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 4,400 employees, 160+ 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 160 Alera Group locations across the country. Wherever you are, we can meet your needs.
Investment advisory services offered through Alera Investment Advisors, LLC. Securities offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Osaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Osaic Wealth.
Meet Our Team
Brian Carlson, CFP®, CLU®
Senior Vice President, Wealth Services
Specialization: Individual Insurance (Disability, Life, Long-Term Care), Wealth Management & Comprehensive Financial Planning
Brian has been helping medical professionals with their individual planning needs since 2001. He is a speaker in the medical community. Each year he conducts many financial educational workshops for residents, fellows and practicing physicians nationwide. He has been published multiple times in AAOS Now (The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Journal). Brian understands that physicians have very little time to research and keep up to date on many tax advantages and investment options available to them. One of his primary goals is to help physicians navigate through their many financial options.
CA license # 0F50688
Investment advisory services offered through Alera Investment Advisors, LLC. Securities offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Osaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Osaic Wealth.
Brian Crane
Senior Vice President, Benefits Consulting | Employee Benefits
Brian is a highly regarded Employee Benefits Consultant known for his commitment to optimizing employee benefits programs for his clients. With a sharp focus on mid-market employers, Brian and his team excel in creating tailored solutions that enhance benefits, reduce costs, and drive improved healthcare outcomes.
Since joining the firm in 2009, Brian has consistently been lauded for his exceptional achievements. His track record includes prestigious recognition among his peers, a testament to his outstanding performance and expertise. With over two decades of industry experience, Brian's tenure encompasses notable roles at Willis Towers Watson and ADP.
Brian is married with three children and enjoys spending time with his family, golfing and playing paddle tennis.
Education: BA, Communications, University of Iowa
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 Osaic Wealth, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Osaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Osaic Wealth.
CA license # 0C59058
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.
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
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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Wealth Services
State of the Markets
Join us as we unveil the factors that drive the nation's financial pulse and how they may impact your personal finances.
July 23, 2025 at 12:00 pm CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Wealth Services
Weekly Market Update
Stocks pushed higher last week as investors cheered the White House’s constructive comments on trade, upbeat Q1 corporate reports, and an encouraging jobs report.
May 5, 2025
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Employee Benefits
IRS Releases 2026 HSA Contribution Limits and HDHP Deductible and Out-of-Pocket Limits
In Rev. Proc. 2025-19, the IRS released the inflation adjusted amounts for 2026 relevant to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and high-deductible health plans (HDHPs). The table below summarizes those adjustments and other applicable limits.
May 5, 2025
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Property and Casualty
Severe Weather Is Getting Worse. Is Your Business Interruption Insurance Keeping Up?
The increasing frequency and severity of weather- and climate-related events such as catastrophic storms, floods and wildfires make business continuity planning more important than ever. Part of your plan should include reviewing your organization's Business Interruption Insurance coverage.
May 5, 2025
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Employee Benefits
A Challenge for Mental Health Awareness Month: Make It Enjoyable
Achieving and maintaining wellbeing takes work, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyable and even fun. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and with that comes Alera Group’s annual Mental Health Awareness Toolkit, this year featuring something we believe employers and their entire organizations will really enjoy: the 31-Day Challenge for Positive Wellbeing.
April 29, 2025
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