About Us
In 1976, JA Counter was founded in New Richmond, Wisconsin as an insurance agency specializing in individual life, health and disability and employee benefit planning. James (Jim) Counter founded the agency during a time that health claim forms were handwritten on paper; but as times changed--so did JA Counter.
Linda Skoglund joined the firm in 1990 and worked with Jim to help capitalize on his industry leadership to build programs to support other advisors in 1990. Linda joined
JA Counter as a shareholder in 1997 and acquired 100% of the shares by 2001. She leads the firm with the same passion and determination to care for their clients as was instilled in her through Jim Counter’s mentorship. JA Counter became a member of the Benefit Advisors Network (BAN) in 2007 and joined Cambridge Investment Research, Inc in 2016.
Out of the Benefit Advisors Network, twenty-three independent firms discussed the ability to provide the best of both worlds—national scope combined with local service. The thought-leaders dreamed of the transformation of client experience that would occur by providing greater depth and breadth of resources if they came together as one large collaborative unit. In 2017 they executed their plan! An aggregator was formed, uniting the 23 firms into a larger entity known as Alera Group.
Our Present:
JA Counter IS Alera Group – fully embracing the alignment of our brand with the vision our founders set and the mission our team brings to life every day. Our local (Wisconsin/Minnesota) operations are run by managing partner, Linda Skoglund and market leader, Kristi Cherney with the backing of the regional and executive leadership team of Alera Group. The culture of our combined organization thrives on innovative thinking and constant collaboration while maintaining strong local relationships.
Today, as always, we provide exceptional service to our clients through innovative, customized solutions, education, knowledge, and resources delivered with integrity and professionalism. And we have fun doing it! We look forward to making a difference for you!
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.
This communication is strictly intended for individuals residing in the states of XX. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident outside the specific state(s) referenced.
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Information provided by Alera should not be considered tax or legal advice. Should you require tax or legal information, please consult your tax advisor or attorney.
Meet Our Team
Alyssa Little
Account Coordinator, Employee Benefits
Alyssa’s role as an Account Coordinator at the firm includes supporting the consultants and account management team by working as an advocate and direct contact for employer groups, human resources teams and their employees. Alyssa sets the tone in the office through her positive and energetic nature and provides clients with access to the resources they need while maintaining an exceptional experience.
Alyssa has more than 15 years of experience in customer service and has been a New Richmond resident for over 20 years.
She enjoys spending her free time reading, camping and relaxing with her family and friends.
Strengths: Relator, Developer, Arranger, Restorative, Responsibility
Predictive Index Profile: Operator
Fun Fact: If it was raining food, Alyssa would want it to be raining cannoli.
Amy Measner
Senior Account Manager, Employee Benefits
Amy is a large group senior account manager for the firm. She comes to us with years of account management and customer service experience, nine years of insurance background, and was previously self employed as a small business owner. She has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Administration and Management.
Amy's day to day responsibilities will mimic the needs of the clients she works with: assisting large group employers with guidance on benefit selection, implementation and administration of benefit packages, and providing benefits education, resources, and support for employers and employees.
Amy holds licenses for Life, Health and Property and Casualty in Wisconsin.
She lives in New Richmond with her husband and twin daughters. Outside of work, Amy can be found enjoying the outdoors--watching sports, hiking, campfires, four-wheeling, and gardening. She also enjoys volunteering for her local church and community.
Strengths: Achiever, Input, Learner, Includer, Responsibility
Predictive Index Profile: Adapter
If Amy Could Be An Animal: I would be a bird - I would love to be able to fly!
Amy Pals
Account Manager
Amy brings over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry to the Alera Group team, driven by her passion for educating employer groups and their employees. Her diverse background includes operations, technology, marketing, and compliance, complemented by a proven ability to foster strong relationships with staff, clients, and customers.
Dedicated to continuous improvement, Amy excels at implementing effective solutions and achieving measurable outcomes that create value for employers and their teams. She holds a double major in Speech and Marketing Communications with a business emphasis from the University of Wisconsin - River Falls.
Amy resides in Hudson with her husband and their dog, while their two sons continue their studies after graduating from high school. Platteville. She actively volunteers with Valley Friendship Club and serves as Vice President of her church's Board of Directors. In her free time, Amy enjoys spending time outdoors and cherishing moments with family and friends.
Amy is Life & Health Licensed in Wisconsin & Minnesota.
Strenghts: Communication, Positivity, Learner, Responsibility, Achiever
Predictive Index Profile: Guardian
Melanie Reiter
Benefits Analyst, Employee Benefits
Melanie brings the firm 20 years of insurance industry experience, twelve of which she worked as a Quality Analyst. As the benefit analyst, Melanie works to assist the benefit consultants and account management team in analyzing benefit options for employer groups, as well as other proposals and analysis that comes with employer sponsored benefit plans. She also coordinates carrier education internally.
Melanie currently lives in New Richmond with her husband. They have three children and two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, running, biking and traveling.
Strengths: Restorative, Responsibility, Consistency, Relator, Discipline
Predictive Index Profile: Craftsman
Fun Fact: Melanie loves to travel!
Community Education: Medicare & You
Rich Potvin offers an online educational seminar for the Frederic Community Ed program!
You can find more information on our events page, or the Frederic Community Ed website or Facebook page!
JAC Announces Corporate Sponsorship for Family Friendly Workplaces
Partnership Seeks to Continuously Improve St. Croix Valley for Families JA Counter, an Alera Group company, is pleased to announce that is has become a Corporate Sponsor for Family Friendly Workplaces (FFW), Inc. (a Wisconsin 501C3 nonprofit).
Road clean up
The JAC Team got together once again for some much needed Highway Clean Up! What a blessing for the weather to be the nicest day of the week! 
It is so great to see everyone’s smiling faces, get out of the house, and get moving! It was a much needed day
JAC Food Donation to Five Loaves Food Shelf
It was an absolute pleasure to participate in a food drive for Five Loaves Food Shelf in New Richmond. Check out their website to learn how you can help too! Thank you JAC team for your donations and thank you Five Loaves for all you do to support our community!!
Great Place to Work Certified!
We’re a great place to work!! We are incredibly proud to announce that in May 2021, JA Counter, an Alera Group Company was officially certified as a great place to work!
2021 Annual Kinship Fundraiser
Thank you [Rich Potvin] for your support of the Polk County Kinship Program! Once again, JA Counter had a great time sponsoring a table at the annual fundraiser! We enjoy making a difference in our communities, but it’s even better when it’s a lovely night at a local venue (Celebrations at the Gables) with great food, raffles and a silent auction! We look forward to next year!
2021 Hometown Holidays Parade
Your team at JA Counter was thrilled to participate (again) in the New Richmond Chamber’s Hometown Holiday’s annual parade!
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Property and Casualty
Top Cyber Threats of 2026 – and How to Mitigate Them
Cybercriminals have a new playbook—your business could be next.
February 17, 2026 at 01:00 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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Employee Benefits
Specialty Rx Control: Why One Category Is Breaking Budgets — and How to Bend the Curve
Where specialty cost escalates (channel, site of care, waste, poor pathways).
February 19, 2026 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Property and Casualty
AI-Powered Cyber Attacks, Why Yesterday’s Defenses Aren’t Enough.
The widespread availability of AI technology, combined with the ease of manipulating video calls, makes phone and Zoom calls susceptible to exploitation by threat actors.
February 2, 2026
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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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Property and Casualty
Are you prepared for 2026? Property and Casualty Trends Uncovered
The sixth annual Property and Casualty Market Outlook from Alera Group sets the stage for how organizations can recalibrate their risk strategies in 2026. Built on thousands of data points — including a nationwide survey of insurance company partners and wholesale intermediaries — this report delivers actionable insights for insurance buyers, risk managers and business leaders.
December 17, 2025
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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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