About Us
Our mission at Orion is to create a premier insurance organization that thrives by attracting highly talented individuals and nurtures them to innovate, advocate and solve the contemporary problems that face businesses today.
Orion and its employees operate on principles of integrity, innovation, diligence, collaboration, and client advocacy. Two of the driving factors at Orion are teamwork and respect. We operate in a team environment, whether it is for a specific producer, a certain division, or the company as a whole. More importantly, our goal is to treat everyone as a valued member of the team. A part of this involves our cross team collaboration, including support from the executive team, in which our employees continuously work together to help clients and remain updated about changes within the industry.
Orion operates with the structure that you would expect from an established financial institution, but embraces the vibrant culture that is taking over modern businesses. At Orion we believe that a positive culture encourages productive employees. Whether it is impromptu gatherings in our lounge, ping-pong tournaments, holiday potlucks, or competing in a corporate basketball league, we have created an environment that keeps our employees happy and healthy. We encourage employees to strive to be their best by also placing an emphasis on continuing education. Orion sponsors employees to take classes towards professional licenses and designations that will help them further their career at Orion. We believe that the individualized attention we give each of our employees enables them to give that same level of personalized care to our clients.
Orion has been recognized as one of the top workplaces in Orange County by the Orange County Register for five consecutive years (2016, 2017 , 2018, 2019 and 2020). This award is presented to deserving companies based solely upon the feedback of their employees.
Meet Our Team
Clifford A. Davis
President
Clifford A. Davis is the President of Orion Risk Management, an Alera Group Company. He has been in the insurance industry for 30 years.
By his mid-twenties Clifford was the Managing Partner of Golden Pacific Insurance Services. He developed a wide-ranging client following of medium and heavy manufacturers. Additionally, he established an expertise in construction with an emphasis on California residential construction.
In 2001, Clifford founded Orion Risk Management. The objective was to serve the retail insurance space, differentiating Orion from its competitors with a focus on client advocacy, company culture, and sophistication in alternative funding. Orion grew to one of the top 20 insurance brokerages in California before its sale to the Alera Group
During the recession of 2008, Orion turned its attention to Novation’s and Loss Portfolio Transfers. These transactions liberated collateral that had been posted in support of insurance agreements for a wide variety of companies.
Clifford has been an innovator in insuretech and has founded two companies that provide SAS solutions to the insurance industry. He has also leveraged his software development expertise to develop proprietary software at Orion to manage OCIP and CCIP construction projects.
Throughout his insurance career, Clifford has pursued his passion for aviation, involving himself with and investing in a charter aviation company, striving to achieve advanced piloting ratings, and arranging flights for various charities. His qualifications allow him to fly single pilot in a variety of turbine and multi-engine jet aircraft.
Laverne Friedmann
Partner
Laverne has over 45 years of experience in commercial insurance, including time spent at Allstate, where she was was the first woman in the Western United States and the third in the nation to be appointed a Commercial Account Executive. Laverne also worked at Marsh, and eventually was the founder of her own firm in 1998. She is currently focusing on larger risks with safety and loss control as her specialty.
Marcus G. Vanneman
Executive Vice President Employee Benefits
Marcus brings over 20 years of experience to the Orion team. As founder of the Benefits Department in 2002, he has successfully directed the Benefits team to become one of the best in the industry. He operates with the objective of helping clients creatively overcome the vast challenges posed by the ever-changing healthcare landscape. Marcus’s background includes a bachelor’s degree in business finance from Cal Poly SLO.
Trisha Engelhart
Corporate Vice President
Trisha L. Engelhart serves as Corporate Vice President of Orion Risk Management, an Alera Group Company. She has been in the insurance industry for over 30 years.
Trisha started in the insurance industry with a life agent in Orange County. She then transitioned to a position with an agency that provided her with foundation to build upon on the commercial side of insurance.
In 1996, she joined Golden Pacific Insurance Services, Inc. as a Senior Account Manager. During her time with this agency, she developed her expertise in the construction industry, and as a result was promoted to a Senior Account Executive position overseeing a team of account managers and assistants.
In April of 2001, she joined the newly created Orion Risk Management Insurance Services, Inc. as one of its original founding employees. She was responsible for laying the foundation of the policies and procedures that are still being used in the agency today. Trisha was quickly promoted to Corporate Vice President taking on the supervision of the servicing and administrative staff, in addition to her continued work as a Senior Account Executive on large construction accounts.
In 2010, Trisha was the lead team member that created an internet based OCIP Administration Program that allows subcontractors paperless access to certificates of insurance, payroll reporting and other administrative functions. This project was a huge accomplishment as it went from drawing board to enrollment of over 800 trade contractors in 45 days. She continues to be actively involved in this project as it continues to evolve to handle more processes for general contractors.
Along with holding her insurance and surplus lines license, at one point Trisha was one of only 14 people in the nation to have all three insurance designations– CRM (Certified Risk Manager-2002), CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor-1998) and CISR (Certified Insurance Service Representative-1996). She also has obtained her CRIS (Certified Insurance Specialist in Construction-2008) and is a Notary Public for the State of California.
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Employee Benefits
Maximizing Impact: The Value of Voluntary Benefits for Today’s Workforce
In this session, our experts will showcase the value of voluntary benefits, from financial savings to improved retention to addressing the specific needs of their employees.
March 20, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
Sign Up
Employee Benefits
Balancing Cost and Care: Could a Captive solution be the right fit for you?
In this session, our experts will discuss how captive solutions work and what you need to consider for your own group’s needs.
April 17, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
Sign Up
Employee Benefits
Q2 2025 Quarterly Compliance Webinar
Alera Group's quarterly employee benefits compliance roundup will help you stay current on the latest national regulatory developments impacting employers.
May 6, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
Sign Up
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Employee Benefits
The Market for Employee Benefits in 2025
Join Alera Group on January 16 from 1-2 p.m. CT as we highlight the key findings in our "2025 Employee Benefits Market Outlook" and discuss how trends in employee benefits may affect your business' offerings. The insights we’ll share and the questions we’ll answer will help you determine your benefits strategy for the months ahead.
January 6, 2025
Find out more
Employee Benefits
New ACA-Related Laws Provide More Flexibility to Employers
On Monday, December 23, 2024, President Biden signed into law two bills, H.R. 3797 (the Paperwork Reduction Act) and H.R. 3801 (the Employer Reporting Improvement Act), which will positively impact applicable large employers (ALEs) and other entities required to furnish Forms 1095-B or 1095-C to individuals.
January 2, 2025
Find out more Employee Benefits
State of the Market for Employee Benefits in 2025
What are the needs and priorities of those in the workforce and the employment market? What are rival businesses offering to attract and retain the best the market has to offer? And what shifts are taking place in the market that employers should anticipate and prepare for? Alera Group’s 2025 Employee Benefits Market Outlook, scheduled for release on January 16, provides answers to those essential questions.
December 19, 2024
Find out more Employee Benefits
IRS Releases PCORI Fee For Plan Years Ending Before October 1, 2025
The IRS has released Notice 2024-83, which sets the applicable PCORI fee for plan years ending between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025, at $3.47 per covered life.
December 12, 2024
Find out more