The Team

Peter Milnes has more than three decades of industry experience, creating INEX Capital & Growth Advisors in 2000 to provide advisory services to insurance carriers, agencies, insurance aggregators, financial institutions, and private equity groups. Since its inception, Peter has been serving as Chairman and CEO, responsible for the organization’s vision, long-term planning, new business development, and all financial aspects of the company.

Peter utilizes his financial acumen and extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions to create value by structuring opportunities, strategies, and solutions that are unique and customized to meet each client’s financial goals and objectives.

Peter also initiated the development of Optisure Risk Partners in 2015 and currently serves as its CEO. The multi-state retail insurance brokerage firm was conceived to provide an expertise-based, locally-oriented group of insurance professionals interested in converting their passion and excellence in the insurance business into equity opportunities in building a top-ranked U.S. broker.

In 2011, Peter developed Virtual Insurance Pro, an onshore business process outsourcing company (BPO) providing home-based, virtual insurance customer service representatives to insurance agencies.

From 1995 through 1999, Peter served as Chairman of USI New England. His responsibilities included oversight of various administrative, sales, acquisition, underwriting, and financial functions for USI Services Corp. (USIH), then the world’s sixth-largest property and casualty broker. He served as a member of USI’s Executive Committee and Leader Team and chairman of The Insurance Exchange, Inc. As a principal of The Insurance Exchange, he built the largest independent insurance agency in New Hampshire. He negotiated its merger with USI Insurance Services Corp as one of the founding institutions of that entity. Active in real estate development and various business ventures, he was also a founder and director of New England Insurance Co., Ltd (NEICO).
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Peter holds a BA in Economics from Bucknell University, the Aetna Commercial Insurance School for Agents, and PIA’s Insurance School at Oberlin, in addition to mastering a variety of additional insurance courses. Peter enjoys sailing, flying, kayaking, and scuba diving in his spare time.

Brook Milnes is a seasoned leader with a wealth of experience in various senior roles. As Vice President at INEX Capital & Growth Advisors since 2008, he has played a key role in the review and compilation of insurance agency consulting projects, including agency goodwill valuations. As a previously certified Kolbe trainer and consultant, he is known for his interpersonal relationship skills and the development of human resource insights along with the ability to lead and oversee innovative initiatives across sister companies, as well as for identifying and solving problems that are inconsistent with best practices.

Brook has driven additional notable achievements for insurance agencies managed by INEX such as the successful implementation of strategic sales CRM platforms, which include automation tools to drive renewals and follow-ups from sales and service teams. He also standardized agency proposals and led efforts to integrate previously siloed legacy agency groups into a singular organization. In addition, Brook has provided a framework to cultivate organizational culture shifts, helping agencies embrace a sales organization mindset by developing and teaching the Managed Exposure Program™ and its concepts.

Furthermore, Brook has re-designed corporate leadership teams and hierarchies to redirect time commitments from CEOs, allowing for more efficient business issue handling and giving agency principals more discretionary time. With Brook’s leadership, the companies have seen measurable operational improvements consistent with strategic KPIs.

James Sullivan is the Vice President of Finance and Administration at INEX Capital & Growth Advisors. With more than 30 years of experience in finance, Jim brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the team.

Jim’s primary focus is on overseeing the financial performance of INEX, including forecasting, financial reporting, cash flow, and tax planning. He has extensive experience in the management of entities within the professional services, real estate, and insurance industries. He works closely with the CEO/owner to establish consolidated financial reporting and forecasting metrics for over 20 inter-related entities and collaborates with business unit managers to develop budgeting and financial reporting tools aimed at achieving targeted growth and margin standards.

Jim led the successful implementation of a business intelligence/financial reporting system. This resulted in the balancing of numerous inter-entity accounts and improved budgeting, reporting, and forecasting capabilities. He was also instrumental in the redesign of the finance team and related processes, streamlining the month-end close process and ensuring the delivery of accurate financial statements in a timely manner.

Additionally, Jim also serves as a trusted advisor to the clients of the firm. He provides valuable insights to clients looking to maximize their organizational value through various strategic initiatives such as mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and other growth-oriented initiatives. Jim’s extensive experience in finance and ability to deliver insightful financial reporting make him a valuable asset to the clients of INEX, who seek his expertise in navigating complex financial decisions and realizing their business objectives.

Prior to joining INEX, James served as the Chief Financial Officer at Career Resources Corporation, where he was responsible for the daily financial leadership of a $9 million community-based human services organization. He also held the position of Chief Operating Officer at Team Coordinating Agency, Inc., directing the business operations, strategic planning, and financial management of a $7 million regional human services organization with over 150 employees. Throughout his career, Jim has consistently demonstrated his ability to deliver insightful financial reporting, build strong teams, improve operational efficiencies, and enhance client relations.

Norma Milne’s career in the industry spans more than 30 years in the independent insurance agency system. Previously as COO of Operations for the New England division of a large insurance brokerage firm, the scope of her responsibilities included quality management; human resources, development and implementation of workflow and procedures; errors and omissions prevention, auditing, reporting, and monitoring; privacy training and compliance with various governmental requirements; and review of broker and carrier contracts.

Norma has served on the New Hampshire Big I Executive Board and on agency councils of many regional and national insurance carriers. She was a charter member of Insurance Women of Central New Hampshire. Her prior consulting practice, NMM Associates, provided assistance to agency principals who sought to review their office practices, workflows, and personnel effectiveness and achieve better utilization of technology.

A graduate of UNH, Norma holds a Bachelor’s degree in Insurance Agency Management. She has held the CIC designation for more than twenty-five years.

At Virtual Insurance Professionals, she works directly with agency principals/owners. By collaborating together, an outsourcing approach is designed for the handling of routine customer service by VIPro. This results in increased customer satisfaction through consistent customer service. The agency’s internal staff can then focus on revenue-enhancing activities with the following results: increased revenue per employee, E&O avoidance, consistent documentation and accuracy, and a service the agency can rely upon during times of staff disruption.

Daniel Sullivan is a seasoned financial professional with more than three decades of experience in the insurance industry. He began his career in 1970, working for several insurance companies, where he honed his skills in accounting, financial management, and controllership. Throughout his 20-year tenure, Daniel held various senior positions at New Hampshire Insurance Company, AIG, and Hanover Insurance Company.

In 1989, Daniel took on the role of Chief Financial Officer at The Insurance Exchange, which later became USI New England. He retired from this position in 2003, after serving the company for several years. However, his passion for finance and consulting continued, leading him to establish the Daniel D. Sullivan Consulting Group, LLC. The company provides financial consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses, including due diligence, financial analysis, management reporting, and financial services.

Daniel’s educational background comprises a BBS from Southern New Hampshire University (formerly New Hampshire College) and an MBA from Rivier University. These degrees, along with his extensive experience in the insurance industry, have equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of financial management and consulting, making him a sought-after consultant in his field.

Deb Slater is a highly skilled and experienced financial professional with a career spanning over 30 years. As a Controller for INEX Capital & Growth Advisors, Deb is tasked with preparing financials for a diverse range of entities, ensuring that all financial information is accurate and up to date.

Some of Deb’s responsibilities include monitoring all cash accounts, filing and monitoring surplus lines taxes, and preparing 1099s and tax reports for the tax accountants. Deb is known for her ability to assist with questions from all finance department members, including account managers, producers, and the finance team itself. With her exceptional attention to detail and deep understanding of financial systems and processes, Deb assists with all aspects of the business’s finances, from budgeting to actuals, providing critical support to the organization.

In addition to her finance and accounting expertise, Deb is experienced in setting up agency management systems in AMS360 and making changes in Prophix, the financial software system – a valuable asset to the organizations she has worked for. Her ability to quickly adapt to new systems and technologies is a testament to her versatility and commitment to staying current with industry advancements. Deb’s technical skills and financial knowledge allow her to streamline processes and improve efficiency, providing significant value to the organizations she works for.

Deb’s understanding of the importance of accurate and up-to-date financial information is evident in her commitment to ensuring that all financial systems function optimally. She is proactive in identifying areas for improvement and is always looking for ways to streamline processes and make financial information more accessible to those who need it. Deb’s approach to her work is results-driven, and her ability to work collaboratively with others makes her a valuable resource to the finance team, the account managers and producers, and everyone else in the organization.

Christine Marciano Sciola is a highly experienced and accomplished finance professional with over 30 years of experience in the corporate and small business management, accounting, systems and HR arena. With a background that spans across multiple industries and functions, Christine has a wealth of knowledge and expertise to offer.

With over 20 years spent in the Property and Casualty insurance industry, Christine has a deep understanding of the financial and operational challenges faced by businesses in this sector. Her expertise in accounting, systems, and HR makes her a valuable asset to any organization looking to improve its financial performance and operational efficiency.

In addition to her experience in the insurance industry, Christine has also had success in the startup world, having launched two business ventures in the online sales and marketing space. Her experience with product development, as well as sales and online marketing, gives her a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities faced by organizations looking to succeed in today’s fast-paced business landscape.

With a BS in Business Administration and Accounting from Salem State and an MBA from Bentley University, Christine is well-equipped to tackle any financial challenge that comes her way. Her extensive professional experience and education make Christine a valuable addition to our client’s organizations as they seek to improve their overall financial well-being and operational success.