The Elephant in the Data Room
Presented By: Lockton
Employee benefits rank among the largest expenses on a company's balance sheet — yet they often take a back seat both during the post-close M&A process and during ongoing strategy and stewardship discussions. The result? Integration headaches, disrupted employees, and long-term value erosion as benefits costs grow at an accelerated rate. In this session, moderator Seth Braden, Lockton's Private Equity and M&A Leader for the Midwest, pulls back the curtain on one of dealmaking's most costly blind spots. Through real-world examples and candid conversation with practitioners who've seen it from every side of the table, the panel will explore what buyers and sellers consistently miss, why it matters more than most think, and what they can do about it — before, during, and after the deal closes. Attendees will leave with practical frameworks and actionable steps they can apply to their very next transaction.
Panelists:
VP, Market Leader
Lockton
As the Vice President, Market Leader at Lockton, Nick is dedicated to business growth, client satisfaction, and a high performance culture while directing expansion in Columbus, Ohio. With over 20 years of experience in insurance, employee benefits, and consulting, Nick advises data-driven employers who are committed to leading-edge solutions for their organizations. His expertise lies in healthcare plan design, risk management, self-funding, benefits communication, and total rewards consulting, with a focus on private equity, middle-market and large employers.
PE and M&A Practice Leader
Lockton
Employee Benefits professional with 15+ years of experience in account management. Background in underwriting and financial impacts of benefits programs/decisions with the ability to translate complex topics into easy to understand information for leadership teams.
CHRO
Verdantas LLC
April Kozubal is Chief Human Resources Officer at Verdantas, bringing more than 30 years of HR leadership experience across organizations across various industries. She specializes in M&A due diligence and integration, organizational growth, employee engagement, and leadership development. April is passionate about building people-centered cultures that enable employees, leaders, and organizations to thrive through periods of transformation and growth.
Co-Founder
StoicLane
Jake Nice is an American executive, entrepreneur, and the Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of StoicLane, a Chicago-based private holding company and investment platform.