Achievements: Brent Bannerman founded IE-Engine in 2000, after leaving Zurich Financial Services Group Inc. in New York, where he developed a sales and marketing team establishing Zurich's accident and health business in New England. Before that, Mr. Bannerman served as a regional sales executive for Unum Insurance Co. in Toronto and Boston.

Mr. Bannerman said he is especially proud of acquiring Watson Wyatt Worldwide as a client of his benefit technology services company, which he believes will stimulate competition in the benefit consulting field.

"The clients are starting to force the consultants to deliver more value for less cost every year. To have a technology that's enabling that and changing that market...that's a big endorsement that we're on the right track," he said.

Goals: Mr. Bannerman wants to lead the charge to standardize the information and processes involved in the distribution of employee benefits and create a more efficient market, similar to the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ.

"I think it will take another five to 10 years, but, eventually, clients, consultants and carriers will have a standard place that they go to to check out what the latest pricing was for a certain type of risk, what the specifications were in certain geographical areas or demographics," he said. "In order for the industry to get to the next level, that's what's going to happen."