About Us
Our Firm
Founded in 1992 by K. Brian McLaughlin, Granite Group is a full-service employee benefits and risk management consulting firm. Our mission is to exceed our clients’ and their employees’ expectations as they relate to our commitment to outstanding service, innovation, ethics, and expertise. We are a customer focused company that brings personal and exceptional service to our valued clients on a consistent basis through our dedicated approach.
Our People
Built around the premise of teamwork, Granite Group employees’ broad and varied skillsets can better serve our clients unique needs. Our experienced staff will deliver tailored benefits solutions based on a structured consulting process. Our team will assess your benefits needs, survey the marketplace, set goals, provide thorough risk assessment and competitive pricing, and introduce the tools and technology to deliver the best benefit options for you and your employees. In 2023, our Manchester, NH office welcomed former Landmark Benefits employees from the Windham, NH location.
Our Presence
Developed over 30 years, GGB remains focused on our client community, and supports their business and social needs across New England. Our employees live and serve in the neighborhoods they grew up in, providing our clients with a valuable resource that understands the local needs of the community. As an Alera Group firm, our clients also benefit from the expertise and resources of a large national firm, while still maintaining the advantages of local service and relationships.
Associations
![](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2024-02/Granite_Color_HighRes-1.png)
Meet Our Team
K. Brian McLaughlin
Managing Partner![Photo of K. Brian McLaughlin](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2024-02/mclaughlin.jpg)
(603) 296-0700 ext. 5267
In 1988, Brian received a BS degree in Economics and Finance from Southern New Hampshire University. After working for John Hancock Financial Services, Mass Mutual and Benefit Strategies, Inc., he founded Granite Group Benefits in 1992. He has been involved in the employee benefit industry for more than 25 years. He is a licensed producer and employee benefits broker in the State of New Hampshire and many other states.
LinkedInJames Scammon
Executive Vice President![James Scammon](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2024-02/scammon.jpg)
(603) 296-0700 ext. 5268
Jim has been in group benefits since 1986 and has a broad range of experience. He came to Granite Group Benefits from CIGNA HealthCare of New Hampshire where he was Sales Manager for all lines of group coverage for six years. Prior to CIGNA, Jim spent four years as a benefits consultant for Towers Perrin in New York City, working with large employers such as AT&T, NYNEX, and MacMillan/McGraw-Hill. He began his career as an Account Executive for The Travelers in New York. Jim has a Bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College and earned his MBA at the Stern School of New York University.
Trygve Halverson
Vice President![Photo of Trygve Halverson](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2024-02/halverson.jpg)
(603) 296-0700 ext. 5263
Trygve joined Granite Group Benefits as Vice President in 2011 with a 20-year background in the insurance industry. In his current role, Trygve is responsible for growth and retention of new business along with the development and management of our client’s communication and education programs.
He works with businesses to deliver not just a fiscally responsible benefit offering, but an ongoing communication and education plan that ensures those benefits are effectively delivered, received understood and valued by the employees and their families.
Trygve resides in Bedford, NH with his wife of 33 years and their two boys, has a sincere passion for motorcycles, and exercises that passion for motorcycle adventures through his club, the HMS Vikings.
LinkedInBrenna Hansen
Director of IT & Communications![Photo of Brenna Hansen](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2024-02/hansen.jpg)
(603) 296-0700 ext. 5266
The GGB team welcomed Brenna in 2003 as the IT/Communications Manager. She came to Granite Group after working at a local insurance agency for eight years as a Marketing and IT professional. Brenna has been working in the insurance industry for over 25 years and is a licensed Life, Accident & Health Producer in the State of New Hampshire. She is also a NAHU Certified PPACA Professional and a Project Management Professional (PMP).
At Granite Group, Brenna manages systems and communications, oversees the Employee Benefit Lounge (EBL℠) platform, and optimizes electronic documentation and communication policies and procedures. She works closely with clients to tailor Granite Group's solutions to meet their technological needs. With her significant experience as a graphic designer, Brenna enjoys delivering professional, custom branded solutions to clients. At Alera, she leads the Communications Impact Group which brings together thought leaders from across the nation to develop advanced strategies, ideas and solutions.
Brenna was educated in the arts at Northeastern University and graduated Summa Cum Laude with her Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Southern New Hampshire University. She is an active member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) as well as a Notary Public. She has volunteered with Girl Scouts of the Green & White Mountains, The Greater Manchester Chapter of the American Red Cross and The Caregivers, Inc. of Manchester.
LinkedInOur Community
We believe in being contributing members of the communities we serve. GGB employees, through business-sponsored and personal endeavors, volunteer their time mentoring, fundraising, and supporting multiple organizations in our local community to include:
Veterans Count, American Red Cross of Greater Manchester, Boys & Girls Club of Manchester, CareGivers, Cystic Fibrosis – Northern NE Chapter, Girl Scouts of the Green & White Mountains, Granite United Way, Greater Lakes Region Making Strides, Henniker Food Pantry, Manchester Area Human Resources Association, Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough County, New England Parkinson's Ride, and UpReach Therapeutic Equestrian Center.
Our culture rewards teamwork. Whether we are working for you, or helping in our communities, we do it together.
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
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)
Employee Benefits
Q3 Compliance Update
Alera Group's quarterly employee benefits compliance roundup will help you stay current on the latest national regulatory developments impacting employers.
September 3, 2024 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
Sign Up![Webinar graphic - Alera Engage](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2023-12/WBI-692x434-Webinar-Engage_12.jpg)
Employee Benefits
Collaborative Conversations: 2025 - What to Expect and What You Need to Know
Save the date for a conversation in September where we will discuss the impending PLO changes by BOLI and the Employment Department, their impacts, and other critical considerations.
September 12, 2024 at 08:30 am PT | Virtual
Sign Up![Image that reads webinar](/sites/g/files/sujchg151/files/2024-06/WSG-DigitalThumbnails_Webinars-110723-4.png)
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Employee Benefits
Benefits Benchmarking Webinar: What To Do With the Data
If you’re designing your company’s employee benefits program, you want to know what your peers and competitors are offering. Employee retention and talent acquisition are largely dependent on whether you offer a benefits package that meets or exceeds the standards of your industry, location and company size while managing costs in an increasingly expensive market for healthcare and pharmaceuticals. That’s why Alera Group places a high priority on using benchmarking data and analysis to inform and otherwise serve our clients.
July 1, 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
Find out moreEmployee Benefits
Legal Alert: PCORI Fees Due by July 31, 2024
Employers that sponsor self-insured group health plans, including health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) should keep in mind the upcoming July 31, 2024, 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 7, 2024
Find out moreEmployee Benefits
Legal Alert: CMS Redesigns the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program Beginning in 2025
As a result of the changes to Medicare Part D under §11201 of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, on April 1, 2024, CMS released Final Redesign Program Instructions (“Final Program Instructions”) for the Medicare Part D prescription drug program, which are effective starting in 2025.
May 30, 2024
Find out more