About Us

    Alera Group is an independent, national insurance and financial services firm created in 2017 through a merger of 24 like-minded, high-performing, entrepreneurial firms. Our founding firms worked together to leverage powerful relationships, industry expertise, and resources with the goal of elevating the client experience.

    The word “Alera” is derived from the Latin word for “eagle,” which is symbolic of prosperity and success. For us, success is demonstrated through the speed, simplicity, and efficiency of our service, along with the clarity of thought that our clients demand. We are committed to building on these attributes to enhance our strong local presence on a national scale.

     

    Our Legacy Firms

     

    Houston (formerly Ardent)

    Ardent was one of 24 founding Alera Group firms, driven to come together by a desire to elevate the client experience through national resources and industry expertise. Ardent was established in 2007 by Bill Brown and Mike Noyes, and the firm quickly grew to become one of the largest firms serving the Houston and Dallas areas.

    Dallas (Formerly Ardent)

    Ardent was one of 24 founding Alera Group firms, driven to come together by a desire to elevate the client experience through national resources and industry expertise. Ardent was established in 2007 by Bill Brown and Mike Noyes, and the firm quickly grew to become one of the largest firms serving the Houston and Dallas areas.

    San Antonio (formerly AMCORP)

    AMCORP was founded in 1981 by William E. Zinsmeyer after a 13 year career at Prudential. The firm has established a reputation for integrity and professionalism. By shaping the business around a client-centered model, the AMCORP team created their own Results Discovery Process™ to help clients avoid the Benefits Merry-Go-Round™. Solving clients' needs and establishing long-term relationships helped AMCORP grow to become one of the largest firms in San Antonio.

     

    Meet Our Team

    Nita Ponnaganti

    Director of Operations and Integration, South Central Region
    Nita Ponnaganti

    Director of Operations and Integration, South Central Region

    Sally Prather

    Executive Vice President, Employee Benefits
    Photo of Sally Prather

    Sally Prather is an Executive Vice President and the Employee Benefits Practice Leader for Alera Group. In this role, Sally focuses on the continued development of Alera Group’s employee benefits practice, including platform expansion and resource coordination. She works with firms across the country to strengthen the Alera Group value proposition through unparalleled benefits resources and strategy.

    Sally has more than 25 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Alera Group, Sally served as Vice President, Paychex Insurance Agency. Before that, she was the Head of Employee Benefits Business at Marsh & McLennan Agency.

    Sally graduated from Marietta College with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management.

    Michael Steele

    Principal, Individual and Medicare
    Michael Steele

    Principal, Individual and Medicare

    John Wissman

    Senior Partner
    John Wissman

    Partnering with a range of mid-market companies in the energy, real estate, and logistics, John Wissman helps companies make sense of their employee benefit plans. His goal is to help clients move beyond “good enough” and start thinking strategically about how benefits can serve both company and employees.

    John operates from the belief that the well-being of employees should always be at the forefront of a benefits strategy. Using his entrepreneurial and high-level business acumen, he provides in-depth guidance on how to achieve cost containment, enhance the employee experience, and meet compliance goals with a customized long-term strategy.

    John is invested in company outcomes and uses a hands-on approach to teach clients how to reach the results they’re seeking. His tailored benefits strategies bring clarity to the “why” behind a plan and how it can work for everyone involved.

    John is a native Texan and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, where he majored in Finance and Marketing. His professional experience as an Equity Trader, Advisor, Board Member, and Entrepreneur has given him a unique perspective on how to help businesses think strategically and scale successfully.

    As a speaker, John has shared his advanced strategies in health and welfare topics across Texas, including the ASHHRA Symposium and multiple industry summits for financial institutions. An active member of his community, John has also served as a mentor for Minds Matter, helping underprivileged high school students gain college acceptance and attain scholarships.

    A free spirit at heart, he has spent time traveling throughout Europe, Southeast Asia, South America, and Australia, which has helped broaden his perspective on both business and life. Aside from travel, John enjoys playing tennis, hiking, spending quality time with friends, and being a die-hard 49ers and Texas Longhorns fan.

    Currently, John lives in Houston with his wife Brittany and two wildly smart and independent sons.

    Resources

    Success Stories (downloads)

    Captive Refesability Study for Fortune 500 Company
    THE CHALLENGE Alera Group was requested to undertake a captive refeasibility study for an U.S. based multinational manufacturer of appliances with...

    Enhancing a Healthcare Captive

    THE CHALLENGE A non-profit multi-state health system with 35,000 employees wanted to conduct a feasibility study to determine if captive funding...

    Quarry Faces Environmental Liability Query

    THE CHALLENGE A large quarry operation owned a dig site that had been filled with a profusion of waste material following a mineral extraction....

    Too Big to Protect? 

    An Alera Group member company based in Southern California was asked by the board of directors of a 400-unit condominium building to provide a bid...

    Complicated Commercial Real Estate Portfolio 

    An Alera Group member company based in Southern California was retained by a commercial real estate property manager to review the insurance policies...

    Persistence Secures an Infant’s Life Sustaining Treatment

    An Alera Group member company that provides services focused on customized, comprehensive employee benefits, HR technology solutions, and wellness...

    Start Up Benefits for a Start Up Company

    Alera Group was contracted by a start-up national credit counseling company to assist with maintaining employee health benefits offerings while...

    Experts In Detail

    An Alera Group company that serves as a multidisciplinary employee benefits and risk management consultancy was approached by a company in the...

    Life Saving Diligence

    THE CHALLENGE Alera Group was the benefits broker for an employer that was working with two affiliated health insurance companies, “Company A”...

    EXPERT EDUCATION

    Events and Webinars

    Employee Benefits

    Is Tech-Enabled Brokerage Right for You?

    Our experts will lay out what tech-enabled brokerage is, how it works and why it makes sense for the right organizations.

    September 19, 2024 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual

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    Webinar graphic - Alera Engage

    Employee Benefits

    Meeting the Needs of an Aging Workforce

    Our experts will provide tips and insights about how to incorporate Medicare, menopause benefits, retirement, communications best practices and other hot topics for older workers into your program successfully and without breaking the bank.

    October 17, 2024 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual

    Sign Up
    Webinar Graphic - Alera Engage

    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.

    October 23, 2024 at 11:00 am CT | Virtual

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    State of the Markets

    Quote from HR Director, Houston, Texas

    We have received nothing other than outstanding guidance, commitment, patience, and service… the entire experience has far exceeded my expectations.
    HR Director, Houston, Texas

    Quote from VP of Human Resources, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

    You guys are so great to us — always want to help as quickly as possible. Thanks for all you do to assist us. I love working with Alera Group: Texas.
    VP of Human Resources, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

    Quote from HR Director, Houston, Texas

    I became a client and, by doing so, took our rm to a higher level of service.
    HR Director, Houston, Texas

    Quote from HR Director, Houston, Texas

    I just spoke with [an employee] and he was extremely complimentary of your assistance. You are the BEST. Our employees aren’t used to this, so it is a real pleasure for them to reach someone who actually cares and takes an interest in them.
    HR Director, Houston, Texas

    Quote from Sr. Human Resources Manager, Irving, Texas

    Thank you for your outstanding customer service.
    Sr. Human Resources Manager, Irving, Texas

    THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

    Insights

    Property and Casualty

    Umbrella Insurance for Businesses: Peace of Mind in an Increasingly Unpredictable World

    Whereas a skilled agent can help provide businesses with adequate insurance against property losses by following a predictable formula, the unpredictability of liability claims underscores how important it is for businesses to buy as much Umbrella/Excess Liability coverage as they can afford.

    September 18, 2024

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    Wealth Services

    Weekly Market Update

    Stocks rallied last week as investors received better-than-expected consumer and producer inflation data.

    September 16, 2024

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    Wealth Services

    Monthly Market and Economic Update - August 2024

    Read about the latest insights on the market and economy from our Director of Investments, Bob Janson.

    September 12, 2024

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    Property and Casualty

    General Liability Insurance in 2024: Navigating a Complex Landscape

    While some aspects of General Liability Insurance have largely turned a corner from a prolonged hard market, the outlook in other areas looks much less cheery. Overall, the market has finally improved after several challenging years, offering signs of stabilization.

    September 12, 2024

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