PINE Announces Partnership with Employee Benefits Company
SOUTHBOROUGH, MA—May 04, 2011—PINE, the management services association serving the New England graphic communications industry, has formed a permanent alliance with Partners Benefit Group (PBG). The venture aims to maximize the value of the employee benefits programs being made available to the over 300 printing members PINE as well as to the additional members of the industry throughout New England. PBG is well known for its cost reduction strategies seldom found in today’s healthcare marketplace.
This partnership combines the extensive experience and buying power of PBG, a New England based full-service employee benefits management company with the ongoing needs of the membership.
Jim Tepper, President of PINE, said “This exciting new strategic alliance hopefully establishes a long-standing relationship with PBG which will bring benefit and value to both of our organizations. PBG is a tenant in our building and offers us the ability for a close working arrangement. Members will have the availability of large account value and services, increasingly being sought in today’s marketplace.”
“With our headquarters in their building over the past 5 years, we have enjoyed working with the staff of PINE and interacting with some of their members to learn more about the industry. We are thrilled they have chosen to affiliate with us,” said Michael McKenna, president of PBG. “We look forward to applying our substantial resources and leverage to create better and more economically advantageous benefit plans for our printing clients.”
PINE’s insurance clients will continue to be serviced by Mary Herlihy, Insurance Services Manager, who will now enjoy an increased range of support services from PBG as well as the range and experience of their marketing team to help control their employee benefit cost.”
Experiencing the shift of members to seek full service solutions as well as contained cost plans including higher deductible HMO and PPO based plans, PINE made the strategic decision to align itself with the recognized expert in the creation and management of these benefit plans. By choosing to partner with PBG, PINE is increasing its ability to access benefit plans that reduce cost without significantly increasing out-of-pocket expenses to the employee or diminishing the overall quality of the plan itself. PINE also recognized that PBG’s impressive administrative resources would maximize PINE members’ ability to stay in compliance with the increasing burden of State and Federal legislative requirements.
As a result of this permanent partnership, printers will continue to enjoy these advantages as well as benefits that come from PBG’s preferred status with the major plan providers, comprehensive administrative resources and operational efficiencies.
About PINE
PINE is a membership organization serving the New England graphic communications industry promoting the profitability of members and offering a wide range of management, production and human resource services.
About Partners Benefit Group
Partners Benefit Group (PBG) is a full-service employee benefits management company with offices in Southborough, Norwell, Duxbury, Plymouth, Assonet and Weymouth, Massachusetts. PBG is a recognized leader in offering a complete portfolio of employee benefit strategies, plan design, management and administrative support services to diverse companies of up to 1,000 employees. It is one of the largest and fastest growing employee benefit firms in New England.
Source: release.