SAN FRANCISCO, CA / August 19, 2010 - Equity Risk Partners (ERP), has announced the expansion of its Chicago-based team with the addition of Brian Stratton as Director - Business Development. Equity Risk Partners is the only full-service insurance brokerage and consulting firm focused exclusively on the needs of the private equity industry. In his new role, Mr. Stratton will be responsible for building and managing client relationships primarily within the firm's employee benefits practice.

Mr. Stratton joins Equity Risk Partners from Mercer, a subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, where as a Principal in the Client Development group, he provided employee benefit consulting services to private equity firms and Fortune 500 companies. In his decade-long career at Mercer, he held a number of increasing management positions focused on new client acquisition and the management of global accounts. Mr. Stratton has broad experience which includes due diligence, mergers and acquisitions, ongoing management of companies' health and benefit plans, as well as assisting clients with the management of their international benefit programs.

"As our clients increasingly focus on healthcare and employee benefit-related issues, Equity Risk Partners continues to invest in the areas where our clients have the most need," said Michael Marcon, Founder and CEO. "With Brian's strong foundation of employee benefit consulting, building client relationships, and his proven ability to manage the issues associated with private equity transactions, he will be a significant asset to the firm. The addition of Brian to our team underscores ERP's continuing commitment to serving the needs of our clients and the private equity community."

Mr. Stratton holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business and an undergraduate degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He can be reached directly at (312) 980-7864 or bstratton@equityrisk.com.

More information about Equity Risk Partners is available at www.equityrisk.com.