ABOUT BENEFIT ADVOCATES

Benefit Advocates opened its doors in 2001 due to the increased demand for the services of president, founder and CEO Mary Kesel, a 25-year veteran in healthcare and benefits and an adjunct professor of human resources management at Wake Forest University's Babcock Graduate School of Management.

Benefit Advocates provides "Real People, Real Answers^SM" service to successfully guide its clients through the maze of today's healthcare system.

Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., Benefit Advocates provides services to individuals and large and small businesses nationwide, including SCANA Corporation, SunTrust Banks, Inc., and Schering-Plough Corporation.

In a world where plans and benefits change every year, employees don't know who to call for help. And often a phone call to the health plan doesn't completely resolve complex issues. Benefit Advocates was created to provide this personal and confidential service to employers on behalf of their employees.

"In my 25 years of working in the clinical and administrative areas of the healthcare industry, I have seen the environment become increasingly confusing and complex," Kesel said. "Employees and retirees want and deserve a knowledgeable and compassionate advocate to help them understand their benefits and to negotiate on their behalf."