Advisory Board
BAN's Advisory Board empowers members with strategic resources and unwavering support to achieve exceptional results. It fosters a high-performance culture rooted in the pillars of business planning and execution excellence, collaboration, accountability, and sustainability, guided by its shared values of integrity and innovation. The board is driven by its commitment to service to others and strives to make a lasting impact on the lives of BAN members and the broader communities it serves.
Sheri Alexander, Chief Strategy Officer (Retired, Board Advisor)
Sheri has decades of experience in the employee benefits world. Before retiring in 2022, Sheri served as Chief Strategy Officer and President of Employee Benefits for Gregory & Appel Insurance in Indianapolis. Before joining Gregory & Appel in 2005, she spent 15 years with Marsh & McLennan/Mercer and nearly ten years with Gardner & White. She has cultivated experience in group captives, employer clinics, value-based and reference-based benefits design, price transparency tools, voluntary benefits, benefits administration, joint-purchase programs, and more. Additionally, she has served on the Advisory Councils of Anthem, Boston Mutual, and United Healthcare, to name a few—not to mention countless memberships and board service for industry-related organizations and not-for-profits.
Mindy Farnsley, President
Mindy is the President of Preferred Benefits, an employee benefits firm based in Louisville, Kentucky, which was founded in 2002. With over 15 years of experience, she specializes in creating and implementing employee benefit plans and strategies for small to medium-sized businesses. Currently, Mindy serves as Legislative Director for the Greater Louisville National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP, formerly KYAHU), the leading advocacy group for the health insurance marketplace in Kentucky. She also holds the position of Membership Director for the Kentucky State NABIP and has previously served as president of both organizations.
Throughout her career, Mindy has dedicated significant time engaging with elected officials in Frankfort and Washington, D.C., lobbying on various health insurance industry issues. In 2023, she became a Health Rosetta Certified Broker, joining a movement that promotes practical, non-partisan solutions to improve our healthcare system. Health Rosetta empowers public and private employers and unions to provide better care to 157 million Americans while reducing health benefits spending by 20-40%.
Beyond her professional achievements, Mindy is a proud mother to four wonderful girls and has been married to her husband, Charlie, for 12 years. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and serving on the boards of several non-profit organizations.
Jim Garbina, Sr. Vice President & Director of Sales, Benefits
James S. Garbina is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree in business finance. He joined the Employee Benefits Department of The Koch Co. in 1987 as an Account Executive and was named Vice President in 1992 and Senior Vice President in 1999. He currently manages this division for The Koch Co., now FNIC.
Jim is a part of FNIC's strategic planning committee and a director. He is a current member and previous board member of NAIFA (National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors), earning his Fellowship designation (LUTCF) in 1994. He is a current member of NAHU (National Association of Health Underwriters). In 2011, The Koch Co. joined the Benefit Advisors Network, and in 2013, Jim was chosen to lead the strategic planning team for the national organization made up of 60 agencies, managing benefits for 10,000 employers and 8.5 million employees.
Jim also donates time to a number of nonprofit organizations, serving as the Board President for Midwest Child Care, past Board member for the UNO Alumni Association, Finance Chairman for his local parish, and board member for the Papillion LaVista School Foundation.
Matt Heincker, Employee Benefits Practice Leader
Matt acts as the Employee Benefits Practice Leader for Gregory & Appel's growing Employee Benefits Practice. He also works with CFOs, boards, business owners, and union groups to help design programs that attract and retain top talent in their industry.
Matt specializes in helping employers align their benefits strategy with their financial and organizational goals. Through his proprietary Risk Mapping process, he identifies opportunities to enhance plan design, manage costs, and improve overall program performance.
He is most energized by working with organizations that strive to build best-in-class benefits programs while embracing innovative approaches to cost containment and long-term sustainability.
Peter Marathas, Chief Legal Officer
Peter Marathas is the Chief Legal Officer of Alera Group, Inc., one of the country’s largest private insurance and financial services providers. Mr. Marathas not only serves as Alera Group’s Chief Legal Officer, he was one of the individuals who founded that company and has overseen its significant growth over the last six years. As Alera Group’s Chief Legal Officer, Mr. Marathas oversees all legal matters, including mergers and acquisitions. He and his team have closed over 175 acquisitions in the insurance, financial services, and consulting services arena since 2017. In addition to his role at Alera Group, Mr. Marathas has acted as Benefit Advisors Network’s legal advisor since its inception in the early 2000s. Along with Mr. Braun and others, Mr. Marathas has helped BAN to grow and become one of the country’s premiere benefits/HR services consortiums.
Mike Morey, Chief Operating Officer
Mike grew up in Texas and graduated from the University of Texas in 1986 with a major in Economics and a minor in Accounting. While at Texas, Mike served in multiple positions in the Alpha Nu chapter of Sigma Chi. With over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, Mike has had management responsibilities in underwriting, marketing, and sales with both carriers and agencies. He joined Bolton & Company in 2001, where his focus is on the growth of the firm’s recognition as one of the leading privately held insurance brokerages in Southern California, as well as overseeing the day-to-day operations. Mike’s involvement extends beyond his own firm, where he sits on the Advisory Board for multiple National Property Casualty and Health Insurance Carriers. On the personal side, Mike lives in Glendora with his wife, Sharon and three kids, Chris, Kevin, and Kate. He has been committed to community by serving on the board of the Foundation for Glendora Unified Schools, the Finance Committee of Citrus Valley Healthcare Partners. He also serves on the Azusa Pacific University School of Business Advisory Board and mentors students in the Business School.
Tom Murphy, CEO
Tom Murphy is a veteran Benefits Consultant and Managing Partner at Sonus Benefits. He leads a team of industry specialists to provide custom benefits solutions for business owners, CFOs, and HR directors. After over 30 years in the benefits space, Tom knows what it takes to supply clients with a comprehensive partnership and superior results.
In addition to his role at Sonus Benefits, Tom serves as one of four partners at MSMF, Sonus Benefits’ Parent Company, runs his own personal financial services practice, and is an active member of Benefit Advisors Network (BAN), a premier network of credentialed independent benefit advisory and consulting firms. He sits on numerous professional and charitable boards and routinely speaks to professional associations and employer groups on topics that relate to employee benefits and healthcare reform.
Tom started his insurance career as a group insurance wholesaler and later advanced to the Regional Vice President position with a major insurance company, managing as many as 11 regional sales offices throughout the Midwest. In 2002, he made the transition to the Employee Benefits Consulting side. Tom is Past-President of the St. Louis Association of Health Underwriters and a past Missouri Association of Health Underwriters officer.
Tom lives in Eureka with his wife, Dee Dee, and three daughters, Caitlin, Maddie, and Emma, and always enjoys spending time with family and friends.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational and Business Communication from Missouri State University and is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®).
Melissa Zornes, Senior VP, Employee Benefits Practice Leader
Melissa brings two decades of experience and extensive knowledge of leading diverse teams, employee benefits, and organizations to OneGroup. Melissa has held numerous leadership positions within the insurance industry, demonstrating a collaborative approach that has driven positive company performance and innovation.
As Senior Vice President, Employee Benefits Practice Leader at OneGroup, Melissa is leading the expansion of the employee benefits division across the company’s entire footprint. She is developing and implementing a multi-year strategic plan to grow the division both in size and expertise. Melissa is dedicated to making a positive impact within the company, benefiting its clients, team, and the broader community.
Melissa holds an MBA from Georgia College and State University and is a board member of the Applied Client Network.
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