1. Give us a brief history of your company.
NFP is an employee benefits brokerage and consultancy that works with business owners and human resources professionals to create innovative, sustainable benefits programs for their organizations. Our firm was founded in 1977 and became part of NFP in 2002. Our Managing Director, Chris Ciesielski, has managed the firm since 2009. In 2013 Chris started working as an instructor with LSU teaching HR & Employee Benefits. Jessica Ritchey joined the team in 2020 with 10 years of experience focusing on worksite employee benefits.
2. What would you tell the rest of Acadiana makes you special?
As one of the largest benefits brokerage firms in the world, NFP provides us unparalleled tools and resources to our clients. But what makes us special is that we truly value the opportunity to get to be part of our client’s team enabling us to deliver strategies and solutions, not just spreadsheets. We have an unwavering commitment to providing a customized, boutique experience to each of our clients.
3. What are you most proud of?
We are most proud of the work we have done to solve our clients’ challenges – whether it is lowering health care costs through innovative, sustainable programs or helping a human resource professional clean up a significant compliance mess. We adopt clients’ problems as our own, and nothing is more satisfying than working together to address challenges.
4. Where do you see your business in 10 years? What are your plans for the future?
Our firm is 100% focused on organic growth, with a strong emphasis on building relationships and telling our story in Acadiana. While many firms in our industry grow aggressively via acquisition, we believe in hiring the right people, developing them, and growing our business one relationship at a time.
5. 1A is making an impact as we take an active role in improving the community we live in. Our members are making an impact, too! – What does impact mean to you? How is your company making an impact?
At NFP, we emphasize our “People First” culture. We recognize that each of our employees have passions outside of work. For us, “impact” means supporting our employees by giving them time to serve numerous civic and charitable organizations throughout South Louisiana. We also make an impact by direct charitable giving within the communities we serve, as well as maintaining an employee match program.