Our Associates
Michael C. Waters, President of the Benefit Planning Group
Mike Waters is the founder and President of the Benefit Planning Group, Inc. (BPG) and the Reliance Financial Group, LLC (RFG).
He has worked in the Employee Benefits and Financial Services industry for 18 years and is certified through the Wharton School of Business as a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist.
He is nationally recognized as a specialist in the physician financial services marketplace and has been instrumental in designing insurance and investment programs that have been implemented in over 40 medical schools, as well as, over 30 university physician faculty practice plans across the country.
Marc Flur, Vice President
Marc has been engaged in the Financial Services industry since receiving his MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at DukeUniversity in 1992, and has been a Certified Financial Planner™ since 1998. Marc is a member of the Durham/Orange Estate Planning Council.
A native of Burlington, Vermont, Marc came to DukeUniversity in 1979 and joined the varsity tennis team as a “walk on,” quickly working his way into a full scholarship. An All-America selection, Marc was inducted into the Duke Sports Hall of Fame in 1995 as the first and currently only tennis player to achieve this recognition. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Duke in 1983, Marc traveled the world for six years on the ATP tour. He competed in all of the Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open, and reached a career high world ranking of #71 in singles and #67 in doubles.
Marc retired from the professional tennis tour in 1988 and attended the Fuqua School of Business at DukeUniversity. He currently resides in Durham with his wife, Stacey (Duke '83) and two children, Lia and Adam.
M. Shayne Ruffing
Shayne Ruffing joined with BPG in 2007. His primary focus is the design of corporate executive benefit packages and tax strategies. He also active among the resident physician community, where he conducts financial management workshops, publishes articles (MD NEWS, EMRA), and speaks to national medical groups.
Shayne holds the designations of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) from the American College. In addition, in 2003 Shayne was awarded the designation of Accredited Estate Planner from the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils.
He currently serves on the board of the local estate planning council, the board of the Durham Sales and Marketing Executives and is an active member and officer of Westminster Presbyterian Church. He is a graduate of Elon College and resides in Durham, NC with his wife Angela and three daughters, Allie, Madison and Grayson.
Heather Picciotti, Vice President
Heather Picciotti brings more than 10 years of diverse industry experience to The Benefit Planning Group. She started her career as an Actuarial Analyst for United Healthcare’s AARP Division in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After moving to North Carolina, she joined Cigna as a large group Medical Underwriter for the Delaware Valley, Mid-Atlantic and North Carolina markets.
For the past four years, she has worked in the broker community as a group benefits specialist and consultant. She has experience with small and large group benefit programs in the both the local and national segments and consumer driven healthcare.
Heather is a member of the North Carolina Association for Healthcare Quality (NCAHQ).
Jordan Capps, Vice President of Operations
Jordan’s work with BPG began in 2006 when he joined us as the VP of Operations. He is a graduate of Duke University where he earned a double-major in Economics and Public Policy Studies. He's an avid college sports fan and especially enjoys the rivalries of ACC basketball.
Before joining BPG he worked with an international non-profit organization focusing in operational strategy and IT integeration. In addition to our internal operations, he now provides client support for integration projects, such as online benefits communication.
Also, certified as a Group Benefits Disability Specialist, he is a versatile team member able to provide knowledgeable support and service for clients’ benefits needs as well.
Rick Warren, Vice President
Rick began his career in the Financial Services industry in 1992 as a career agent with MetLife where he qualified for MDRT in his first year. He is a graduate of Appalachian State University where he received an undergraduate degree in Business and later his MBA.
Over the years Rick has continued to expand his qualifications in the industry by attaining the designation of LUTCF. More recently he has concentrated in the Group Benefits marketplace providing services to businesses in and out of the Triangle. In 2005 he joined the Benefit Planning Group to manage and coordinate health insurance for its corporate clients as well as health insurance for its individual clients.
Rick is also very active in the community where he participates on the boards of UNC Parent’s Council, Riverside High School PTSA, Durham Summer Swim League, and Young Life of Durham/Chapel Hill. He is an active member of Grey Stone Baptist Church. Not only does he reside in Durham, but is a native as is his wife, Jamae and their three children, Jennifer, Kat, and Russell.
Kathleen Howell, Account Manager
Kathleen Howell joined BPG in 2007 as an Account Manager. She graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and over the past 10 years has gained an insider’s understanding of the healthcare industry.
After working with some of the largest insurance providers in North Carolina, such as BlueCross BlueShield and WellPath, she now offers our clients her depth of knowledge and practical experience. She is a valuable asset and provides dedicated support for enrollment, claims, and billing, among the many areas of assistance that our clients need.
Beacham Wray, President of Health Care Management Associates
Beacham's knowledge stems from 24 years of practice management experience with the UNC Physicians & Associates component of the UNC Health Care System. UNC Physicians & Associates, the faculty group practice of the UNC School of Medicine, has over 800 physicians and other providers in 47 specialties. Beacham has served successfully in the capacity of Director of Operations as well as Director of Managed Care.
Beacham earned his undergraduate degree in accounting and his MBA from the University of Georgia. He is a member of the Medical Group Management Association and subgroups on finance and managed care. He was the President of the North Carolina Medical Group Management Association, Executive Director of a 900-member physician Independent Practice Association, and served as a consultant to the North Carolina Medical Society. He is a graduate of the UNC Kenan-Flagler School of Business Executive Institute, the Center for Creative Leadership and the author of "Negotiating Managed Care Contracts and Contract Management", Essentials of Physician Practice Management.
NFP Securities, Inc. does not provide legal, accounting, or tax advice. Any decisions whether to implement these ideas should be made by the client in consultation with professional financial, tax and legal counsel.
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