera Group on Thursday, April 17, for "Balancing Cost and Care: Could a Captive solution be the right fit for you?", a webinar on self-insuring to reduce group Medical Insurance costs and other business expense. Our experts will discuss how Captive solutions work and what you need to consider for your own group’s needs.
April 3, 2025
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Benchmarking’s Role in Voluntary Benefits Program Design
Alera Group’s Employee Benefits team recognizes that workforce composition varies from business to business, from industry to industry, from region to region. And, at a time when the U.S. workforce is more generationally diverse than ever before, the needs and priorities of one generation can be very different from those of another. This is where voluntary benefits — also known as supplemental, workplace or optional benefits — become so vital to an organization’s offerings strategy. Alera Group’s "Healthcare and Employee Benefits Benchmarking Reports" take an in-depth look at the benefits businesses provide, the options they offer and the strategies they use to manage costs.
March 31, 2025
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HIPAA Webinar: Required Training and Valuable Refresher
Whether meeting federal training requirements or simply refreshing their knowledge base, professionals whose role includes HIPAA administration will benefit from participating in Alera Group’s annual HIPAA Privacy and Security Overview, a one-hour webinar scheduled for Friday, April 11.
March 27, 2025
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