Company with large Indigenous ownership group vying to capture national Cando award

TIPI Group of Companies named finalist for Economic Developer of the Year Award

By Sam Laskaris, Cando Contributor

There’s no shortage of boosters who are cheering on the TIPI Group of Companies in its bid to win a prestigious national award.

“Our company has 60 First Nation communities that are part of our ownership,” said Nathan Ballantyne, who has served as the CEO of the TIPI Group of Companies for the past 12 years. “We act on their behalf in terms of economic development.”

The TIPI Group of Companies is also one of two finalists for Cando’s 2022 Individual Private Sector Business award. The other finalist in this category is Walker Home Construction, based in the Yukon capital of Whitehorse.

The winner will be announced at this year’s Cando Conference, scheduled for May 16-19. This event will be held at the Dakota Dunes Resort, located at Whitecap Dakota First Nation in Saskatchewan.

The Individual Private Sector Business award is one of three that will be presented at the conference. The Economic Development Officer of the Year will also be chosen at the conference. And so too will the winning nominee in the Community of the Year category.

“With such a large ownership group sometimes it’s hard to let them know what’s going on,” Ballantyne said.

But those First Nations, which make up the ownership group, are well aware the company is a finalist for the Cando award.

“They’re obviously very excited,” Ballantyne said.

The TIPI Group of Companies was launched more than 20 years ago and includes various services which are offered to those in more than 300 Indigenous communities in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. Its entities include insurance brokerages, a third-party administrator that creates and manages a benefits platform titled the TIPI Care Plan and an organizational and human resources consultancy company. The mission for the TIPI Group of Companies is to engage organizations and communities in order to manage risks and protect their economic well-being and health via customized services and products.

Since it was launched the TIPI Group of Companies has certainly experienced its share of growth over the years.

“We started off with six employees,” Ballantyne said of the company. “And we’re going to break the 100 employees (mark) this summer,”

Ballantyne said, adding the TIPI Group of Companies has a large percentage of Indigenous employees. “About 50 per cent of them are Indigenous."

Ballantyne believes the TIPI Group of Companies is a success story which is applauded in First Nations across the country.

“Communities deal with so many other issues like suicide, drugs and gangs,” he said. “Their world is so different than ours.”

Ballantyne added officials with the TIPI Group of Companies are not simply resting on their laurels. That’s because they are currently working on the details of another major acquisition, expected to be announced by late May.

“It’s a good-sized deal and will create some more new jobs,” he said.

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TIPI Group of Companies: Empowering Indigenous Communities through Financial Security

December 23, 2024

The innovative wholesale pension plan model is central to TIPI’s strategy, which optimizes financial savings through low investment management fees, leveraging its Indigenous identity. This unique approach fosters savings and champions independence within the framework of a collaborative plan design, offering its clients the best of both worlds. TIPI’s group insurance plans are dedicated to empowering its First Nations clients with industry-specific knowledge, fueling proactive conversations, and inspiring healthier lifestyles within communities. The company offers the TIPI Care Plan, which distributes different benefit lines across multiple insurance carriers as part of its commitment to personalized services. The TIPI Care Plan exemplifies personalized service by offering comprehensive benefits across multiple insurance carriers, ensuring affordability by offering the lowest possible rates per benefit line, and addressing critical health challenges, including substance management and the national doctor shortage. It has partnered with a program based in British Columbia to offer clients substance management services virtually, removing barriers and stigma associated with seeking help. TIPI provides access to healthcare providers with top-notch care, and members can access these services discreetly from their homes or during their lunch breaks in the office. In 2020, TIPI Group of Companies embarked on a strategic expansion, signifying its commitment to addressing the complexities of human resources by acquiring Legacy Bowes, a renowned HR consulting firm. This acquisition marked a milestone in TIPI’s journey toward enhancing its service offerings and underlining its dedication to meeting its clients’ evolving HR needs. Understanding the pivotal role of human resources in organizational success, TIPI introduced Legacy Bowes’ HR-On-Call service to clients on the TIPI Care Plan. This initiative provides plan administrators indispensable guidance, ensuring that clients receive the tailored support necessary to navigate the intricacies of human resource management effectively. Illustrating its commitment to talent’s professional growth and development, TIPI provides access to Legacy Bowes’ meticulously developed leadership and development training programs alongside executive search and recruitment services designed to nurture talent and promote organizational growth. Among these initiatives, its training division proudly offers a ‘Lateral Violence to Lateral Kindness’ program and Truth2Action: Reconciliation for Business, a truth and reconciliation awareness program, overseen by dedicated vice presidents. Beyond pension and benefits, TIPI operates another line of business in the property and casualty division, prioritizing Indigenous employment. This division extends comprehensive services from property coverage and community asset protection to commercial liability and Directors & Officers insurance. This positions TIPI as a distinguished brokerage that helps its clients manage risks and protect their most valuable assets. Recognizing the power of data, TIPI implemented its own CRM program to collect valuable data such as resolved claims, outstanding claims, and any complaints received. This data collection is essential to better-serving clients. TIPI believes in the power of teamwork when it comes to serving its clients. Its team members come from diverse insurance backgrounds, providing prompt and knowledgeable client assistance. 100 percent of TIPI’s pension and benefits team of nine brokers identify as First Nation, reflecting its dedication to supporting and providing opportunities to Indigenous professionals. TIPI’s personal care for its clients and plan members cannot be overstated. In one instance, the company assisted a member who had tragically passed away in an accident. During this challenging time, TIPI personally helped facilitate the accidental death claims and pension claims processes. This involved the timely completion of claim forms, liaising with the medical examiner’s office to submit the necessary information to the carrier, and advising the client on managing the funds received. Additionally, the company guided the widow in handling the remaining pension assets. TIPI’s pension and benefits division is a testament to its expansive reach. By prioritizing the empowerment of its members and fostering strong relationships with First Nation partners, TIPI expands its presence across the country and champions a more inclusive and informed approach to retirement planning and benefits management. This article was original published in the Top Benefits Administration Services Providers in Canada 2024 by Manage HR Magazine.

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