Mission & Philosophy
Hollister Insurance's mission is to provide our clients with cost effective, high quality, comprehensive insurance and employee benefit plans. We work hard to build and maintain long-lasting relationships with our customers, and we are committed to helping our community whenever possible. We value quality of coverage above price, but whenever possible we will deliver on both price and quality. We are committed to helping our clients throughout the year, and like to be seen as "outside staff" by our clients.
History
Matt Hollister became an independent broker in 1999, having left John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company where he was responsible for sales and client management for John Hancock's New England sales office. As an independent broker, Matt Hollister worked for Special Risk of New England (SRNE), in Danvers, MA. Matt left SRNE in October, 2000 to start Business Benefits, Inc., a full service brokerage and benefit administration provider. In 2001, Business Benefits was renamed Hollister Insurance Brokerage, Inc.
Hollister Insurance has grown significantly from our two employees and about 20 clients a decade ago. Today, Hollister insurance works with 25 top quality insurance carriers, and over 150 employers throughout New England, and has added business insurance (property, liability and worker's compensation) to our portfolio of products.
Commitment to Our Community
Since our founding in 1999, Hollister Insurance Brokerage has been dedicated to improving the quality of life in our community both financially and through volunteerism. We value our responibilty as a corporate citizen by sponsoring local programs and community organizations that benefit where we live and work.
Client Profile
Hollister Insurance works with both long-established benefits and insurance plans, as well as startups. We work with employers in most industries, including retail, wholesale, non-profit, healthcare, manufacturing, and high-tech, to name a few. Our average customer size is approximately 50 employees, but we will work with companies with as few as 5 employees and we have customers with over 250 employees. Our specialty is working with complex insurance risks and employee benefit issues, including mergers, acquisitions, and startups.
Our income is mainly commissions-based, but we are also able to provide our services on a fee basis.
Our Team
Matt Hollister - President 
Matt Hollister is the President and founder of Hollister Insurance. In addition to his management responsibilities, Matt is active in the community, serving as the first vice president of the Clinton Hospital Foundation, and as a board member of the Clinton Rotary club. Prior to launching Hollister Insurance, Matt worked in the group insurance division of John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. While at John Hancock, from 1996 to 1999 Matt was responsible for both in-force client retention and new sales in New England. Matt holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Northeastern University.
Sylvia Hollister - Vice President of Operations
Since the company's inception, Sylvia has been both the central figure in the business operations, and a trusted resource for clients for answering questions and solving insurance-related problems. In the past eleven years with Hollister Insurance, Sylvia has become an expert in insurance enrollment, eligibility and billing, and through her many contacts within the insurance carriers administrative areas, she is able to solve practically all of the insurance issues our clients face.Prior to the formation of Hollister Insurance, Sylvia worked in various fields including marketing, finance, and product management.
John Frankiewicz - Vice President of Sales
John is a vital part of the Hollister Insurance team with 8 years of experience and expertise in the analysis, design, and implementation of employee benefit plans. Over the years, John has assisted numerous businesses in implementing health, life, disability, and dental plans for their employees. His knowledge of plan design and product composition assists plan sponsors in selecting and implementing plans that are both cost effective and address the diverse needs of each employee population. Previous to joining Hollister Insurance, John entered the insurance industry as a Long Term Care representative with GE and has also held sales positions for several large companies including Polaroid and Fuji Photo Film.
Vic Koivumaki - Client Advisor
A Client Advisor at Hollister Insurance since 2004, Vic's communications skills and attention to detail help clients make vital choices at renewal. Prior to joining Hollister Insurance, Vic had 27 years of experience in management and administration at Harvard University, including 12 years as Executive Director of the Harvard Law School Association.
Peter McCann - Director of Property & Casualty
An insurance industry veteran, Peter McCann brings over 27 years of operational and insurance experience to Hollister. Peter has a proven track record working with two national brokerage firms and several regional agencies. Prior to joining Hollister, for the past eight years, he was Director of Graphic Arts Insurance Agency, a firm specializing in insurance for Commercial Printers and the Graphic Arts Industry. His main focus is to bring a unique "insurance made simple" approach to business owners and risk managers. Peter is a full license insurance broker in Property & Casualty and Employee Benefits.
