History
Jim Edholm founded Business Benefits Insurance Brokerage (BBI) in 1992. Matt Hollister founded Business Benefits, Inc. in 2000. Two separate companies with one mission and, it would turn out, a shared future. Business Benefits, Inc. was re-named Hollister Insurance in 2001 due to the similarity of the names, both operating in Massachusetts. Fast forward to 2018 and Jim Edholm, with his partner Doreen Mason, joined Hollister Insurance and Hollister Insurance was subsequently re-named Business Benefits, Inc. (BBI).
In 2021, BBI became a part of Cross Insurance of Wakefield, Inc.
Get in touch
At BBI we know that finding the benefits advisor to represent you is a choice not to be taken lightly. That’s why we take the time to go through a three step process with new clients, starting with a discovery call, then moving on to a capabilities presentation followed by a proposal of our services. We do not send out proposals to every company that comes our way because we know that not every company will be the right fit.
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Leadership Team
CEO
Matt Hollister
Prior to becoming a broker in 1999, Matt worked in the group insurance division of John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. While at John Hancock, Matt was responsible for both in-force client retention and new sales in New England. Matt holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Northeastern University and a Master of Public Health with a Health Policy concentration from the Boston University School of Public Health.
COO
Doreen Mason
Doreen is the COO of Business Benefits. Her major focus is client retention and service. For 20 years, Doreen has guided business owners and executives on how to balance their organization’s capital with employee benefits.
Founder
Jim Edholm
Originally a Midwesterner (Jim refers to himself as “just a Chicago kid”), Jim migrated to New England in 1972, He began selling benefits in 1983, formed Business Benefits in 1992, and has prided himself on continuing to seek the most cost effective, cutting edge strategies to privately held businesses ever since.
Team
Account Executive
Lynne Bradley
Lynne has been with BBI since 2014 and was with another brokerage prior to that. She is an expert with health and welfare plans, and works with her clients on a variety of day to day administrative issues.
HR & Benefits Manager
Terri Caldwell
Terri has been in the Human Resource and Employee Benefits field for more than 10 years. She has a strong background in the HR/Benefits area and an understanding of the daily HR related issues companies are faced with, as well as their need for offering an attractive employee benefit package. Terri is also a licensed health insurance producer. Since joining the team in 2014 Terri has proven to be a trusted resource for clients by managing client and vendor relationships, problem solving and day to day assistance with employee benefit and HR related questions.
MIS Support Specialist & COBRA Administrator
Jeremy Wegrzyn
Jeremy is our technology guru and Cobra administrator, working out of the Andover, MA office. Jeremy joined BBI in 2014 after working as a math teacher and stage electrician. In his free time, he is an avid boardgamer, a classically trained contrabassist, and an unclassically trained blacksmith.
Benefits Associate
Erin Sicord
Erin Sicord joined BBI in January, 2020 as a Benefits Associate. Erin is a graduate of Stonehill College and assists account executives and HR staff with many projects including new business implementation, quoting, enrollment, plan documents and special projects.
Account Executive
Hannah Wallace
Hannah Wallace has been with BBI for almost 6 years and was promoted in 2020 to the role of Account Executive. Hannah has an MBA with a concentration in Healthcare from UMass Lowell.
Account Executive
Susan Medeiros
Sue Medeiros is an Account Executive in the Andover, MA office. Sue started her insurance career with Gordon Analytic in 2009 and was hired by BBI in 2014. She has continued to grow and be a valued asset to our senior staff.
Office Manager
Jo-Anne Middleton
Jo-Anne Middleton is Office Manager, Customer Service Representative and Special Projects Coordinator in Andover, MA. Jo-Anne joined Business Benefits, Inc. in November, 2018 and is Assistant to the Executive Staff. Jo-Anne also assists the Account Executives with client renewals, enrollments and terminations along with other administrative tasks.
Account Executive
Karen O’Quinn
Karen O’Quinn is an Account Executive in the Concord, MA office. Karen joined Business Benefits in 2018 and is a licensed MA Life and Health Broker. Karen works alongside the senior staff on the firm's large and small accounts alike providing clients with renewal analyses, cost saving plan options, marketing strategies and employee communications. Karen has been in the employee benefits consulting and brokerage business for over 35 years.
Health Account Manager
Adam Grant
Adam Grant is an Health Account Manager working remotely in Florida. Adam joined Business Benefits in 2020 and runs our health account service (FSA, HRA, and HSA plans). Adam brings over 19 years of experience in working in the information technology and service industry related to benefit administration. He is also skilled in business process improvement and vendor management by enhancing the clients and employee’s benefits need.