Erik Hinz, CEBS

Erik Hinz is a Senior Vice President for Horton’s Employee Benefit Solutions and leader of our Minneapolis Benefits Division. In this role, Erik is responsible for providing expertise on industry benefits and consultative guidance to aid clients in navigating the ever-changing benefits marketplace. He is part of a team of employee-benefits-focused specialists dedicated to delivering innovative healthcare solutions to employers. 

With 24 years of experience in the insurance industry, Erik brings a wide variety of knowledge to Horton’s Minnesota Benefits Division. Before joining Horton, Erik worked as a Senior Benefits Consultant at Associated Benefits and Risk Consulting, where he built a very successful book of business and loyal clients. 

In 2019, Erik opened Horton's Minneapolis office as our first employee there. The consolidation in the broker market in Minneapolis is bringing tremendous opportunity to Horton. With very few independent and privately held brokers left in the market, employers are very open to finding a broker partner that works for them, not a Private Equity or public company that tends to be accountable to Shareholders.

In 2021, Erik also became a shareholder/owner at Horton.

When working with clients, Erik understands the importance of developing strong relationships. From years of experience, he has derived that “buyers will first work with people that they like and that treat them with respect, but also appreciate people that can add humor and have fun while doing it.” 

Another critical aspect of customer service that Erik emphasizes is getting back to clients quickly, even when an answer is not certain to a particular question.

“If you make a mistake, admit it and fix it promptly. Sometimes, some of the best work you can do is in a crisis,” he stated. 

Erik graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Minor in Computer Science from Bemidji State University. He grew up on a farm in Foley, Minnesota and currently lives in Minneapolis. He has been married to his wife Nicole for 25 years and has two children and many dogs and cats.