About Us
Our team of private equity experts is recognized for its strategic insight and transaction fluency, serving as a trusted partner to firms navigating the complexities of M&A.
Who We Serve
Private equity firms, family offices, independent sponsors, and strategic buyers nationwide rely on our team to protect their investments and streamline deal execution. Our experience spans thousands of transactions, with a track record of delivering fast, high-quality outcomes from LOI to exit.
Our Approach
Every deal is different. Our approach is not. We consistently focus on:
• Protecting the private equity fund
• Safeguarding the transaction
• Building and executing post-close brokerage strategies
• Providing ongoing M&A advisory
What We Deliver
We offer tailored insurance programs across critical areas of business risk, including:
• Business Insurance
• Human Capital Protection
• Executive Risk & Liability
• Transactional Liability (Reps & Warranties)
• Key Person Life Insurance
Our dedicated teams in transaction diligence, and brokerage, and client relationship management collaborate to deliver responsive service and cost-effective solutions.
Whether you’re structuring a new acquisition or optimizing an existing portfolio, we ensure every program is timely, strategic, and aligned with your investment goals.
Meet Our Team
Nick Koenemann
Managing Partner
Nick is an expert in mergers and acquisitions, insurance, risk management, and employee benefits consulting. With nearly two decades of insurance experience, he combines strategic insights and industry knowledge with a client-first approach to deliver exceptional results.
Nick began his insurance career as a Strategic Client Advocate at Lockton before transitioning to a Client Advisor role at Marsh McLennan. There, he developed a deep understanding of how to craft tailored solutions for complex client challenges. Nick then joined Risk Consulting Partners (RCP) in 2015 as a Producer and served as President when acquired by Alera Group in 2021. Nick holds a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from George Washington University.
Jim Myer
Senior Partner - Managing Director, Private Equity
With over 35 years of experience in the insurance industry, Jim specializes in delivering comprehensive insurance and risk management solutions for private equity firms and their portfolio companies. He leads a team of dedicated colleagues in the St. Louis office. Jim began his insurance career with Corroon & Black of Missouri, now Willis. Throughout his career, he has held senior roles at several leading firms, including Senior Director of Aon’s Mergers & Acquisitions Group, Managing Director for Krauter & Company, and Vice President and Senior Sales Executive at Wells Fargo Insurance Services. Jim was a founder of Risk Consulting Partners, now Alera Group.
Jim holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honors from the University of Colorado. He is active in the St. Louis community, serving on the board of the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital and previously as President of the Gateway Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Sara Carroll
Private Equity Diligence Practice Leader - Human Capital
Sara brings deep expertise to her role, helping clients identify, quantify, and mitigate benefit-related exposures during mergers and acquisitions. With over 25 years of experience in human resources management and employee benefits, her background includes managing thousands of transactions, making her a trusted advisor in navigating the complexities of human capital in deal environments.
Before joining Alera Group, Sara spent nine years building and leading the Human Capital M&A practice at Hauser, and over a decade in HR roles aligning compensation and benefit strategies with business growth and integration goals. She also worked for more than seven years at CBIZ as a health and welfare benefits consultant, overseeing comprehensive employee benefit programs for diverse clients.
Sara holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Business Administration and Spanish from Nebraska Wesleyan University, as well as an MBA from the University of Kansas. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time at the lake with her family and following Gopher football.
LinkedInKen Rhoads
Private Equity Practice Leader - Commercial Lines
Ken specializes in transactional insurance due diligence. Ken provides pre-close analysis on mergers & acquisitions with a keen eye for identifying risks and structuring insurance programs, to help clients navigate complex deal environments. He brings nearly two decades of deep expertise in M&A and risk management, having previously served as Managing Director of M&A – Corporate Risk at Hauser from 2016 to 2024. Prior to that, he spent ten years as Director of Risk Solutions at Aon, supporting clients through strategic risk evaluations and insurance planning.
Ken holds a Bachelor of Arts from Illinois College and completed the prestigious Advanced Management Development Program at Harvard Business School. Known for his practical, solutions-oriented approach, he plays a key role in aligning insurance strategies with transaction objectives. Outside of the office, Ken enjoys golf, fishing, hunting, and cooking for family and friends.
LinkedInEXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Employee Benefits
Q3 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.
September 9, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
Navigating Medicare: Educational Virtual Seminar
Navigate Medicare options to ensure you feel confident in your post-65 healthcare coverage.
September 10, 2025 at 12:00 pm CT | Virtual
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New Era, New Options: Understanding the Employee Benefit Impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and Direct Primary Care
With the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), the employee benefits landscape is shifting. This webinar brings together legislative insight and real-world application to help employers and advisors make informed decisions in a changing regulatory environment.
September 25, 2025 at 02:00 pm CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Property and Casualty
Alera Group’s 2025 Property and Casualty Market Update
Alera Group’s 2025 Property and Casualty Market Update, designed as a bridge between Alera Group’s annual Market Outlooks — provides insight into pricing, coverage availability, market capacity and underwriting trends for the balance of 2025.
August 1, 2025
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Employee Benefits
Legal Alert: IRS Issues Affordability Percentage Adjustment for 2026
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released Rev. Proc. 2025-25, which contains the inflation adjusted amounts for 2026 used to determine whether employer-sponsored coverage is “affordable” for purposes of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) employer shared responsibility provisions and premium tax credit program.
July 23, 2025
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Employee Benefits
Legal Alert: Enforcement of the HIPAA Reproductive Health Care Privacy Rule Vacated Nationwide
On June 18, 2025, a federal district court in Texas vacated a significant portion of the HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy (“Final Rule”), which was implemented on April 24, 2024, on a nationwide basis. The Final Rule, which was implemented in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (effectively overturning Roe v. Wade), was intended to protect the ability of individuals to receive reproductive health care when the care is provided lawfully under the circumstances without risk of an individual’s identity or health information being disclosed for purposes of state criminal, civil or administrative investigations (or for imposing liability related to lawfully providing or obtaining reproductive healthcare).
July 21, 2025
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Legal Alert: Employee Benefits Provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
On July 3, 2025, Congress passed a reconciliation bill (the “Reconciliation Act”) previously named the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but subsequently redesignated “An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14.”
July 8, 2025
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