OneDigital Acquires Northwestern Benefit in Biggest Acquisition in Company History

After growing revenue by $100 million in 2018, OneDigital continues acquisition path, bringing client count to 50,000

ATLANTA, GA – April 3, 2019 – OneDigital Health and Benefits, the nation’s largest company focused exclusively on employee benefits and HR, has acquired Northwestern Benefit, Atlanta’s leading employee benefits broker and one of the largest independent benefit firms in the country. This is the largest acquisition in OneDigital’s history, bringing the company to nearly 50,000 employer clients and over 1,600 employees around the country. It follows 28 acquisitions in 2018 and five year-to-date in 2019, which has helped the company grow to over $400 million in annual revenue.

This represents an exciting milestone for OneDigital, where our largest acquisition to date is also located right here in our home state of Georgia. Northwestern lets us compete in the Atlanta benefits marketplace in an entirely new way. We’re not just looking to enter markets. We are looking to disrupt markets through organic growth and large-scale acquisitions with proven leadership. Northwestern Benefit is an indication of what’s to come.
 
— Adam Bruckman, President and CEO, OneDigital

Northwestern Benefit has been serving clients in Georgia and across the nation for over 20 years, with services spanning benefits, compliance, wellness, HR consulting, employee education and strategic workforce planning. As the two companies come together with complementary capabilities and hundreds of client-facing employees now in Atlanta, OneDigital will be able to deploy expert teams from across a deeper bench to bring the best possible benefits and HR solutions to employers. Northwestern Benefit’s existing clients will also benefit from OneDigital’s national scale, infrastructure and leadership.

Northwestern Benefit’s proven sales culture and well-established client service models significantly expand our middle market scale and capabilities. It’s a transformative combination for OneDigital, and we’re on the lookout for more of the strongest, most innovative firms across the country. We expect north of 25 acquisitions again this year to bring us over the $500 million revenue threshold and further cement our position as the leading benefits and HR consultancy in the country.
 
— Mike Sullivan, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer, OneDigital

Northwestern Benefit CEO David Asbury will join the OneDigital team as Senior Managing Principal, with its other employees staying on in client-facing or corporate positions.

There is such strong alignment in how OneDigital and Northwestern serve clients and think about the future of the benefits market. As the benefits space continued to consolidate and we considered acquirers, it was incredibly important to me to find the right partner. With OneDigital’s scale, reach and long-term vision, we knew our organizations would fit together and be stronger together right off the bat.
 
— David Asbury, CEO, Northwestern Benefit

OneDigital’s comprehensive advisory services and market-leading solutions are offered in over 80 offices throughout the country. The firm has a well-established track record of doubling and tripling the size of operations in new markets and is seeking additional firms to join this team over the next 12-24 months.

About OneDigital Health and Benefits

OneDigital Health and Benefits, the nation’s largest company focused exclusively on employee benefits and HR, combines people and technology to power business growth. Serving companies of all sizes, OneDigital offers employers a sophisticated combination of strategic benefit advisory services, analytics, compliance support, human resources management tools and comprehensive insurance offerings. Headquartered in Atlanta, OneDigital's more than 1,600 employee benefits and human resource strategists serve the needs of nearly 50,000 employers across the nation and manages over $5.8 billion in premiums as a result. OneDigital has been named to the Inc. 5000 List of America’s fastest-growing companies every year since 2007. Currently listed as 13th in EBA’s Top 50 Brokers in the Large Employer Group, OneDigital’s experience offers a fresh thinking and strategic perspective that will improve all aspects of plan design and performance.

About Northwestern Benefit

Northwestern Benefit, the largest privately-held benefits broker in Georgia, creates an integrated approach where sales, consulting and service are equal players in providing preeminent advice and support. We provide real consulting solutions tailored to the client’s industry, locale, culture and budget. Our consultants map out a benefits strategy to ensure they support the needs of each client.

Founded in 1996, we have grown to 150 employees and serve over 600 clients throughout the United States, impacting over 230,000 lives. Our sole focus is health and welfare consulting services, with the mission to be the preeminent service organization in the marketplace by achieving operational excellence driven by value-based people.

###