About Us
Forum was founded in Greenville, SC in 1999 as Palmetto Benefit Management, an independently owned insurance agency specializing in employee benefit planning and administration. In January of 2017, Forum joined 23 other entrepreneurial insurance and financial services companies across the United States to form Alera Group, an employee benefits, property/casualty, risk management and wealth management firm with approximately $1.3 Billion in annual revenue. Alera Group has grown to over 5,000 employees in over 220 local offices and is now one of top 10 independent brokerage firm in the US.
As a local office partner for Alera Group, we bring national resources such as Legal & Compliance, Actuarial & Reinsurance, Captives, Data Analytics & Benchmarking, HR Administration & Technology, and Wellness & Total Health Management to our local clients. In January 2024, Forum rebranded to Alera Group to capitalize on our commitment to Collaboration.
Meet Our Team
Laurie Winston
Office Leader / Sales Executive
Office Leader / Sales Executive
Christianna Cato
Account Executive
Account Executive
Jaclynn Deluca
Account Manager
Account Manager
Heather Edwards
Sales Executive
Sales Executive
Resources
Employee Navigator (Benefit Administration System) access link.
Contact your Client Service Advocate (CSA) access link
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Employee Benefits
Designing Benefits for Early - and Mid-Career Employees
In our three-part webinar series, Designing Benefits That Work – A Data-Driven, Multigenerational Focus, we’ll explore multigenerational workforce insights, debunk generational myths, share early- and late-career benefit strategies, review legal and compliance trends, and provide actionable tools and resources.
February 4, 2026 at 10:00 am CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
Navigating Medicare
The knowledgeable team at Alera Group is here to help you navigate your Medicare options to ensure you feel confident in your post-65 healthcare coverage.
February 11, 2026 at 12:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
Designing Benefits for Mid - to Late-Career Employees
In our three-part webinar series, Designing Benefits That Work – A Data-Driven, Multigenerational Focus, we’ll explore multigenerational workforce insights, debunk generational myths, share early- and late-career benefit strategies, review legal and compliance trends, and provide actionable tools and resources.
February 18, 2026 at 10:00 am CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Employee Benefits
IRS Releases Guidance Related to Recent HSA Changes
The IRS recently released Notice 2026-5, which provides guidance and answers to common questions related to the expanded availability of health savings accounts (“HSA”) under the Reconciliation Act (previously named the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) passed into law earlier this year.
December 30, 2025
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Employee Benefits
Legal Alert: Agencies Clarify How Certain Fertility Benefits May be Treated as Excepted Benefits
This alert is of interest to all employers that offer fertility benefits or may be interested in offering fertility benefits in the future.
November 4, 2025
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Legal Alert: IRS Adjusts Health Flexible Spending Account and Other Benefit Limits for 2026
This alert is of interest to all employers that sponsor health FSAs and qualified transit plans, among others.
October 10, 2025
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2025 Leave Report: Insights to Guide 2026 Leave Planning
Explore Alera Group’s 2025 Leave Report. Benchmark PTO, parental leave, and holiday policies to strengthen employee retention and recruitment as you plan for 2026 and beyond.
October 1, 2025
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