Descalso’s responsibilities will include the acquisition of new clients as well as the design, placement and oversight of risk management and property & casualty insurance programs. He has worked with a wide range of business and industry, including construction, real estate and property management, wholesale and retail distribution and electronics manufacturing. Descalso will be a part of EPIC’s Bay Area property & casualty division, reporting to managing principal and risk management practice leader, Joe Vineis.

“George’s client focus, reputation for excellence, and ability to deliver innovative solutions make him a great fit for EPIC,” said EPIC co-founder Dan Francis. We are very excited to have another professional of George’s caliber join our growing San Francisco Bay Area team.”

Prior to joining EPIC, Descalso spent six years with broker Andreini & Company in San Mateo, Calif., where he was a senior vice president responsible for new business development, program design and management and client retention. Before Andreini, Descalso spent 21 years with Thoits Insurance Service, Inc. in San Jose, Calif., where he was most recently an executive vice president.

Descalso attended St. Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif. where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. While at St. Mary’s Descalso played four years of NCAA varsity baseball. After leaving college, Descalso played baseball professionally in Italy for one season before entering the insurance business.

“EPIC is focused on delivering real value and a high return to clients through both individual initiative and strong teamwork,” said Descalso. “I appreciate that personal accountability, true collaboration, competition and having fun are so deeply engrained in EPIC’s principles and practices. I’m truly excited to join this innovative and successful organization.”

Descalso and his wife Marylou make their home in San Carlos, Calif. and have six children. His oldest son, Daniel, is currently a regular infielder for the 2011 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals major league baseball team.

George Descalso can be reached at:
EPIC
2000 Alameda de las Pulgas – Suite 280
San Mateo, CA 94403
650-295-4604 Office
650-619-5455 Mobile
gdescalso@edgewoodins.com.

About EPIC:
EPIC is an innovative California-based retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. The company provides a unique equity ownership opportunity and has created a values-based culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence.

The fastest growing brokerage in the state, EPIC now has more than 300 team members operating from nine offices across California (Los Angeles, Irvine, Ontario, Fresno, Folsom, San Francisco, San Mateo, Petaluma and San Ramon).

With more than $60 million in revenues, EPIC ranks among the top 50 retail insurance brokers in the United States and is the 5th largest privately-held broker in California. For more information, please visit http://www.edgewoodins.com/ .

* PHOTO Caption: George Descalso.

NEWS SOURCE: Edgewood Partners Insurance Center :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. Original Source: http://www.send2press.com/newswire/EPIC-adds-Principal-George-Descalso-in-San-Mateo-California-s-Fastest-Growing-Brokerage-Continues-to-Attract-Top-Talent_2013-02-0214-004.shtml.

EPIC is one of only 65 companies nationally to receive this honor. The company was additionally recognized as the top medium U.S. retail broker/agent to work for based on survey feedback from their team members.

“We are honored to again receive this recognition,” said Mary Smith, director of human resources. “At EPIC, we believe an excellent work environment is built on innovation, personal accountability, celebration and a healthy work/life balance. This belief has been a key part of attracting and keeping the industry’s best professionals. It has been a primary driver of EPIC’s consistent growth and success.”

Companies in the Best Places to Work survey were judged on employee engagement and satisfaction, benefit programs, policies, practices and other more general information.

Recognizing the value of a “people-first” culture, EPIC offers its employees a generous paid-time-off package, comprehensive health and welfare plans, a 401(k) match, an employee wellness program, and an annual EPIC Appreciation Day.

Additionally, EPIC encourages its employees to support and participate in the activities of charitable organization such as the American Heart Association, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Alzheimer’s Association and many other non-profit and community-service organizations, both local and national.

About EPIC:
EPIC is an innovative California-based retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. The company provides a unique equity ownership opportunity and has created a values-based culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence.

The fastest growing brokerage in the state, EPIC now has nearly 300 team members operating from eight offices across California (Los Angeles, Irvine, Fresno, Folsom, San Francisco, San Mateo, Petaluma and San Ramon).

With more than $60 million in revenues, EPIC ranks among the top 50 retail insurance brokers in the United States and is the 5th largest privately-held broker in California. For more information, please visit http://www.edgewoodins.com/ .

NEWS SOURCE: Edgewood Partners Insurance Center :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press(R) Newswire, a service of Neotrope(R). View all current news at the Send2Press for Journalists Portal: http://Send2PressNewswire.com/ .

The Top Employee Benefits Consultant Award identifies outstanding benefits consultants across the country who have done extraordinary work for their clients over the past year. Criterion for selection include client service excellence, creativity and innovation in problem-solving, cost-savings, program improvements, and health and welfare insurance and benefits consulting expertise.

“Tina excels in her work because she delivers outstanding results to her clients through rigorous strategic and financial management of their benefits program and unrelenting advocacy,” added Dana Liedel, EPIC’s Employee Benefits Practice Leader. “It’s exciting to see her and EPIC recognized nationally in this way for the second year in a row.”

Brink was recognized as a “Top Employee Benefits Consultant” because of her exceptional customer care and background as an underwriter, where she developed unique skills to assist in her negotiations with carriers.

A notable example of Brink’s negotiating skill is her work with Aspire Public Schools in Oakland, one of the nations leading K-12 charter school systems serving low-income students. With the California school system facing substantial financial challenges, Brink was able to save Aspire $354,000 in 2011, followed by negotiations in 2012 that garnered a $316,000 reduction in proposed benefit increases. In addition to negotiating significantly better rates, Brink secured attractive benefits for Aspire.

Another example of Brink’s ability to deliver creative solutions is the wellness plan that she created for Xyratex International, a leading provider of data storage technology. According to Karin Rodriguez, U.S. benefits and contingent workforce manager for Xyratex International, “We were starting from nothing, with no money to work with. Tina quickly and effectively put together a plan for 500 employees.”

“Tina is an invaluable member of our team,” said EPIC co-founder and chief executive officer, Dan Francis. “She exemplifies the EPIC spirit and our commitment to client-focused excellence. I’m extremely proud of Tina and the outstanding team that supports her.”

Collectively, Brink saved her clients more than $1.5 million in 2011. She is located in EPIC’s Folsom, Calif. branch office and is a part of the company’s Northern California Employee Benefits Consulting Practice.

Tina Brink can be contacted by phone at 916.358.8007 or via email at tbrink@edgewoodins.com.

About Edgewood Partners Insurance Service:
EPIC is an independent retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance broker with headquarters in Northern California. Founded in 2007, the company utilizes a creative approach to product and program development and distribution, and provides cutting-edge services to key industry segments which include Construction, Real Estate, Hospitality, Renewable Energy, Food and Beverage, Healthcare, Transportation and High Tech.

EPIC offers a unique equity ownership opportunity for revenue generators and other key employees. EPIC’s “people first” value-based culture attracts and retains top talent and fosters high employee satisfaction and performance to sustain its high level of service excellence. By focusing on value, EPIC generates exceptional client retention and growth rates well above industry norms. The fastest growing brokerage on the west coast, EPIC employs 300 associates operating from seven fully-integrated locations. With nearly $65 million in revenues, EPIC is the 42nd largest retail insurance broker in the U.S. For more information, please visit http://www.edgewoodins.com.

News Source: Edgewood Partners Insurance Center :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .

The Top Employee Benefits Consultant Award identifies outstanding benefits consultants across the country who have done extraordinary work for their clients over the past year. Criterion for selection includes client service excellence; creativity and innovation in problem-solving; cost-savings delivered and program improvements made, in addition to health and welfare insurance and benefits consulting expertise.

Tina was one of only 28 benefits professionals nationwide to be selected as a top consultant from the hundreds of nominations received by Risk & Insurance this year.

Tina was also among a more exclusive subset of the winners (one of only six people) to receive the Responsibility Leader Award. Responsibility Leaders are recognized for going above and beyond the call of duty in ways that benefit their clients, company and community, for doing the right thing over the easy thing, and for encouraging young people to consider brokerage and insurance as a career.

With her background as an underwriter, Tina brings a unique skill set to negotiations with carriers. She speaks their language when discussing proposed changes, treating the carriers as she treats her clients, as partners. While many consultants provide clients with legislative updates, Brink takes this service to the next level, teaching her clients how to apply the regulations to their plans.

During the course of nominee interviews, one client of Tina’s stated, “I have worked with other brokers who wouldn’t have gone to bat for us the way Tina has. She’s very knowledgeable about health benefits. She knows what will work and what won’t work and is very good about explaining things so we can make informed decisions.”

Tina, one of only two “Top Employee Benefits Consultants” based in California, is located in EPIC’s Folsom, Calif. branch office and is a part of the company’s Northern California Employee Benefits Consulting Practice.

“Tina is a tremendous professional and a valuable team member,” said EPIC Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dan Francis. “She represents the epitome of the EPIC spirit and our commitment to client-focused excellence. I’m extremely proud of Tina and the outstanding team that supports her.”

Tina is the best of the best when it comes to delivering results and positive impact to clients while leading the strategic and financial management of their benefits program,” added Dana Liedel, EPIC’s Employee Benefits Practice Leader. “It’s very gratifying to see her and EPIC nationally recognized in this way.”

About Edgewood Partners Insurance Center:
Founded in 2007, EPIC is an innovative California-based retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage firm. The company provides a unique equity ownership opportunity and has created a values-based culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty, and sustains a high level of customer service excellence.

The fastest growing brokerage in the state, EPIC now has nearly 300 team members operating from seven offices across California (Los Angeles, Orange, Irvine, Folsom, San Francisco, San Mateo and San Ramon) and in Baltimore, Md. With nearly $60 Million in revenues, EPIC ranks among the top 50 retail insurance brokers in the United States and is the 5th largest privately-held broker based in California. For more information please visit www.edgewoodins.com .

News Source: Edgewood Partners Insurance Center :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .

To qualify for a Power Broker designation, nominees must be considered a top performer in a particular industry practice sector. The three principal criteria for evaluating candidates are creative risk problem solving, industry practice expertise and client service. Amos and Hahn were two of only 144 people nationwide to be selected from thousands of nominations received by Risk & Insurance this year.

During the course of nominee interviews, a client of Amos’s stated, “Allen’s knowledge and history with transportation has helped me guide my corporation through the proper channels of protection.” A second client noted that, “Allen has more technical knowledge than any other insurance broker I have dealt with. He is not your typical salesman.”

Hahn’s clients were equally complimentary. “Nancy has a lot of integrity. I never feel that she is applying sales pressure,” one client said. “As a result of staying ahead of the game, Nancy is always able to present us with different approaches and venues. She is very technically skilled and personable and she always comes to meetings extraordinarily well prepared.”

Amos and Hahn are both EPIC shareholders and principals. Amos is based in the company’s San Ramon division where he specializes in transportation and trucking. Hahn divides her time between offices in San Mateo and San Francisco, focusing on the needs of technology companies and financial institutions.

“Nancy has been a partner, great friend, and confidant for 31 years,” said EPIC co-founder and chief executive officer, Dan Francis. “I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this recognition. Nancy is the epitome of the EPIC spirit.”

“And in life, there are those who seek attention and then there are those who, day in and day out, ‘get it done,’” Francis noted. “Allen is a person who takes care of business and consistently produces strong results because he focuses first on the needs of others. It is what makes Allen an outstanding broker.”

About Edgewood Partners Insurance Center:
Founded in 2007, EPIC is an innovative California-based retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage firm. The company provides a unique equity ownership opportunity and has created a values-based culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty, and sustains a high level of customer service excellence.

The fastest growing brokerage in the state, EPIC now has nearly 300 team members operating from seven offices across Northern and Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange, Irvine, Folsom, San Francisco, San Mateo and San Ramon) and in Baltimore, MD and Atlanta, GA. With nearly $60 million in revenues, EPIC ranks among the top 50 retail insurance brokers in the United States and is the 5th largest privately-held broker in California. For more information please visit www.edgewoodins.com .

- RSS news feed for EPIC:
http://send2pressnewswire.com/author/edgewood-partners-insurance-center/feed .

News Source: Edgewood Partners Insurance Center :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .

Unified chose ESI’s WIN platform as one of its loyalty solutions because of its simplicity, affordability and above all, its focus on the needs of the independent grocer. The WIN program allows independent grocers to identify and reward their best customers without the overwhelming data and cost burdens typically found in loyalty offerings. “Our loyalty philosophy is simple: focus on those elements which keep the consumer loyal while taking the burden off the grocer,” said Ian Diery, CEO of ESI, “Sometimes too much information is simply too much, and it is our responsibility to provide our partner the optimum amount of information that allows them to maintain a strong consumer focus within a reasonable budget.”

Other Benefits of the WIN Rewards Program:
- The WIN platform is highly customizable, allowing each grocer to pick and choose the features they can afford and is relevant to their business, instead of force-fitting all grocers in the same mold.
- Provides a one-stop shop facility for the independent grocer. ESI offers a wide array of services including POS integration, managing program launch from start to finish, mining consumer insights for clear and actionable recommendations, marketing, and administration for one low monthly fee with no hidden costs.
- Helps grocers develop an online communication platform that not only saves cost but enables better consumer targeting.
- Supports green initiatives by reducing the need for paper.

Unified’s Executive Director of Retail Support Services, Kory Burwell, stated, “In today’s challenging times, the independent grocer needs the right information in order to compete effectively and grow. ESI’s WIN Rewards Program is designed to increase customer loyalty and sales. Undifferentiated discounting has not proven to be effective against large grocery chains that use electronic media for targeted customer marketing. WIN adds tremendous value by bringing to the grocer the technical, marketing, and analytical expertise to compete in today’s economy.”

About Unified Grocers:

Founded in 1922, Unified Grocers, Inc. is a retailer-owned wholesale grocery distributor that supplies independent retailers throughout the western United States. Unified and its subsidiaries, which generated approximately $4.1 billion in sales during fiscal 2009, offer independent retailers all the resources they need to compete in the supermarket industry.

About ESI:

Founded in 1999 and based in San Mateo, California, ESI introduced eScrip, an electronic scrip program to provide resources to organizations that support children through member retailers. In 2008, ESI Introduced the WIN Rewards Program to offer a low cost loyalty solution specifically designed for local and regional grocers. ESI currently process over 76 million transactions and $2.5 billion in sales annually. ESI’s board and officers include individuals with diverse backgrounds that include computer technology, banking systems, marketing, accounting, fundraising, and the non-profit sector.

More information: http://www.escrip.com .

Plain text copy of press release (and media contact)

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STORY REFERENCES: Unified Grocers Endorses WIN Rewards as a Key Loyalty Initiative, Electronic Scrip Inc, ESI WIN Rewards Program, Unified Grocers, CEO Ian Diery, retailer-owned wholesale grocery distributor that supplies independent retailers throughout the western United States, eScrip, an electronic scrip program, Kory Burwell