The Segal Group adds San Francisco HR and benefits consultancy

24 January 2019 Consulting.us

Human resources and benefits consulting firm The Segal Group has acquired Benz Communications, a San Francisco–based HR and employee benefits communications firm. The transaction is Segal’s third acquisition in the past year.

NYC-based The Segal Group provides consulting services in benefits, HR, compensation, and investment, as well as insurance brokerage services. The group’s companies include Segal Consulting, Sibson Consulting, Segal Select Insurance Services, Inc., and Segal Marco Advisors. The Segal Group employs more than 1,000 people across the US and Canada.

Last year, the firm augmented Sibson Consulting – its strategic and HR benefits company serving public and private organizations, not-for-profits, sports leagues, and higher education – with the acquisition of Touchstone Consulting. Segal followed that move by purchasing public sector HR consultancy The Singer Group, which was rolled into Segal Waters, the group’s public sector HR practice. 

The Segal Group adds San Francisco HR and benefits communications consultancy

Segal has now bolstered its strategic benefits and HR communications capability with the acquisition of San Francisco’s Benz Communications. Founded in 2006, Benz Communications supports talent-focused large employers (tech, financial services, and universities) with benefits and HR comms. Their work includes strategy, branding, website and portal creation, surveys and focus groups, vendor comms management, and multichannel comms creation and deployment.

“Our new colleagues from Benz Communications are known as strategic and creative thought leaders,” David Blumenstein, president and CEO of The Segal Group said. “Their services focus on creating modern, fresh, and engaging communications that will help our clients stay ahead of industry trends.”

Segal will combine its existing comms practice with Benz Communication to create Segal Benz. The new group will have 58 team members and offices in New York and San Francisco. Segal Benz will be led by Benz Communications founder and CEO Jennifer Benz, now a senior vice president.

The expanded comms division will afford the acquired firm’s client roster a boosted slate of offerings. “By joining Segal, we are able to expand into two important areas—personalized communications and compliance,” Benz said. “We now provide personalized statements for total rewards, retirement programs, health benefits, executive portfolios, and more. Plus, we have a team of masterful SPD [summary plan description] and plan document writers.”

Isabelle Englund-Geiger, who co-led the acquired firm with Jennifer Benz, will also join Segal as a senior vice president. Meanwhile, the leader of Segal’s former national comms practice, Randolph B. Carter, will also serve as senior vice president at Segal Benz.

“There has never been a more important time to get people engaged in their health, finances and jobs overall,” Benz said. “Joining The Segal Group will give our current clients access to expanded consulting expertise while we continue to deliver cutting-edge communications strategies.”