Benefit Advisors Network and GIS form partnership to help members grow ancillary benefits revenue

Benefit Advisors Network has partnered with GIS to give member firms more support in ancillary, worksite and voluntary benefits. The deal is meant to help independent advisors grow revenue, manage expansion and deepen expertise as employee benefits offerings become more complex.

Why it matters: - The partnership gives Benefit Advisors Network member firms more tools to pursue revenue beyond core brokerage work. - The agreement is aimed at helping independent advisors compete in ancillary, worksite and voluntary benefits without building every capability in-house. - The move comes as employers want broader benefits solutions and advisors are being asked to handle more complex client needs.

What happened: - Benefit Advisors Network announced a strategic partnership with GIS on September 29, 2026. - The partnership will support BAN member firms across the United States and Canada. - GIS will work with BAN members as a strategic resource for identifying and placing appropriate risk products. - BAN said the partnership is designed to help members expand revenue opportunities, manage growth and strengthen expertise.

The details: - GIS will support BAN members in four areas: strategic revenue growth, growth management, team development and thought leadership, and carrier marketplace advocacy. - Strategic revenue growth includes helping firms identify opportunities to add risk products to existing client relationships. - Growth management focuses on the time, resources and expenses tied to expanding ancillary, worksite and voluntary benefits business. - Team development and thought leadership aim to deepen professional expertise in the ancillary, worksite and voluntary benefits space. - Carrier marketplace advocacy is meant to help BAN members navigate the ancillary carrier marketplace and advocate for their interests. - Perry Braun, president and CEO of BAN, said independent benefits advisors have a major opportunity to expand client value through ancillary, worksite and voluntary products. - Braun said GIS brings specialized infrastructure that can help members pursue those opportunities strategically and efficiently. - Michael McCormack, head of national partnerships at GIS, said agencies need strategy and resources to turn opportunity into meaningful revenue while still serving clients. - McCormack said GIS will provide specialized support so agencies do not have to build every capability internally. - BAN said employers increasingly need solutions that address employee needs, individual risk situations, talent retention and the advisor relationship. - Braun said the partnership extends BAN’s model of connecting independent advisors with resources and relationships that help them compete and grow.

Between the lines: - The deal reflects a broader push among advisory firms to use partnerships to add specialized capabilities faster than they could develop them alone. - BAN is positioning member firms to capture more share in a marketplace where voluntary and ancillary benefits are becoming more strategic to employer clients. - GIS is also trying to embed itself as an operating partner for agencies, not just a product resource.

What's next: - BAN members will be able to use GIS support to pursue growth in ancillary, worksite and voluntary benefits. - The partnership is expected to help firms develop people, improve marketplace positioning and manage expansion more efficiently. - BAN said interested firms can contact Steve Yarcusko at syarcusko@benefitadvisorsnetwork.com. - More information is available on Benefit Advisors Network's website and its LinkedIn showcase.

The bottom line: - BAN is adding GIS as a growth partner to help member firms turn benefits expansion into revenue without overloading internal teams.