Brian Cullen is the CEO of Benchmark Planning Group LLC.  With over 20 years in the employee benefits field, Brian knows what truly drives an award-winning benefits program for companies today. 

Medical insurance can be complicated and confusing for both employers and employees. Brian examines all aspects of a current company’s insurance offering and will evaluate any gaps in coverage and can provide his expertise in showcasing unique solutions that make fiscal sense for the long term.

Joe is the Director of Sales for Benchmark Planning.

John is a highly experienced and credentialed wealth management professional who has catered to non-profit organizations, their boards, investment committees and senior leaders for most of his 25-year career.  As a Defined Contribution Investment Consultant, John addresses the asset management needs and advises on the fiduciary issues confronting private and public entities. Over the years, he has helped dozens of business owners and plan administrators navigate the development and implementation of group retirement plans.

John founded The Beacon Group in 1984 and moved it to Merrill in 2013. Bringing clients his extensive knowledge of retirement planning, wealth building and asset preservation, he has helped them take a rational and realistic approach to investing and encouraged their focus on the meaning of wealth, beyond a dollar figure. Over the past 30+ years, John has earned the respect of the industry and clients alike. Today, he builds on his decades of experience to help corporate executives, wealthy families, public and private institutions achieve their financial objectives with the minimal level of risk required to do so.

Donny Sheinwald is an experienced sales director with a demonstrated successful history of working in the financial services industry. His role at Lincoln Financial includes partnering with financial advisors to help them improve their clients’ retirement plans.

Alan R. Blankstein, Esq., is an Associate in Frier Levitt’s Healthcare Department. Alan’s practice focuses on administrative law matters, Medicare and Private Payor appeals, and government investigations. He counsels physicians and other healthcare providers on various issues from the inception of a case through its final resolution. He helps clients resolve issues with professional licensing, billing disputes, and various other investigations.

Prior to joining Frier Levitt, Alan was Deputy Attorney General at State of New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, handling professional board prosecutions. He was also clerk in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division for the Honorable Heidi Willis Currier, J.A.D.

Ed Gaines is the Vice President of Regulatory Affairs & Industry Liaison, Zotec Partners, LLC, the largest privately held physician and hospital revenue cycle and practice management services company in the US. 

He advises Zotec clients across their hospital based and multi-specialty practice settings on healthcare regulatory issues including reimbursement policy, out of network (OON) federal and state laws, MACRA/MIPS, Medicare & Medicaid programs and health plan payor issues.  He serves as industry liaison to physician specialty societies and industry trade organizations across Zotec’s client base.

Ed brings over 29 years of healthcare experience with Zotec. Since 2008, he has been a member of the ACEP Reimbursement Committee where he chairs Work Group 2 focusing on OON and bad payor issues.  Ed has served as faculty for the national ACEP Reimbursement and Coding conference for over 16 years. 

He is a co-founder, past chairman, and current Board of Directors and executive committee member of the Emergency Department Practice Management Association (EDPMA). Ed received EDPMA Founder’s Award (their highest honor) in 2008 and the Meritorious Service Award in 2017.

Other awards include being named a Fellow in the Health Ethics Trust (2000), the NC Chapter of the ACEP Outstanding Advocate for Emergency Medicine Award (2006), the ACEP Speaker of the Year Award (2008) and ACEP Honorary Membership Award (2012). 

He is a member of the North Carolina State Bar and the Bar of the US Supreme Court.

Joseph A. Lagana practices in the areas of civil litigation, redevelopment and health insurance arbitration.

In addition to his active practice, Joseph serves as a New Jersey State Senator for the 38th legislative district.  He is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice-Chair of the Senate’s Labor Committee and a member of the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.  Prior to joining the Senate, Joseph represented the 38th legislative district in the New Jersey Assembly, where he served on the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance, Judiciary, and Appropriations committees. He also served his community as Council President in the Borough of Paramus, sitting as Chairman of the Budget Committee and Labor Negotiations.

Joseph was recently named a “New Jersey Super Lawyer Rising Star” by Law & Politics, published by New Jersey Monthly Magazine.

Prior to joining Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC, Joseph represented clients in general litigation, criminal defense, chancery practice, and environmental matters. He served as law clerk to Hon. John A. Conte, Superior Court, Criminal Division, Bergen County Vicinage.

Marissa Mastroianni is a partner at Cole Schotz P.C. who is known for her expertise in employment law compliance and employment litigation matters. Clients from across industries, including medical practices and providers across the State, turn to Marissa for counsel on complying with the ever-changing employment law landscape. Serving as a trusted business advisor to her clients, Marissa’s practical advice also incorporates business operations and risk management considerations.

In addition to participating in day-to-day discussions with clients regarding personnel decisions, compensation practices, employee leave and accommodation requests, and employee complaints, Marissa routinely prepares employee handbooks, hiring protocols and packages, and workplace safety programs. She regularly drafts various types of agreements on behalf of healthcare providers, including employment agreements, separation agreements, confidentiality agreements, and restrictive covenant agreements. Marissa also zealously defends her clients against claims and charges brought by current and former employees alleging discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour violations, and breach of contract.