Inc. Magazine Introduces Hire Power Awards Honoring America's 100 Top Job Creators

NEW YORK, Dec. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Plantation, FL-based Solstice Benefits, Inc. (Solstice) featured in the inaugural ranking of Inc.'s Hire Power Awards, recognizing the private businesses that have generated the most jobs in the past three years.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111020/FL90549LOGO )

Solstice generated 49 jobs from 2008 to 2011, placing it among the 10 private business job creators within the Insurance Industry, showing a three-year employee growth of 181 percent.  

"When many companies are downsizing in this economy, it is very exciting to see that Solstice continues to grow. Solstice has a very unique family-like corporate culture and we have welcomed many bright and talented individuals to our organization and into the Solstice family," said Carlos Ferrera, COO at Solstice. "The greatest honor for us was learning that the Hire Power award, as INC described, paid tribute to 'the real heroes of the American economy.' Solstice is grateful to receive this significant distinction."

Inc. is the only major business media brand aimed solely at CEOs of fast-growing private companies. The Hire Power Awards will appear in Inc.'s December/January issue, as well as the brand's web site, www.inc.com.

"The top 100 companies on the list have created 73,032 American jobs in the three-year period from 2008 to 2011 – an amazing feat, given that much of that job growth came during the heart of the recession," explains Inc. editor-in-chief Eric Schurenberg. "And it isn't just the big guys that are adding jobs. Companies with less than $50 million in annual revenue make up nearly one-third of the Hire Power list."

The inaugural Inc. Hire Power Awards are sponsored by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which is proud to recognize American companies that have greatly increased their workforces. Inc.'s Hire Power Awards celebrates private companies on the forefront of American job creation, giving these businesses the recognition they deserve.

About Inc.

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders.  Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 6,000,000 today.  For more information, visit www.inc.com.

About Solstice:

Solstice is a privately held Florida corporation based in Plantation, FL. Solstice administers and markets dental, vision, pharmaceutical, life, and short- and long-term disability benefits plans. Solstice and its affiliates also offer life insurance benefits in Florida, and Third Party Administration (TPA) services in the Florida, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, California, Maryland, and Ohio markets—and are in the process of expanding nationwide. It was named one of "Florida's Best Companies to Work For 2012" by Florida Trend and ranked No. 15 in the Insurance Industry on Inc. magazine's 2012 "America's Fastest Growing Companies" list. For information on Solstice, contact 1.877.760.2247.

About Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Bank of America Merrill Lynch is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 57 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 5,700 retail banking offices and approximately 17,250 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 30 million active users. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America Merrill Lynch offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services.  For more information, visit: http://corp.bankofamerica.com/business/smb.

"Bank of America Merrill Lynch" is the marketing name for the global banking and global markets businesses of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., member FDIC. Securities, strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation ("Investment Banking Affiliates"), including, in the United States, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., all of which are registered broker‑dealers and members of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. Investment products offered by Investment Banking Affiliates: Are Not FDIC Insured * May Lose Value * Are Not Bank Guaranteed.

CONTACT: Alissa Gavrilescu, +1-954-370-4338, [email protected]

SOURCE Solstice Benefits, Inc.