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
Clay P. Hessel, RHU®
Senior Vice President, Wealth Services![Photo of Clay P. Hessel](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2024-03/Hessel%2C-Clay.png)
Clay specializes in helping individuals and families establish financial goals and exploring alternatives to achieving them. Clay has been passionate about developing financial strategies and employee benefits since joining the firm in 1994. He is a specialist in helping enhance financial security and create wealth through personal and corporate benefit packages that include investment management, life, disability and health insurance as well as retirement strategies. Clay employs a disciplined and strategic approach that strives to maximize potential returns while minimizing overall risk and volatility within a portfolio. He prides himself on being a thoughtful communicator who intuitively educates his clients in areas of risk management and wealth accumulation, as a result, clients gain a peace of mind by understanding their options. Clay specializes in working with physicians, professionals, executives, business owners and corporations, and speaks to over 100 medical programs and corporations annually.
Clay has consistently been distinguished as a top advisor among his peers. He has received numerous awards and accolades for his successful practice, including qualification for the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors’ National Quality Award*, along with firm's prestigious Pinnacle Club and Leaders Club.
Clay lives in Vernon Hills, Illinois with his wife, daughter, son, and dog. He enjoys exercising, yoga, competitive golf, reading, traveling and participates in several charitable organizations including Cycle for Survival and the Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation. Clay also serves on the Northshore University Health System Planned Giving Advisor Counsel.
Education: BS in Advertising and a minor in Psychology from Bradley University
Credentials: Certificate in Financial Planning from DePaul University, holds registrations for FINRA series 6, 7, 63, 65 and is life, health and disability insurance licensed
*Awards and club membership are based primarily on commissions, premiums, or fees generated from investment and insurance products and other criteria relative to leadership, achievement, and recruiting.
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 # 0C28656
Bob Janson, CIMA®, AIF®
Director of Investments![Photo of Bob Janson](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2024-03/Janson%2C%20Bob.jpg)
Bob joined the firm in 1997 and is Director of Investments for Alera Group Retirement Plan Services. He heads the firm’s Retirement Plan Investment Committee and is responsible for the investment due diligence activities related to Alera Group’s company sponsored retirement plan clients. Bob works with the firm’s retirement plan consultants to deliver timely and prudent investment expertise and knowledge to help clients make informed decisions on behalf of their retirement plan participants and fiduciaries.
Bob approaches retirement plan investment consulting by focusing on the fiduciary needs of the plan sponsor and the retirement readiness of the plan participants. A properly developed investment menu with a prudent selection and monitoring process and an emphasis on sound investment strategies can help provide the fiduciary support plan sponsors require while encouraging successful retirement savings strategies for plan participants.
Bob has been developing his investment knowledge for over 30 years. Prior to joining the firm his background includes working with Blunt, Ellis, & Loewi, Charles Schwab Institutional, and Retirement and Estate Advisors. Through his experience, he has gained a solid understanding regarding the balance between the goals of the client and the ever-changing nature of the markets.
Bob received a Bachelor of Business Administration - Finance degree from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. His professional designations include Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®), and Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®).
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.
Philip Karlo
Risk Management Consultant | Property & Casualty![Photo of Philip Karlo](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2024-01/Karlo-Philip-LowRes%20%282%29.jpg)
Philip Karlo is a Risk Management Consultant at the firm. As part of the Risk Management team, Philip’s primary goal is to build long lasting relationships with clients and help identify risk transfer needs and provide solutions by selecting appropriate Insurance products. Philip provides his clients a wealth of information from his diverse business experience that help to differentiate him as a risk management consultant.
Prior to joining the team, Philip spent 15 years working in the banking industry, where he held a variety of different positions. Philip started his career as a client service representative, followed by becoming a relationship banker then was promoted into a management position. Ultimately Philip became a Financial Compliance Officer. Philip brings expertise in sales, leadership, risk management and insurance to his clients giving them a well-rounded perspective on how to properly protect their businesses to achieve their financial goals.
Philip does volunteer work with an organization called Junior Achievements and mentors K-12th grade students gain practical work-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills through simulations and activities. Outside of the office, Philip is currently a resident of East Dundee and enjoys hobbies such as golfing, biking, running and playing with his son.
Gary Kirshenbaum
Vice President and Director, Global Trade Risk Management | Property & Casualty![Photo of Gary Kirshenbaum](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2024-01/Kirshenbaum-Gary_268x351.jpg)
Gary Kirshenbaum is a Vice President and Director of Global Trade Risk Management (GTRM). Under his guidance, GTRM provides companies the ability to strategically manage their commercial trade risk, both domestic and export, as well as to mitigate political risk involving international business investments.
Gary has over 15 years of experience in trade credit insurance in addition to nine years as a lender in commercial finance. He possesses a deep knowledge of how to utilize credit to minimize risk and maximize growth and banking relationships for his clients. Through this risk management expertise, Gary’s focus is to protect his clients’ money.
Additionally, having owned and run a family business for 10 years, Gary understands the everyday struggles of cash flow along with the credit risk that companies face when their accounts receivable, potentially the largest asset on their balance sheet, is in jeopardy.
Resources
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
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 it's benchmarking.
July 18, 2024 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
Sign Up![Stock image displaying the words Alera Engage](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2024-03/WSG-DigitalThumbnails_EngageWebinars-110723-2.png)
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 24, 2024 at 11:00 am CT | Virtual
Sign Up![State of the Markets](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2024-01/State%20of%20the%20Markets%20picture_1.png)
Employee Benefits
Driving Communications and Engagement: Open Enrollment
Our experts will walk you through a strategic planning process to make sure you’re sharing in a way that not only drives employee awareness and engagement but also reaches your workforce across platforms with what they need to know about choosing the right benefits for them and their families.
August 15, 2024 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
Sign Up![Alera Engage - Webinar](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2023-12/WBI-692x434-Webinar-Engage_5.jpg)
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Wealth Services
Weekly Market Update
Stocks edged higher over the four trading days last week, with the three major averages taking turns leading based on various economic and artificial intelligence (AI) news.
June 24, 2024
Find out moreProperty and Casualty
Property Insurance Rate Increases Easing for Real Estate Sector
After six consecutive years of steep Property Insurance rate increases, many organizations in real estate development and property management may finally experience a more palatable renewal.
June 18, 2024
Find out moreWealth Services
Weekly Market Update
Stocks notched a solid gain last week, driven by the Fed’s decision, May's inflation report, and Apple’s AI-related news.
June 17, 2024
Find out moreEmployee Benefits
How To Lower Healthcare Costs While Improving Benefit Offerings
Join us on June 20 for a one-hour webinar designed to help you eliminate wasteful healthcare spending while providing your employees with benefits that attract and retain talent. We’ll take you through our three-step solution.
June 11, 2024
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