LOS ANGELES, CA and IRVINE, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/13/12 -- Burnham Benefits Insurance Services, one of the largest employee benefits brokerages in Southern California and one of the few to specialize solely in strategic employee benefits consulting and brokerage services, announced today that senior account executive Rose Hook has been named a "rising star of advising" by Employee Benefit Adviser magazine. The publication's November issue features seven broker/consultants under the age of 40 nationwide, and Hook is the only broker featured from the Los Angeles area.

Hook, who is responsible for new business development and managing client accounts in the Los Angeles-metropolitan area at Burnham Benefits, was noted for making a name for herself and moving the industry forward. The article mentions her service as president of the board of directors of the Employee Benefit Planning Association of Southern California, participation on the board of directors of the Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA) District 15 and her success in guiding Burnham Benefits' growth path with the opening of its Los Angeles office two years ago.

"Working in a firm where you carve your own path for growth has been an enormous motivator for me," says Hook. "I'm taking on as much as I can, always learning and growing along the way, and happy for the opportunity to contribute so much to an industry I believe in."

Hook credits her success to the powerful mentors who've partnered with her along the way. Learning from people she respects in the business has propelled her forward in her career. She advises young brokers to network every step of the way, joining industry associations and always looking for chances to interact with peers. Social media, she says, also offers avenues for discovering new ideas and solutions.

"Rose always represents Burnham Benefits well, and she personifies our belief in empowering team members to grow and advance as quickly as they're able," says Kristen Allison, president of Burnham Benefits. "She's taken on a great deal in her two years with the firm. We're proud of the amazing results she's been able to achieve in what we hope is just the beginning of her long career with Burnham Benefits."

Burnham Benefits is an Orange County-based employee benefits brokerage with three Southern California locations. The company prides itself on offering leading-edge, research-driven client actuarial data and company-specific information with support from in-house underwriters, attorneys, compliance officers and communications specialists. Burnham continually invests in the latest software and innovative ideas to provide optimal flexibility and control client costs, including benchmarking benefits in Southern California to arm clients with the information they need to offer competitive benefits programs. These customized solutions-based services allow Burnham Benefits to remain nimble in a typically rigid industry - ultimately offering clients key business results and fostering the health of their employees.

ABOUT BURNHAM BENEFITS INSURANCE SERVICES: Based in Irvine, Calif., Burnham Benefits Insurance Services Inc. is one of the largest employee benefits brokerages in Southern California and one of the few to specialize solely in employee benefits insurance. Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego employers trust Burnham to understand the unique challenges of the Southern California market. Kristen Allison, president of Burnham Benefits and a 30-year industry veteran, acquired the firm in 1995 from John Burnham Insurance Services, an Orange County mainstay for more than 50 years. Boasting the in-depth industry knowledge and Fortune 500 resources of a large firm, Burnham Benefits prides itself on retaining the flexibility, creativity and consultative service of a boutique. After steady growth of 20 percent annually for the past 10 years, the company serves more than 300 corporate clients throughout the United States and manages more than $500 million in premiums. Working with its colleagues at Burnham Gibson Financial Group, and having the added expertise of in-house underwriters, compliance officers and communications specialists, Burnham Benefits provides an integrated approach to managing a client's full spectrum of employee benefits. Named Best Place to Work by the Orange County Business Journal in 2011 and 2012, the company has three offices in California: Irvine, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, as well as offices in Oregon and the Washington D.C. metro area. For more information, visit www.BurnhamBenefits.com.