Meet Our Team

    Heather Eshaghpour

    Regional Vice President, Employee Benefits Practice Leader
    Heather Eshaghpour

    Heather is the Regional Employee Benefits Practice Leader.   In her role, Heather collaborates with firms across the region leading initiatives on our client experience, our people, growth, and operational efficiencies.  Heather sits on our national employee benefits leadership team working with other practice leaders to drive innovation and growth within the employee benefits practice.

    Heather has over 25 years of experience in employee benefits having worked previously for both small and national consulting firms in client-facing and leadership roles.    Heather lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, son, and two Labrador retrievers.   She is an avid Nashville Predators Hockey fan.

    Mike Inman

    Vice President, Property and Casualty, South Central
    Mike Inman

    Vice President, Property and Casualty, South Central

    Nita Ponnaganti

    Vice President of Operations, South Central Region
    Nita Ponnaganti

    Vice President of Operations, South Central Region

    Greg Donovan

    Regional Finance Lead, South Central Region
    Greg Donovan

    Regional Finance Lead, South Central Region

    EXPERT EDUCATION

    Events and Webinars

    Employee Benefits

    2025 Healthcare and Employee Benefits Benchmarking Report: How Does Your Benefits Program Stack Up?

    In this session, our experts will dive into the results of our annual, market-leading benchmarking survey.

    June 26, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual

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    Engage Webinar Graphic

    Employee Benefits

    Dynamic Data: Strategies for Success

    Join us for this session, as our experts will share how to utilize your organization’s data to create advanced and innovative strategies for success.

    July 17, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual

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    Webinar Graphic

    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.

    July 23, 2025 at 12:00 pm CT | Virtual

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    State of the Markets

    Quote from President and CEO

    The Alera Group met with us throughout the year to monitor claims and helped us develop mitigation strategies in real time. For me, the most important thing was that they shared our ethical commitment to our employees.
    President and CEO

    Quote from President and CEO

    Throughout my career, I have worked with several well-known companies on benefits. None have compared with the Alera Group.
    President and CEO

    Quote from Director of Human Resources

    The Alera Group has worked tirelessly and proactively to help us get the best product at a price we and our staff can afford.
    Director of Human Resources

    Quote from Executive Director

    The Alera Group has helped us to find innovative solutions to our unique challenges and has served as a strong ally for every employee.
    Executive Director

    THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

    Insights

    Wealth Services

    Weekly Market Update

    Stocks advanced over the short trading week, bolstered by a possible trade deal with the European Union (EU) and an upbeat corporate report from a mega-cap tech company that creates semiconductors used in the creation of artificial intelligence.

    June 2, 2025

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    Employee Benefits

    Benefits Captives: Your Business and What Your Competitors Are Doing

    In one form or another, Captive Insurance has existed as a risk management solution for many decades — originally for property and casualty coverage and primarily for large employers. But its viability as a solution for employee benefits and for midsized businesses has increased dramatically in recent years, fueled by volatility in the insurance market in general and by the skyrocketing cost of health insurance in particular.

    May 29, 2025

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    Wealth Services

    Protecting Your Business from the Loss of a Key Person

    The unexpected loss of a key team member can disrupt operations and impact your bottom line. Explore how key person insurance can help your business stay resilient and maintain continuity during a critical transition.

    May 20, 2025

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    Wealth Services

    Weekly Market Update

    Stocks roared higher last week, powered by upbeat trade news and tame inflation reports.

    May 19, 2025

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