Our Team

Don has been in the health insurance industry since 1990, and has  been providing benefit consulting services for employers since 1997. He has established himself and CBS as one of the leading independent brokerage companies in Arizona and across the country. 

Don and CBS were pleased to be featured in the January, 2018 issue of InBusiness - Phoenix magazine.

Strategic and administrative support is provided by the CBS Staff:  

• Kari Pieratt, Business Operations Manager
• James Severson, Senior Account Executive
• Laura Blech, Account Manager & Admin Support
• Deb Fechter, Account Manager & Admin Support
• Lacey Woolfrey, Employee Benefit Consultant
• Barton Saltz, Employee Benefit Consultant

Our general agency and co-broker partner  

• Operated in Arizona as a general agency since 1980
• Specializes in providing brokerage consultation in a wide variety of employee benefit areas 
• Manage more than $417 million in premium and more than 8,600 employer groups
• CBS has consistently been a top BGA consultant (2008 to 2017)

Key BGA Support Partners

Bruce Ward, Senior Account Executive

Bruce will be the team leader and your main contact at Black, Gould & Associates (BGA). Mr. Ward has over 36 years experience in the employee benefits field. Bruce has a unique insurance background and has worked for the State of Arizona Department of Insurance, and a national New York benefits consulting firm, Blue Cross of Arizona and now with Black, Gould & Associates. In Bruce's prior job with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona he was a Major Accounts Consultant. His responsibility was for the sale and renewal of large cases in Arizona. Bruce has a BS Degree in Insurance from Arizona State University.  

Deb Marshall, Senior Account Manager

Deborah has over 32 years of insurance experience. She worked for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Colorado for 2 years in Colorado. Deb then worked for 23 years at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona in many areas including customer service, marketing and management of their HMO Products. She continued her career in the insurance industry with Black, Gould & Associates in 2004 where she continues to provide service to clients, brokers and carriers.  

CBS evaluates insurers, administrators, vendors, and partners before recommending them to clients. We employ a rigorous selection criteria and performance objectives when considering outside resources. CBS is licensed to do business with nearly 100 insurance carriers. 

We also co-broker partner with the team at Arizona Benefit Plans for many of our uncommon plan strategies. They specialize in solutions for level-funding, self-funding and industry association health plan purchasing groups.