AmeriLife Group, LLC (AmeriLife), the national leader in marketing and distributing life, health and retirement solutions, has acquired an interest in Pinnacle Financial Services (Pinnacle), one of the largest full-service health, life, annuity and long-term care national marketing organizations providing financial products and services for individuals, businesses and their employees.
AmeriLife, with nearly 50 years as a leader in providing Medicare solutions, and Pinnacle, a well-known leader in insurance and financial products sales, are joining forces to leverage their combined resources to provide the large and rapidly growing Medicare market with holistic planning solutions. This transaction – along with Jack Schroeder and Associates and Stephens-Matthews – further expands AmeriLife’s capabilities and distribution reach to meet the Medicare and life insurance needs of America’s retirees.
Pinnacle, founded in 2001, has locations in three states (Pennsylvania, Nebraska and Nevada) and more than 45 employees. Kevin Shields, Pinnacle’s founder, President and CEO, and Angela Palo, Pinnacle’s Executive Vice President, will continue to lead the organization from its Warminster, Pa. headquarters. Shields will also become a principal and member of the management team with AmeriLife’s brokerage distribution channel. Shields and Palo will maintain an ongoing profit participation and a significant ownership interest in Pinnacle, which is expected to grow significantly through the strength of the partnership with AmeriLife.
“We pride ourselves in building strong partnerships with our agents and always strive to improve our ability to deliver on our end. This partnership with AmeriLife will help us strengthen the value proposition to our agents through access to capital, additional support tools and a broadening of our capabilities in investment and retirement solutions,” said Shields. “We also take pride in having a thorough understanding of the customers we service in the market. Our customers have a critical need for holistic planning solutions to address both their income and healthcare challenges.”
“AmeriLife recognizes that buying into organizations, rather than folding them into one specific model, has significant benefits. Pinnacle is nimble and possesses a true entrepreneurial approach to the way they do business. They are one of the largest and strongest providers of agent training and development, sales technology, marketing and service support that I have witnessed in this industry,” said Scott R. Perry, CEO of AmeriLife. “Additionally, the uncompromising integrity and commitment to excellence they demonstrate in every aspect of their business makes them an ideal partner in which to invest. Together, we are well-positioned to take full advantage of this tremendous opportunity.”
