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
When Captive Insurance Makes Sense
In this session, our experts will talk about how captives work, the advantages and disadvantages and what you need to know to determine whether they make sense for your organization.
November 21, 2024 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
Sign Up
Employee Benefits
Q4 Compliance Update
Alera Group's quarterly employee benefits compliance roundup will help you stay current on the latest national regulatory developments impacting employers.
December 3, 2024 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
Sign Up
Employee Benefits
Setting Your Strategy for the New Year: Alera Group's 2025 Employee Benefits Market Outlook
Our experts will highlight key results from Alera Group’s 2025 Employee Benefits Market Outlook Report and explain how these trends can impact your benefits program this year.
January 16, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
Sign Up
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Employee Benefits
Avoiding an Employee Lawsuit Over a Tobacco Surcharge Claim
Tobacco surcharges on health insurance premiums for employees who use tobacco products are attractive options for employers looking to keep their workforce healthy while lowering their organization’s healthcare costs. But surcharges can go too far, and many employers may be unaware of the limitations. Alera Group's new whitepaper on tobacco surcharges is designed to assist employers in complying with federal regulations.
November 19, 2024
Find out more
Employee Benefits
Q4 Considerations: New HIPAA Privacy Considerations
Earlier this year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Final Rule titled HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy.
November 15, 2024
Find out more Employee Benefits
Spotlight on 2025 Benefit Limits
The IRS has released the 2025 benefit plan limits. The following chart shows some of the key limits for the 2023, 2024 and 2025 tax years.
November 15, 2024
Find out more Employee Benefits
Courts Ablaze with Tobacco Surcharge Class Action Lawsuits
Tobacco surcharges, or an increase in premiums for employees who use tobacco products, are attractive to employers looking to keep their employee population healthy and lower their healthcare costs. But they can go too far, and many employers might not be aware of the limitations.
November 15, 2024
Find out more