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Mike is Executive Vice President of The Horton Group, one of the largest privately held, multiline insurance agencies specializing in Insurance, Risk Advisory, and Employee Benefits. He joined Horton in 1989 as one of the founding partners of the benefit brokerage and consulting division. His leadership and innovative drive have helped the division earn continuous growth and gained Mike recognition as a thought leader in the industry.

Mike’s career as an insurance consultant has been based on his unwavering passion for expanding accessibility and long-term affordability of health care. His involvement legislatively, in the industry, and the community has had a profound influence on the way he presents healthcare options to his clients. Mike continuously looks for innovative ways to assist employers with long-term strategies and has helped them evolve to healthcare models with emphasis on product understanding, consumerism through cost transparency, prevention, and proper options and engagement for all generations.

Mike earned his bachelor’s degree from Roosevelt University and an MBA from Lewis University. He received his Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) designation from the American College and is a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU). Mike most recently received a Group Benefits Associate (GBA) designation through the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans at the Wharton University of Pennsylvania. Mike also has a Professional Certificate in Public Finance from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.

To round out Mike’s healthcare perspective he serves on several insurance carrier and related industry advisory boards. His most current engagement is on the Elevance (Anthem) Blue Cross Blue Shield of Indiana Agent Advisory Committee and previously on the agent advisory of HCSC’s Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. Mike serves on the Government Relations Committee of the Illinois Independent Agents and has testified several times to legislative committees and co-authored several healthcare white papers during the ACA foundation years. Mike has served on the Advocate South Suburban Hospital Governance Board for the past 17 years and is now Chair. He was also a past president of United Way Metro South Suburban.

At the national level, Mike is regarded as an industry expert. He is the Chair of the Big ‘I” National Health Care Task Force in Washington D.C. which supports government affairs efforts on healthcare legislation. The Big “I” is a national association of more than 250,000 insurance agents. Mike also serves on the Legislative Council of the National Association of Benefit and Insurance Professionals (NABIP, formerly NAHU) in Washington, D.C., which represents over 100,000 health benefit specialists who work diligently to ensure all Americans have access to high-quality, affordable healthcare. At NABIP he serves on their Employer Sponsored Healthcare working group and is Chair of their National State Public Option working group.

Some words from Mike:

“It is an honor to continue working in multiple roles for my clients as the years ahead will certainly be challenging for all facets of healthcare including health insurance, even aside from the COVID-19 pandemic. I am confident Horton, and all agents and brokers, will become more valuable to customers and carriers as we go through these tests.”

Mike regularly speaks on the challenges of healthcare to business owners, human resource management chapters and state legislative leaders.

Fact File:

Education
  • Masters in Business Administration, Lewis University, Romeoville, Illinois
  • Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois
Professional Designations & Licensing
  • Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU)
  • Certified Financial Planner  (CFP®) 
  • Group Benefits Associate (GBA) 
  • Life & Health
  • Property & Casualty
Professional Background

The Horton Group

  • Executive Vice President 
Advisory Board Experience
  • Anthem BlueCross/Blue Shield
  • Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois
  • Aetna Health
  • Coventry Health
  • Destiny Health
Past/Present Industry Community Involvement:
  • National Legislative Council in D.C. (NAHU)
  • Agents Insurance Services Inc., Board of Directors, Springfield, IL
  • Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers (IIABA) – Health Care Liaison, Washington D.C.,
  • Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers (IIABA) – National Health Care Task Force, Past Chair
  • Independent Insurance Agents of IL – Government Relations Committee
  • Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Health Care Council
  • Society of Financial Service Professionals, President-Elect, South Suburban Chapter (past)
  • Advocate South Suburban Hospital, Governance Council Chair (current); Chair (past)
  • Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce, Government Affairs & Health Care Council Chair (past)
  • Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (PIIAI), Board of Directors, Government Relations Committee (past)
  • St. Elizabeth Seton Parish – Finance Council (past)
  • United Way – South Southwest Suburban, President (past)
  • Real Men Wear Pink, American Cancer Society (2018)