About Us
OUR STORY
As an Alera Group Company, Wilson Albers is more than a local firm with local resources. We’re backed by the power of more than 100+ locations across the United States, with industry-leading professionals and the resources you would expect of a national firm. As an employer services firm we specialize in Employee Benefits, Human Resources, Retirement Plans, Wealth Management, and Property & Casualty.
We're able to offer the resources, technical knowledge, and best practices of a large national firm, while maintaining our personalized; local relationships. The innovative culture of Alera Group allows us to collaborate with national partners to meet your unique needs. Our national size gives us the buying strength to keep costs low for our clients. We pair that with our powerful local relationships, built on years of doing what is right for our clients and communities.
OUR MISSION
Over the years, we have changed and evolved alongside our clients, but our commitment and due diligence to ensure clients receive exceptional customer service has never changed. We stand by our mission, to elevate the employer and employee relationship. We aim to exemplify the spirit of a service industry in every aspect of our conduct. To achieve this, we prioritize:
- Service to our customers
- Service to our community
- Service to our community
- Service to each other
OUR VALUES
Unquestionable Integrity
To undertake decisions and work with honesty and integrity, working in the best interest of the client, their constituents, and the agency
Dedication to Excellence
To provide the best products and service available in the most resourceful way possible
Caring For People, Family, Community
To understand and respond quickly to other’s needs with care and consideration
Celebrate With Fun & Laughter
To have fun in work and play, to celebrate life in good times and bad, and to share laughs with our fellow travelers along the way
Lifelong Learning
To continually improve ourselves that we may contribute to the greater good of our customers, our company, and our community. Headquartered in Alaska, we have firsthand knowledge and experience with the healthcare landscape, trends, and market in our state
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.
Meet Our Team
Kerry Hartz
Consultant, Employee Benefits
Kerry has professional experience in nearly every facet of the health insurance industry and employer groups of all sizes and types. He began his career more than 35 years ago at the precursor to Regence Blue Shield and worked with various brokerage firms and third-party administrators before moving to Alera Group.
The longtime holder of a Washington insurance license, Kerry has earned three course certifications from the National Association of Health Underwriters as well: Consumer Directed Healthcare, Benefits Account Manager, and Advanced Self-Funded. He enjoys the team-oriented atmosphere in our office and serving as the primary point of contact for the clients he supports.
Kerry is married with a son; he likes working in the yard, maintaining the family cars, riding bicycles, playing with the family pets, occasionally being part of a trivia-contest team, and going to the health club.
Kerry is not registered as an investment advisor representative and cannot offer advisory products or services in that capacity.
Chérie Hendrix
Employee Benefits Lead Consultant, National Accounts
With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Chérie leads our teams for large groups and self-funded plans—providing benefits program strategy, healthcare reform guidance, financial analysis, and account management. Certified as an Advanced Specialist for self-funded plans by the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), she works with clients including native corporations, public employers, nonprofits, professional firms, and many others.
Before joining the team in 2015, Chérie spent 16 years at Mercer as a principal and senior consultant. There, she focused on mid-sized to large employers in a variety of industries, with benefit plans ranging from 200 to over 15,000 employees.
Chérie, who holds life and disability insurance licenses in several states, is a member of the Employee Benefits Planning Association, International Foundation of Employee Benefits, NAHU, Alaska Association of Health Underwriters, Western Pension & Benefits Association, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and other professional organizations. She has presented at the State of Reform Health Policy Conference in Anchorage as well as events for the Alaska Native Village Corporation Association, SHRM, and the Alaska Chamber of Commerce.
A graduate of Seattle University, Chérie has a degree in French with a minor in business. She volunteers at Catholic Social Services and has previously volunteered for the French American School of Puget Sound.
Cherie is not registered as an investment advisor representative and cannot offer advisory products or services in that capacity.
Ismail Kljucanin
Account Manager, Retirement Plan Services
Ismail provides vital support and service to our retirement plan advisors and their clients, helping analyze plan performance, participation, and contributions. His industry background includes three years with KeyBank as a financial consultant; he also earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Oregon.
A resident of Gresham, Oregon (about 30 minutes outside of Portland), Ismail was born in Germany and moved to the U.S. when he was a child. He’s fluent in Bosnian and volunteers in the community with Islamic Bosniaks Educational & Cultural Organization (IBECO). When he’s not serving clients or volunteering, he loves to travel, watch and play sports, and spend time with friends and family.
Abbi Lasich, MBA-HRM, PHR®, SHRM-CP®, MBA-HRM
Employer Services Consultant
As an Employer Services Consultant, Abbi brings her passion for business, problem solving, and comprehensive HR expertise to help connect her clients with workplace solutions. She has experience in manufacturing, financial services, and technology industries where she has been able to make improvements to employee benefits, financial services and also Human Resource functions.
In addition to her degree in business administration from Columbia College and MBA in HRM from Southern Columbia University, Abbi has earned the Professional Human Resources (PHR®) certification, along with designation as a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP®).
Abbi currently resides in Southwest Washington with her family. When she isn’t volunteering in her community church events, you can find her golfing or traveling with her daughter all over the world.
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Wealth Services
State of the Markets
Join us as we unveil the factors that drive the nation's financial pulse and how they may impact your personal finances.
January 22, 2025 at 12:00 pm CT | Virtual
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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
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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
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Retirement Plan Services
Portability Services Network Expands Impact
According to a recent release, the Portability Services Network (PSN), which began with three of the biggest recordkeepers in the country just over a year ago, has now grown to include three additional providers, covering over 15,000 retirement plans and 5 million members.
January 16, 2025
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Retirement Plan Services
Supreme Court Declines Arbitration Case: What Plan Sponsors Need to Know
Staying compliant in this environment demands significant time and resources. Sponsors must regularly update plan documents to reflect the latest judicial interpretations and may need to consult legal counsel more frequently to help mitigate risks. This ongoing burden can divert attention from other strategic priorities and increase overall administrative costs.
January 13, 2025
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Weekly Market Update
Stocks fell for the second consecutive week as a round of fresh economic data stoked inflationary fears among investors.
January 13, 2025
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Retirement Plan Services
DOL and IRS Provide Hurricane Relief Guidance
The Department of Labor (DOL), in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), released a statement in November detailing disaster relief measures for employee benefit plans, participants and sponsors affected by Hurricane Helene, Tropical Storm Helene and Hurricane Milton. While the guidance applies broadly to health, welfare and retirement plans, the following provisions are specifically relevant to retirement plan sponsors and participants.
January 6, 2025
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