Firm earns highest-level platinum recognition in 2026 Pinnacle Awards for nearly a decade of benefits consulting and implementation support led by Director Kim Shumate
ATLANTA, Ga., Oct. 15, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Strategic Benefits Advisors, Inc. (SBA), an independent employee benefits consulting firm, today announced it was named HR Consultant/Advisory Partner of the Year in the 2026 Pinnacle Awards for Human Resources, earning the category’s sole platinum award, the program’s highest level of recognition. The honor recognizes SBA’s expertise in benefits consulting, with particular emphasis on a longstanding client engagement led by Director Kim Shumate.
Image caption: Strategic Benefits Advisors, Inc. logo.
SBA’s nomination centered on nearly a decade of work with a large employer that began with a retiree health exchange search in 2017. Since then, the employer has repeatedly turned to SBA for vendor searches, implementation support and ongoing consulting across its retirement, health and welfare benefits programs, including periodic assessments of provider costs and service levels. Led by Shumate with executive oversight from SBA Principal Jay Schmitt, the work has drawn on the expertise of a broader SBA team that includes Runae Badciong, Lori Pocock, Kim McCauley, Kah-Lee Wong, Anna Marushchenko and Walker Gscheidle.
Over the course of the relationship, SBA developed deep institutional knowledge of the employer’s benefits systems, administrative processes and complex operational requirements. That expertise proved especially valuable when the employer outsourced its health and welfare administration. SBA identified potential conflicts with existing systems, recommended changes to the implementation plan and developed tools to simplify the employer’s complex internal benefits allocations. The transition was completed without disruption to employee benefits, and the employer subsequently engaged SBA to support another complex transition involving four benefit carriers.
“Our clients count on us for more than recommendations. They trust us to understand their organizations, anticipate challenges and stay involved as their needs evolve,” said SBA Founding Principal Mindy Zatto. “That kind of relationship takes years to build, and it depends on the depth of expertise and personal commitment people like Kim and her team bring to their work every day. This recognition is a testament to the way we serve our clients across the firm.”
Shumate joined SBA in 2011 and was promoted to director in 2019. Her nearly four decades of experience guiding large employers through vendor selections, benefits plan transitions and system implementations stand out even at SBA, where consultants average more than 20 years of industry experience.
To see the full list of Pinnacle Awards for Human Resources winners, visit https://www.pinnacle-award.com/winners-human-resources-2026 .
ABOUT STRATEGIC BENEFITS ADVISORS:
Strategic Benefits Advisors, Inc. (SBA) is an independent, full-service employee benefits consulting firm focused on creatively and effectively solving complex benefits issues for clients ranging from 1,000 to over 300,000 employees. Founded in 2002, SBA provides practical consulting recommendations and expert implementation of solutions for all types of employee benefits programs, including retirement, health and welfare, financial wellness and employee recognition. With an average of more than 20 years in the field, SBA’s team of actuaries, consultants and systems specialists is among the most experienced in the industry. For more information, visit https://www.sba-inc.com/.
NEWS SOURCE: Strategic Benefits Advisors Inc.
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