Lockton, the world's largest privately held insurance broker, announces that Robert Russell has joined Lockton's employee benefit team as a vice president and unit manager in the Philadelphia operation. Russell is a veteran employee benefits consultant and account manager, working with companies to help them enroll and retain employees through attractive benefits programs.

"Bob has demonstrated the ability to manage a complete spectrum of consulting relationships," said Chris Keith, president of Lockton's Philadelphia office. "Our clients will benefit from his experience and proven ability to think outside the box. We are excited to add such a seasoned industry veteran to our Philadelphia organization."

Jeffrey Pichnarcik, senior vice president, employee benefits practice leader for the Northeast Region, added, "Bob is a well-respected consultant and thought leader in the Philadelphia market. We are confident that his broad experience and leadership skills will enhance our capabilities to make our clients' businesses better in this dynamic employee benefit environment."

Russell will manage complex Lockton client relationships and health and management welfare services, including financial analysis, plan design, and vendor negotiations.

Prior to joining Lockton, Russell was a vice president and senior consultant with Conner, Strong and Buckelew. He has also been an account executive at Aon Hewitt, a principal at Mercer Health & Benefits, a consultant at the Doyle Consulting Group, a vice president at CapRisk, an assistant director of national account underwriting at Cigna, and an underwriter at Prudential. He has an MBA in accounting and finance from Vanderbilt University, as well as a BS in biology and business administration from Ursinus College. He has earned the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation.

Lockton's Philadelphia office is located at 751 Arbor Way, Suite 250, Blue Bell, PA 19422. The office number is 215-583-9200.

About Lockton

More than 6,000 professionals at Lockton provide 50,000 clients around the world with risk management, insurance, employee benefits consulting, and retirement services that improve their businesses. From its founding in 1966 in Kansas City, Missouri, Lockton has attracted entrepreneurial professionals who have driven its growth to become the largest privately held, independent insurance broker in the world and 9th largest overall. For seven consecutive years, Business Insurance magazine has recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance." To see the latest insights from Lockton's experts, check Lockton Market Update.