In Memoriam: Jim Bell, Sr.

James “Jim” Bell, Sr., founder of Abel HR and longtime NAPEO member, passed away on July 15.

TARGETED CLIENT ACQUISITION AND RETENTION LIFECYCLE STRATEGIES: BUILDING A MORE VALUABLE BOOK OF BUSINESS

Highly profitable organizations establish clear client boundaries, communicate service expectations early, and maintain alignment between pricing and service delivery.

• FINANCE & OPERATIONS

PRESTIGEPEO’S NEXT CHAPTER

The leadership team represents varied experiences within the PEO industry which combine to create a dynamic group of leaders focused on propelling the company into its next chapter.

THE LATEST TRENDS IN YOUR FAVORITE TOPIC: HEALTHCARE

If you’re frustrated with healthcare these days, you’re not alone. That value-added service PEOs either insure or administer has continued to grow in cost and complexity. In this article, we’ll cover top trends as seen through the lens of benefits consulting. Specifically, we’ll deal with cost dynamics and how PEOs can chart new paths to …

• FINANCE & OPERATIONS

MAKING EVERY MILE MATTER

Throughout the 2026 Annual Conference and Marketplace, attendees will have multiple opportunities to support Our Daily Bread through our annual silent auction, sponsorship opportunities, and direct giving campaign.

EXPANDING HORIZONS: HOW GLOBAL EOR PARTNERSHIPS DRIVE GROWTH FOR PEOS

From employment contracts and localized benefits administration to payroll, tax withholding, and ongoing HR support, global EORs handle the operational complexities of international employment.

• FINANCE & OPERATIONS

A CONNECTED GO-TO-MARKET FRAMEWORK FOR PEO GROWTH

Authority is about proof that supports your value. Discoverability is about matching your content strategy to the questions your best-fit buyers ask in their research.

• FINANCE & OPERATIONS

THE MASTER PLAN TRAP: WHY THE EXPLOSION OF FUNDING STRATEGIES WILL REWARD FLEXIBLE PEOS

The 2-50 small group market, roughly 6 million employers, is the gateway to long-term PEO growth, and unlocking it at scale requires distribution strength in the broker channel, since brokers still own the relationships that shape most funding decisions.

• HR & BENEFITS

PAY IS BECOMING MORE THAN A PAYCHECK

While compensation remains important, employees value tools that help them access, manage, and make the most of their earnings between paydays.

• PAYROLL

BEHAVIOR-BASED SAFETY: A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FOR PEOS

What the best organizations have figured out, and what forward-thinking PEOs are beginning to offer their clients, is that safety culture is built through behavior, not documentation.

• FINANCE & OPERATIONS

HEALTH PLAN SERVICE PROVIDER INVESTIGATIONS, ICHRAS AND ASSOCIATION HEALTH PLANS: WHERE IS DOL HEADED?

given EBSA’s view of PEOs as having a dual role as both plan sponsors and commercial service providers, PEOs should not expect a moratorium on agency action.

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

BENEFITS COMMUNICATION: A PEO’S TIME TO CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH ITS EMPLOYEES

One of the most valuable services a PEO provides to its clients is access to welfare benefits. Communication surrounding these benefits also represents some of the most impactful opportunities for a PEO to interact directly with covered employees. Key moments such as open enrollment, new hire enrollment and qualifying life events create meaningful touchpoints that …

• HR & BENEFITS

HELPING CLIENTS GET THE MOST OUT OF THEIR BENEFITS PACKAGE

Too often, benefits communications focus almost exclusively on health insurance while failing to highlight the broader ecosystem of offerings.

• HR & BENEFITS

HOW PEOS CAN LEVERAGE DENTAL INSURANCE AS A STRATEGIC COST CONTAINMENT TOOL

Cost containment does not have to mean cutting benefits. For PEOs, it means making sure the dental offerings are aligned with worksite employees’ needs.

• HR & BENEFITS

ELEVATING SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE: THE ESSENTIAL ADVISORY ROLE OF PEOS

PEOs that transition from transactional support to strategic partnerships build stronger relationships, enhance client retention and differentiate themselves in a competitive marketplace.

• HR & BENEFITS

BETTING ON HERSELF: TRACY CULICERTO’S JOURNEY TO BUILDING ASCENDHR

When Tracy Culicerto talks about building AscendHR, she doesn’t start with growth metrics or expansion plans. She starts with people. She talks about her parents using retirement savings earned through decades in the coal mining industry to help fund her dream. She talks about bringing her infant son to client meetings during AscendHR’s earliest days. …

THE PREDICTABILITY PREMIUM: THE RISK PROFILE BUYERS ACTUALLY WANT

Risk is in the DNA of the PEO business. It is not a flaw in the model. It is the model. Top-performing PEOs make a calculated move: accept measured risk today to earn a multiple of it tomorrow. The core equation is simple: risk one dollar to make three, if not more. The best operators …

• RISK

PEOS IN THE COMMUNITY: E3 HR’S SPIRIT OF SERVICE

At E3 HR, community service is integrated into the company’s values, creating a culture where giving back is a core part of the organization.

STRUCTURAL PROFIT EXPANSION: REWRITING THE ECONOMICS OF THE PEO CLIENT BASE

Structural profit expansion is based on the process of identifying and correcting these imbalances in a systematic and measurable way.

• FINANCE & OPERATIONS

SHAPING TRUST IN THE AI BUYER JOURNEY: FROM VISIBLE TO RECOMMENDED

AI tools match content to the vocabulary of the question being asked, and buyers ask questions in the language of their world, not yours.

• CYBERSECURITY & TECHNOLOGY

UPDATES AND INSIGHTS ON THE WORKERS’ COMP. MARKET

California announced an 8.7% increase in advisory pure premium rates effective 9/1/2025 and again recommends a similar magnitude increase effective 9/1/2026.

• HR & BENEFITS

HOW PEO TEAMS ARE USING AI WITHOUT LOSING THE HUMAN TOUCH

One of the most useful ways to think about AI in PEO operations is not what to automate, but what to protect.

• CYBERSECURITY & TECHNOLOGY

BEYOND TEMPERATURE CHECKS: NAVIGATING OSHA’S 2026 HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION STANDARD AND EVOLVING VIEW OF WORKPLACE SAFETY

OSHA may no longer view heat hazards in isolation, but as part of a more integrated approach to worker health and safety.

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

4 THINGS PEOS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE NEW DOL JOINT EMPLOYER PROPOSAL

The Labor Department’s recent proposed joint employer rule is welcome news for the PEO industry. That being said, you’ve received similar welcome news every other time the DOL went through this same exercise in the past, only to see the helpful guidance unwound by a new administration. Watching the joint employer rule evolve is like …

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE