Curious about the masterminds shaping our 60-year legacy of success in risk management and benefits consulting? Our associates are the heart of our organization, bringing passion, expertise, and commitment to the forefront of everything we do.
Take a moment to get acquainted with the bright minds that make up MJ’s dedicated team.
Senior Leadership Team
Leigh Crick
Senior Vice President of People + Culture
Leigh Crick joined the MJ team in 2023 as our senior vice president of people + culture, overseeing MJ’s Human Resources, Learning & Development and Talent Acquisition functions. Leigh is an active member of our Senior Leadership Team and dedicates her efforts to improving the employee experience and nurturing a positive and inclusive workplace.
With nearly two decades of experience in the HR field, Leigh brings a wealth of expertise to MJ. Throughout her career, she has held senior and executive-level positions in complex and high-growth companies. Her talent lies in building exceptional teams and enhancing the associate experience, a skill that has been instrumental in scaling companies from 50 employees to nearly 5,000. Leigh’s enthusiasm for creating powerful employee experiences shines through in her work. Her dedication to fostering a positive work environment and company culture ensures that MJ continues to develop and cultivate top talent.
Wes Edrington
Director of Analytics + Automation
Wes Edrington joined the MJ team in 2018 as a senior risk analyst in our Risk Management + Commercial Insurance department and has since been promoted to director of analytics and automation. Wes oversees the data collection and normalization of various datasets, as well as the development and production of reports for MJ’s Risk Management + Commercial Insurance clients using MJ’s proprietary analytics tool, APERTURE®. As director of analytics and automation, he is responsible for leveraging data analysis and automation techniques to drive decision-making and operational efficiency across the enterprise and is an active member of MJ’s Senior Leadership Team.
Prior to MJ, Wes gained professional experience in roles such as business and research analyst. Having developed his leadership skills throughout his time at MJ, Wes works alongside the analytics team to determine best practices for handling and analyzing loss data, exposure data, and policy data to provide a descriptive picture of past trends, predict future trends and prescribe solutions that best meet the risk management needs of MJ’s clientele. Wes and his team also work to enhance MJ’s internal and client-facing workflows through process automation, removing friction from both the employee and client experience.
Barry Goodrich
Market President – Arizona
Barry Goodrich joined the MJ team in 2007 as an employee benefits consultant in our Benefits Consulting department. Shortly thereafter, he became a principal and was later named market president – Arizona in 2022. In his role, Barry is responsible for providing strategic direction, leading sales and growth efforts in our Arizona office. His track record for growth and leadership has continued to develop throughout his tenure, solidifying his active membership on MJ’s Senior Leadership Team.
Barry’s specializations are as diverse as they are essential, encompassing employee benefit plan design and analysis, alternative funding, pharmacy benefit management, population health, benefits technology, and compliance management. He and his team help identify primary cost drivers through data analytics and develop tailored solutions for MJ’s Employee Benefits clientele. When faced with complex insurance decisions, Barry strives to simplify the process, helping organizations better leverage their insurance investments while reducing stress and creating optimal benefit strategies for employers.
Brian Gratigny
Senior Vice President of Analytics
Brian Gratigny joined the MJ team in 2014 as director of health risk management and has since been promoted to senior vice president of analytics, where he oversees the Analytics practice in our Benefits Consulting department. In his role, Brian leads a team of expert analysts responsible for delivering in-depth analysis and data-driven insights that empower MJ clients to make informed decisions. As a vital member of MJ’s Senior Leadership Team, Brian provides a critical and unique perspective to influence enterprise-wide data strategies.
Prior to joining MJ, Brian worked as director of business analytics for UnitedHealthcare. With nearly two decades of industry experience, Brian and his team work to provide data-driven insights and recommendations to clients while addressing key business goals and initiatives. The need for data and business analytics is continually growing, which pushes Brian and his team to continue to innovate MJ’s proprietary analytics platform, APERTURE®. Brian’s strategic marketing, research, and analytical knowledge have made him an invaluable member of our organization.
Bryan Gross
Vice President, Legal + Compliance
Bryan Gross joined the MJ team as the director of compliance regulation and has since climbed the ranks to become the vice president of legal + compliance. In his current capacity, Bryan establishes policies and practices to ensure MJ’s regulatory and contractual compliance, overseeing the legal aspects of our benefits and compliance strategies. As an integral member of MJ’s Senior Leadership Team, he plays a pivotal role in fortifying MJ’s legal foundation and shaping its future.
Remarkable accomplishments punctuate Bryan’s decade-long legal journey. Before joining MJ, he was an associate attorney in Krieg DeVault’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Practice Group. There, Bryan focused on Health & Welfare Employee Benefit Plans, offering legal counsel on complex matters such as benefit plan administration, employment contracts, severance agreements, and organizational policies.
Courtney Hutchison
Market President – Colorado
Courtney Hutchison joined the MJ team in 2022 as market president – Colorado. Renowned as one of the most influential benefits consultants and industry leaders in the state, Courtney leads growth and expansion efforts in the Colorado market. Courtney is an active member of MJ’s Senior Leadership Team, a team dedicated to providing market trends and industry insights to inform the organization’s long-term strategy.
Equipped with over two decades of industry experience, Courtney adopts the mentality of a coach who is passionate about leading a team to victory. She is a collaborative team builder with a proven track record of successfully advising on employee benefits and total rewards strategies for both domestic and global organizations. Courtney’s specialties include long-term cost control techniques, emerging vendor solutions, mergers and acquisitions, and client relations. Her extensive background paired with her proven leadership track record make Courtney a valuable asset to the organization.
Aaron Parker
Senior Vice President, Commercial Insurance
Aaron Parker joined the MJ team in 2017 as a client executive in the Risk Management + Commercial Insurance department. In 2022, he was named senior vice president – commercial insurance. A native of the industry, Aaron has nearly two decades of experience in enterprise risk management, insurance program design and procurement, claims management, loss control and safety programs. In his role, Aaron is responsible for the stewardship and strategic development of the Risk Management and Commercial Insurance department and delivering on all aspects influencing the overall client experience. He manages the department’s performance objectives and serves as a key member of the MJ Senior Leadership Team, where he leverages his expertise to contribute industry insights, influencing the development of enterprise and growth strategies.
Prior to joining MJ, Aaron worked as the senior insurance and risk manager for the State of Texas Office of Risk Management, where he was responsible for leading the Insurance Services department and served as a consultant to more than 100 State of Texas government agencies and institutions of higher education. Aaron also served Concordia University Texas as its first director of risk management, building a formal risk management and insurance program for the university.
Bethany Peterson
SENIOR Vice President of employee benefits
Bethany Peterson assumed the role of senior vice president of employee benefits within our Benefits Consulting department. Renowned for her work modernizing operational capabilities to strategically align with business initiatives, Bethany serves as the national operational lead for our Benefits Consulting practice. In her role, Bethany takes a focused-approach to create aligned operational models across our offices, ultimately enhancing our associate and client experience. She is also an active member of MJ’s Senior Leadership Team, where she provides key industry trends and insights to inform organizational strategy.
With a robust background in developing world-class operations, processes, and system strategies, Bethany brings over 20 years of industry experience and joined MJ from one of the largest brokers in the world. Her ability to redefine processes and build consensus with key stakeholders propels us toward our goal of becoming the premier people development organization in the markets we serve. Bethany has a proven track record of bolstering engagement and streamlining efficiencies. This skillset paired with her strategic mindset make Bethany a valuable asset to the organization.
Braden Pitts
Chief Information Security Officer & Senior Vice President, Enterprise Technology
Braden Pitts joined the MJ team in 2021 as the vice president of technology in the IT department and has since advanced to the role of chief information security officer and senior vice president of enterprise technology. Braden boasts over a decade of technical leadership experience, with a profound expertise in IT infrastructure management. As an active member of MJ’s Senior Leadership Team, Braden’s journey at MJ has been marked by transformative contributions, propelling our company toward its vision of being a data-driven, tech-enabled consulting powerhouse.
Prior to MJ, Braden made a major impact at an Indianapolis-based technology consulting organization, as he helped build dedicated service teams and worked closely with leadership as a trusted advisor for driving the success of the company’s IT function. Braden’s executive leadership skills including team management, organization effectiveness and strategic planning enable him to successfully develop data enterprise strategy and offer innovative analysis to MJ’s clients.
Kevin Sliwa
Senior Vice President, Sales + Strategy – Indiana
Kevin Sliwa began his insurance career when he joined the MJ team in 2004 as an employee benefits consultant. He quickly grew to become one of the agency’s top performers, becoming a partner at age 30 and one of the youngest principals in firm history. He now serves as senior vice president of sales & strategy for our Indiana Benefits Consulting department, where he oversees the day-to-day operations for both sales and service. He is also an active member of MJ’s Senior Leadership Team, where he provides key industry trends and insights to inform organizational strategy.
Kevin excels in optimizing employee benefits to align with an organization’s strategic goals. His expertise spans various crucial aspects, including cost management, risk mitigation, boosting employee recruitment, enhancing retention and satisfaction, and refining how employees perceive and engage with their benefits. Kevin has extensive experience in the development and implementation of employer-sponsored onsite clinics and progressive wellness programs, as well as plan design analysis, creative pharmaceutical solutions and consumer-driven health plans. He and his team help to identify underlying cost drivers and work to develop effective solutions customized to fit their needs.