COLUMBUS – The name on the outside may have changed, but the faces inside have remained the same.

The recently acquired Preferred Benefits Services Agency by HUB International Limited of Chicago is now HUB HDH Columbus. The office, located on the outskirts of Ohio’s capital at 611 S. Sandusky St. in Delaware, is now part of HUB International, the fifth-largest full-service insurance brokerage in the world.

Helping to lead the Columbus office is Vice President Seth Allen,who brings more than two decades of insurance and consulting experience to the HUB team. Allen is laser-focused on employee benefits insurance consulting, as well as helping employers maximize their attraction and retention of top talent.

Allen had first crossed paths with the PBS team in 1997 as a “green employee benefits rookie” with UNUM. He later joined the PBS group in 2004.

“Fast forward 24 years, many miles, a wife and two daughters later, and here we are,” Allen said.

Allen’s approach to benefits always has been to start with the relationship.

“The feeling that each one of our clients is unique and important is not lost on us and our team,” he said. “By carving out and focusing on each client’s needs, we can implement a strategy that most closely aligns with their objectives and remain focused on increasing a benefit plan’s value.”

It’s a philosophy that he continues to embrace, regardless of changes in the business. It always begins with building and maintaining that relationship with each client.

“Knowing that a small, fully insured customer may have different cares and concerns as opposed to a large, self-funded customer necessitates a customized, needs-based approach to our strategy,” he said. “This all starts with trust, transparency and open, honest conversations.”

Hailing from Sidney, Allen graduated from Sidney High School and Denison University, where his goal was to enter the NFL.

As Allen joked, “The NFL’s loss was the insurance industry’s gain.”

He and wife, Kim, and their two daughters live in Zanesfield, home to Mad River Mountain – and not to be confused with Zanesville, he said.

Like his coworkers, Allen credits his upbringing for instilling a strong foundation in faith, family and work ethic.

Chet Rhoads, president of HUB HDH headquartered in Pittsburgh, said Allen is “a great addition to our growing employee benefits team in the region.”

“Our clients will benefit immensely from the depth and breadth of his experience and expertise,” Rhoads said.