MEET THE team
BEN
BELUR
PARTNER
Email: ben@btgbenefits.com
Work: (206) 607-2551 ext. 701
Ben was born and raised in Issaquah WA where he now resides with his family. He attended WSU where he met his wife Brittany and married back in 2011. They are a family of five with two daughters and a son, who keep them very busy! Ben has spent his entire working career in the employee benefits space where he was formerly VP of Sales overseeing sales & distribution for 15+ years. He couldn’t be more thrilled to use that experience gained in joining forces with two of his most trusted friends and business associates in starting their new agency together, BTG Benefits.
Ben’s primary duties consist of helping strategize with companies to find them the most affordable and comprehensive benefit packages for their employees. Trying to find the appropriate level of coverage can be a challenge in today’s health insurance world and that is where Ben’s innovative ideas, with an emphasis on controlling costs, provides value to his clients and prospects. His belief that this business still revolves around relationships and trust is reflected in his approach and interactions with clients. His informal but informative style resonates with employees as he is able to relate to them and present in a way that is easy to understand. His biggest sense of purpose and meaning is when you feel as though you’ve accomplished your company goals while meeting the benefit and financial needs of your staff. He’s here to help make this process simple, fun, and affordable for all involved!
JEREMY
BRIGHT
PARTNER
Email: jeremy@btgbenefits.com
Work: (206) 607-2551 ext. 702
Originally from the east side of the state, Jeremy attended Washington State University and chased his now wife, Heidi, to the west side of the state (best decision of his life!) Newcastle, WA is the place they call home, with their two daughters and dog. The Bright family takes pride in their community, spending time at their local gym and church, hiking trails, and enjoying parks. Jeremy also has a passion for all sports and loves watching his girls follow in his footsteps!
As an employee benefit consultant for most of his career, Jeremy places great value in earning the trust and confidence of his clients as he recognizes a lasting partnership cannot exist without this foundation. Each client is unique, and Jeremy understands the complexities and challenges employers face with regards to selecting the appropriate benefit package. His emphasis is in his consultative and creative approach as it is his goal to find a solution that meets both the budgetary needs of his clients and the needs of their employees.
Jeremy looks to maintain the value of his service and client’s interests to create a partnership that will prosper for years. What is important to you, your business, and employees is important to Jeremy and BTG Benefits!
TIM
HIRSHBERG
PARTNER
Email: Tim@btgbenefits.com
Work: (206) 607-2551 ext. 700
Tim is a long time local to the Seattle area and is proud to have made the Pacific Northwest the home to his family. When he’s not working as a conduit for his clients, he stays plenty busy with his wife Melissa (where they met at their alma mater, The University of Arizona), his two sons Charlie and Cameron and sweet little girl Collins! Tim has spent most of his career in the employee benefit space, where he started alongside his two partners over 10+ years ago. He is extremely excited to have co-founded BTG Benefits with two people that he’s worked with from the beginning, and trusts and respects so deeply.
As a consultant to his clients, Tim works diligently to create a strategic approach, focusing on value driven benefits, without the compromise of the employee “benefit.” Clearly, in today’s embattled healthcare landscape, this provides meaningful challenges, but with his established carrier partners, and unique approach, Tim and BTG welcome this opportunity. He works diligently to make every encounter a contact to remember. He looks forward to your connection with the goal of being the “bridge” between your team and the best value in benefits!
SHERI
SCHULTZ
account executive
Email: Sheri@btgbenefits.com
Work: (206) 607-2551
Sheri Schultz is a Washington native, born and raised in North Seattle. A mother of an active teen daughter, you can often find Sheri catching her daughters volleyball games, volunteering at school, messing around at the driving range or golf course as a newbie to the sport, or spending time with her family at her favorite getaway in Chelan, WA.
With this role Sheri is responsible for day-to-day operations as well as help with marketing, sales, ancillary lines, administration and service.
Sheri has been in group benefits for over 20 years. She believes that every company needs a trusted advisor that will take the time to learn about their group and guide them to a benefits package that is right for their employees. With a strong background in ancillary lines, Sheri will help you round out your benefits package with the extras that will help you compete for and retain the best employees in your market. Sheri specializes in creating genuine and meaningful relationships with each and every client she gets to work with.
MICHELLE
DAVIS
senior Account Manager
Email: Michelle@btgbenefits.com
Work: (206) 607-2551
Michelle was born and raised in Seattle WA where she raised her daughter Alyssa. They both moved to Dallas, TX 7 years ago but are true Washingtonians at heart!
In her spare time she loves to travel, especially back home to Seattle to spend quality time with her parents and two sisters. She enjoys boating on Lake Washington, wine tasting, exploring the beautiful Evergreen State and finding some good Texas BBQ.
Michelle brings over 20 years experience in the financial services industry. She is excited to join the BTG Benefits Team where she finds purpose and value in building long lasting client relationships.
KIM
PANKOW
senior Account Manager
Email: Kim@btgbenefits.com
Work: (206) 607-2551
Kim is a lifelong resident of Washington state, having grown up in Eastern Washington and moving to the Pacific Northwest just after high school. She and her husband, Jason, were married in 2015 in Maui ~ their favorite place on earth! They have made their home in Burien with their two active boys, Desmond and Owen. You can usually find them in their backyard playing with their crazy bernedoodle puppy or scheming their next home improvement project.
With a 15-year history in insurance account management and customer service, Kim is passionate about getting to know every client, no matter their size, to cultivate a unique experience dependent on their needs. Her primary role is evaluating proposed benefit contracts and creating comparison tools by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing employee benefit data and trends.
Having worked with the partners of BTG in the past, Kim couldn't be more thrilled to join this dream team.
SHAWNA
KONO
senior Account Manager
Born and raised in Washington state, Shawna and her husband Michael made their home in Renton when they were married in 2009. They are overjoyed to have recently expanded their family with the addition of their little fur baby Rain.
Shawna started her benefits career back in 2010, all of which was spent working with the three partners. She couldn’t be more excited to start this next chapter at BTG Benefits.
PARIS
JACKSON
communication strategist
Email: Paris@btgbenefits.com
Work: (206) 607-2551
Paris Jackson joins BTG Benefits as a Communications Strategist. Given creative reign, she’ll produce and develop marketing, public relations, and social media strategy.
Raised in Tacoma – she is a three-time Emmy Award-winning Journalist. Most recognized locally for her role with the KOMO 4 Morning News team as an Anchor & Reporter. A graduate of Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow School of Communication, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication and double majored in Broadcast News and African American Studies. There, she met her college sweetheart, Chris, and they married in 2014. Paris’ more than decade-long broadcast career spanned newsrooms in Eugene, Oregon, Birmingham, Alabama and Seattle, Washington.
Her two-year-old daughter and six-year-old son make life deliciously exciting and quite a ride! When possible, she lends her voice to emcee non-profit events and volunteer with community organizations around Western Washington.
LITA
GILL
Account Manager
Lita has lived in the PNW her whole life and currently lives in Newcastle with her husband Karan, ("Ker-in"), and two boys Atay and Preston, (or "Tay" and "P"). Collectively, this crew is known as "Team Gill", a nickname that the family unapologetically overuses. Depending on the time of year, you'll find Lita either in the bleachers watching her boys play basketball, or on the base/football field. Lita's happiest when she's either outdoors doing something active (hiking, snowboarding, enjoying the water), indoors reading with a cup of coffee nearby, or travelling to some place new with her family. Aspiring hobbies include chess which her son Preston is teaching her, visiting more art museums, and one day learning French.
Lita joined BTG in 2023 as an Account Manager. Prior to that she has fourteen years of experience in healthcare in various capacities including accounting, decision support, operations, process improvement, and informatics. Previous to that she was a CPA and worked for a public accounting firm and a nonprofit organization. Lita understands that when it comes to employee benefits, BTG clients are looking for a knowledgeable partner to ensure the company and its employees are getting the highest value packages to achieve their goals. She brings her experience and spirit of service to support BTG clients and ensure they have confidence, clarity, and trust that they are successfully navigating their benefits needs.
LIZ
KROSHKO
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Email: Liz@btgbenefits.com
Work: (206) 607-2551
Liz was born and raised in Everett, WA by her parents, who fled the Soviet Union shortly after the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Growing up, she and her three older brothers shared a love of the outdoors and exploring the mountains. Being born with one hand proved to have its challenges, but that has never stopped Liz from achieving her goals. She played basketball in middle school, ran track and field in high school, and even competed in a body building competition when she was 20, placing 2nd in her group!
Liz married her high school sweetheart, David, who joined the United States Marine Corps in 2015, and shortly after, they moved to his first duty station of North Carolina. Their 5 year stay on the east coast opened their eyes to the wonderful world of travel as they were able to explore many surrounding states. When his enlistment was over, they moved back to Auburn, WA to be close to family. Here, they continue to enjoy outdoor activities including hiking, rock climbing, backpacking and camping. The adventure never stops!
On her first day at BTG Benefits, Liz said she felt like she was walking into her work family and knew immediately these were her people. She is so grateful for the opportunity to work with the BTG team, and while new to the insurance field, she looks forward to learning all the ins and outs while applying her 10 years of customer service experience to the job.
LISA
DEESE
BOOKKEEPER & PAYROLL
Lisa has been the bookkeeper for BTG since June 2020. Her responsibilities include payroll, benefits, compliance and ensuring that all financial records for BTG are in order. Lisa brings a strong background to BTG having spent over 20 years of her career in the payroll administration and bookkeeping space. Her personal philosophy regarding her profession is that trust is number one, and it is her goal to do whatever she can to contribute to BTG and out client’s success. Lisa lives in Bonney Lake with her husband and is surrounded by her blended family of 6! An interesting fact about Lisa is for many years she was a lead singer/vocalist in various bands and still loves to sing karaoke whenever she gets the chance. In her free time Lisa loves hanging out with family and friends, and in the summer months enjoys boating and an occasional game of tennis with the kiddos. We are so lucky to have Lisa as part of the BTG Team!