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Daniel Burkwald

Executive Vice President of Sales

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Daniel Burkwald
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Dan Burkwald is an Executive Vice President of Sales for Horton’s Employee Benefits Solutions. He is responsible for expanding Horton’s consulting capabilities beyond population health and creating opportunities in the talent acquisition and compensation consulting fields. He also helps recruit future sales/customer service team members and maintains strong relationships with our vendors.

Dan has more than 40 years of experience in relationship development, lead generation, mentoring and vendor negotiation. Before joining Horton, he was the president and owner of his own company, Burkwald & Associates, which was acquired by Gallagher in 2015. After the acquisition, Dan played a key role in helping Gallagher produce a 67% annual growth rate, create over 25 new jobs and win “Branch of the Year” in 2021. 

Out of all the skills he has learned throughout the years, Dan prides himself on his relationship-building skills. An example of this was when he worked with a school district to save them $6 million and negotiated with multiple union leaders to effect positive change. 

“These types of relationships are not sold through a vending machine,” Dan said. “They are complex and require hard work, expertise and emotional intelligence to maintain. But the effort is worth it when you can satisfy your customers and add value for employees with better costs and benefits.” 

Dan earned his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. He also received his Chartered Life Underwriter/Chartered Financial Consultant designations from the American College of Financial Services. He currently resides on North Lake in Stone Bank, Wisconsin, with his wife, Kim.

In addition to working at Horton, he is pleased to own businesses with his two children, JP and Lizzy. His youngest son Harrison is a rising senior at Iowa State University (go Cyclones!). When he is not in the office, you can typically find him headed to a new golf destination, skiing, fishing, hunting or wake surfing. 

Fact File:

Education
  • University of Wisconsin – Lacrosse (LaCrosse, WI): Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
  • American College of Financial Services (King of Prussia, PA): Chartered Life Underwriter/Chartered Financial Consultant
Professional Background
  • The Horton Group
    Executive Vice President of Sales (August 2022 – Present)
  • Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
    Area Executive Vice President (October 2015 – August 2022)
  • Burkwald & Associates
    President/Owner (June 1978 – October 2015)
Industry & Community Involvement
  • Donated time and money to an inner city church to create a “Wheels to Success” program, providing cars to deserving community members who need a more effective way to get to work.
  • Member of the American College, International Foundation of Employee Benefits, Wisconsin Association of Health Underwriters, National Association of Health Underwriters, Greater Milwaukee Employee Benefits Council and the Milwaukee Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals.
  • Previously served on the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Association of Health Underwriters, Southeast Chapter.
  • Past Board Chairman of the Medical Council of Wisconsin’s Digestive Disease Center for more than 10 years, raising millions of dollars for research.
  • Served as commissioner of North Lake Management District and Tall Pines Land Conservatory for 10 years, helping protect the environment.