AJG (Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.), global brokerage for commercial insurance, employee benefits and risk management solutions, in June 2016 acquired The Buchholz Planning Corp. for undisclosed terms. Buchholz Planning, a Madison, Wisconsin-based provider of employee benefits consulting and brokerage services for middle market and large health care businesses in the US, has over 10,000 physicians, staff, clinics, and hospitals as clients, and has been in business since 1968.

For its 47th edition, the 2017 edition of the IBIS Academy will be held in Cannes, France, from May 1 to May 5, 2017 and include a three-day Global Mobility track, co-developed and co-hosted with AIRINC, as well as the IBIS Institute, a “boot camp” for practitioners; and the IBIS Conference, a series of cutting-edge presentations and panels for more experienced colleagues. Some sessions are shared between tracks and

Melissa Ruchhoeft in March 2016 joined the Global Benefits Practice of Lockton Benefit as a Senior Consultant. Melissa comes to Lockton from Gallagher Benefit Services, where she served as the Area Vice President of the company’s Multinational Technical Consulting Unit. Before that, she was the Vice President of Technical Services at IBIS, which was acquired by AJ Gallagher in 2014. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Wellesley