2013 40 Under 40: Robert Edmonds
Midwest Region Reprints
Practice leader, private equity benefits practice
Oswald Cos.
Age: 33
Robert Edmonds joined the Cleveland-based Oswald Cos. in 2006 as an analyst in the company's newly formed private equity benefits practice. In his time there, he has filled virtually every service role for his company's private equity clients, including analyst, client manager and senior consultant.
Mr. Edmonds' effectiveness in each of those roles led to his appointment this year as leader of the company's private equity benefits practice becoming the company's youngest practice leader.
Client service remains a key element of Mr. Edmonds' approach to the private equity benefits business. Oswald helps private-equity companies with the benefits programs of the companies they acquire.
Oswald packages the private equity firm's entire portfolio of company holdings and takes the portfolio to market as an aggregate buying program.
Mr. Edmonds, who earned a bachelor's in business from Ohio University and an MBA from Cleveland State University, is considered Oswald's internal expert on federal health care reform, important expertise in assisting private equity clients and the companies in their portfolios with their benefits programs.
“They're looking for guidance not only for themselves as a business but also for their employees,” Mr. Edmonds said.
Oswald's service to the private equity clients and the companies in their portfolios has resulted in a high rate of retention of those companies after they're sold by the private equity clients.
“What we have the ability to do is we can make the portfolio companies feel special, make them feel they are the valued client, not just the private equity fund,” Mr. Edmonds said.
Lori Herbert, human resources manager at Blauvelt, N.Y.-based AERCO International Inc., said, “He understands that what's right for one organization may not be best for all organizations and never tries to push a one-size-fits-all approach to benefits.”
