Press Release

Woodruff Sawyer Bolsters Employee Benefits Practice with Addition of Lee Exton, VP, Employee Benefits

November 8, 2023

Irvine, CA – November 8, 2023 - Woodruff Sawyer announced Lee Exton has joined the firm as Vice President, Employee Benefits. Prior to joining Woodruff Sawyer, Lee spent over 30 years in employee benefits and health care consulting at Marsh McLennan, HUB International, Watson Wyatt, and Keenan.

Throughout his career, Lee has been at the forefront of developing innovative approaches to employee benefits, including one of the first consumer-driven health plans in the country. Experienced with  introducing health plan navigators to enhance employee experience and control cost escalation, Lee will continue to focus on the healthcare user experience for clients and improve employee communication, understanding, and appreciation. Lee will be based in Irvine, California.

Lee says, “I was drawn to Woodruff Sawyer’s independence and their strategic vision. As a privately held company, Woodruff Sawyer affords more time to implement and try out visionary ideas. At the same time, when I met the Employee Benefits team, it was clear we shared a ‘client first’ ethos. I was meant to be here.”

Ryan Meissner, SVP and Employee Benefits Practice Leader adds, “Lee brings creativity and an innate skill for connecting solutions to clients. His impressive background working on groundbreaking employee benefits solutions is a huge win for our clients, and I know they will be delighted with his expertise and innovative approach.”

About Woodruff Sawyer

Woodruff Sawyer, a Gallagher company, is a full-service insurance brokerage and consulting firm, serving emerging tech companies to global giants for over a century. Headquartered in San Francisco, we offer our clients access to a global platform of exclusive resources, tools, and data. For more information, call 844.972.6326 or visit woodruffsawyer.com.