About Us
Since 1999, SIG, an employee benefits firm, has been dedicated to partnering with our clients and providing exceptional customer service. The inspirational basis for our operating business principles is: “If you take care of Baltimore, Baltimore will take care of you.” This philosophy has instilled itself in our culture and practice of all employees. SIG has years of industry experience, which has given us an edge over the competition in the vast wealth of knowledge and resources we have gathered. Our employees are passionate about helping and forming long-lasting relationships with others, and when you partner with us, we become a true extension of your company.
In 2017, SIG 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 2023, 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.
Mission
We go the extra mile to help navigate the healthcare system and marketplace for our clients in order to advise them on the creation of comprehensive benefits plans that align with their core values to maximize their investment while controlling their costs. Our team-oriented approach allows us to become an extension of our clients’ HR departments. Through our vast knowledge and resource base, we keep our clients educated and well informed with the ever-changing healthcare regulations and marketplace.
Core Values
In order to create the organizational culture we desire, we embrace and embody the following core values:
- Partnership
- Integrity
- Creativity
- Flexibility
- Passion
- Collaboration
- Excellence
Meet Our Team
People you can count on. People you can trust.
Lucy Lahr
Marketing and Business Development Coordinator
Lucy joined the firm in 2020. In her role as Business Development Coordinator she is responsible for supporting the marketing and business development efforts of SIG. She handles reporting and tracking for SIG communications, prospect material preparation for the business development team, and other day-to-day support. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Muhlenberg College.
Jill Lohr
Vice President
Jill has been with the firm since 2005 and is our Vice President. She brings with her over 18 years of Employee Benefits experience. Her primary focus is on strategic account development as well as support for large group clients and prospects by assisting with benefit plan design, advising, educating, and coordinating internal and external resources to meet client’s needs and expectations. Jill facilitates and conducts open enrollment meetings through the development of employee communication materials and carrier coordination. In her role, she helps employees understand the benefits that are available to them by being an extension of HR. Jill ensures retention of clients by establishing strong, active relationships, and to provide proactive and consultative expertise based on each client’s unique needs and challenges.
Jill works closely with our carrier/vendor partners to assure we are kept up-to-date with the marketplace and product lines. She is responsible for leading continuous improvement of the firm’s operational elements impacting client service and delivery and ensuring consistency in the Alera Group client experience.
Frank Lotman
Senior Partner
Frank is a Senior Partner at the firm. Frank is a veteran in the employee benefit and personal insurance sector with over 40 years of experience. He has focused his practice working with companies developing group employee benefit programs that meet the strategic needs of the employer as well as the personal needs of the employees. The key to a successful benefit program is our ability to understand your business.
Frank founded FNL Insurance Group in 1980 and has worked with small to medium sized businesses in designing insurance solutions to meet their needs on both a personal and corporate level. He has been a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters, has served on the board of The Baltimore Chapter of the Maryland Health Underwriters and has also served on the Broker Council for CareFirst BlueCross/BlueShield of Maryland.
Frank went to York College of Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management with a minor in Finance. He has worked with many local charities and continues to focus his community efforts working with the Folds of Honor.
Joe Malagari
Proposal & Financial Analyst
After interning with the firm his last semester of college, Joe returned as a full-time member of the self-funded team, in 2022, as a Proposal and Financial Analyst. His role consists of preparing client dashboards, analyzing and preparing audit reports, along with shopping for stop-loss insurance. Joe holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Towson University.
Community Service
Paying it Forward is a core component at our firm. Our culture thrives on community involvement where we proudly support our clients, employees and the communities in which we live and work.
We empower our employees to “pay it forward” by fostering a sense of purpose and providing opportunities for impact in our community. One way we do this is by supporting causes and initiatives proposed by our team and providing opportunities to serve the
We empower our employees to “pay it forward” by fostering a sense of purpose and providing opportunities for impact in our community. One way we do this is by supporting causes and initiatives proposed by our team and providing opportunities to serve the wider world. We believe having a culture that encourages serving and giving is a significant contributor to life and career fulfillment, which enhances our overall wellbeing. With the help from our Culture Committee, we have the opportunity to serve our community together with multiple planned events each year.
We strive to creating lasting relationships with our clients. We are proud to support our clients and friends of the firm in their mission and their organizations that help create meaningful, lasting change in our community. Interested in us serving your
We strive to creating lasting relationships with our clients. We are proud to support our clients and friends of the firm in their mission and their organizations that help create meaningful, lasting change in our community.
Interested in us serving your non-profit or organization? Reach out and let us know! Email us here
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
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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Employee Benefits
Dynamic Data: Strategies for Success
Join us for this session, as our experts will share how to utilize your organization’s data to create advanced and innovative strategies for success.
July 17, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
Preparing for Open Enrollment: How to Engage and Educate Your Employees on Their Total Benefits Package
In this session, our experts will share guidance on setting yourself up for success during Open Enrollment.
August 21, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Employee Benefits
Benchmarking: How Do Your Organization’s Employee Benefits Offerings Stack Up?
For the sixth consecutive year, Alera Group is offering a valuable piece of market intelligence: our Healthcare and Employee Benefits Benchmarking Report. We’ll introduce the 2025 edition on its release date, June 26, with a one-hour webinar beginning at 1 p.m. CT.
June 5, 2025
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Employee Benefits
Reminder: PCORI Fees Due By July 31, 2025
Employers that sponsor self-insured group health plans, including health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) should keep in mind the upcoming July 31, 2025 deadline for paying fees that fund the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) via Form 720, which was recently updated and released by the IRS.
June 3, 2025
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Benefits Captives: Your Business and What Your Competitors Are Doing
In one form or another, Captive Insurance has existed as a risk management solution for many decades — originally for property and casualty coverage and primarily for large employers. But its viability as a solution for employee benefits and for midsized businesses has increased dramatically in recent years, fueled by volatility in the insurance market in general and by the skyrocketing cost of health insurance in particular.
May 29, 2025
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Agencies Push Pause Button on Enforcement of MHPAEA 2024 Final Rule
On May 15, 2025, the Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Treasury Department (collectively, the “Agencies”) released a statement regarding the Agencies’ recent request for abeyance of a lawsuit filed by the ERISA Industry Committee (“ERIC”) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that challenged certain aspects of Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) Final Rule (“2024 Final Rule”) relating to nonquantitative treatment limitation comparative analyses (“NQTL analyses”).
May 16, 2025
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