Our firm was founded in 1998 with the purpose of providing quality products that fit the specific needs of our clients. With over 75 combined years of experience working with all the various vendors, our commitment is to always provide the best possible price, solution, and more importantly the plans that fit our clients’ needs. At Advocate, the customer comes first. It is our mission to deliver a consistently high standard of customer care for all our clients in all areas of service. We are committed to elevating efficiency, quality, and performance.

Paul A. Steele
President and CEO

Paul Steele is the President and CEO of Advocate Consulting Group, Inc. (Benefit Firm), and Advocate Risk Management Services, Inc. (P&C Firm). He has over 30 years of experience in business consultation, employee benefits, P&C, and contract negotiations. His experience include working for one of the largest health carriers in the country and he has also served as the marketing director for one of the largest life and dental carriers in the country. He currently holds the following licenses: 220 Property & Casualty General Lines and 218 Life & Health.

His expertise includes self-funded benefits, fully-funded benefits, and managed care programs. He is proficient at negotiating favorable rates and terms on behalf of his clients.

He is a member of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, a board member of several successful firms, a member of the Knights of  Columbus, and Kappa Sigma.  His hobbies include hunting, golf, fishing, and skiing.  He is passionate about his local teams which include Bucs, Rays, and Lightning.  Paul resides in the Tampa Bay area with his wife Jodi and their children Reagan, Camryn and Paul.

John G. Bruns
Vice President and COO

John Bruns is the Vice President and COO of Advocate Consulting Group, Inc. (Benefit Firm) and Advocate Risk Management Services, Inc. (P&C Firm). John is an accomplished Employee Benefits Professional with over 30 years of experience in Employee Benefits Consulting. In today’s volatile marketplace, John has always taken continuous education classes not only to stay current in today’s market, but also to stay on top of the ever increasingly challenging future in group healthcare. His expertise is in group medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance products.

His expertise includes self-funded benefits, fully-funded benefits, and managed care programs. He is proficient at negotiating favorable rates and terms on behalf of his clients.

His experience includes working with clients of all sizes ranging from small, mid-size to large private employer groups. John prides himself with having a “hands-on” approach when solving healthcare issues and by proactively providing a wide range of value-added services to his clients at no additional cost. John sits on several Medical Carrier’s Broker Advisory Boards giving insight and input from the employers’ perspective ranging from plan designs to customer service issues and network development. John earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Business Administration at Hillsborough Community College, Tampa, Florida after serving in the United States Navy.

He went on to Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida to play basketball on a full scholarship. He is a past vice president of the local chapter of The Tampa Bay Association of Health Underwriters and was on their Board of Directors for many years. He is an active member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church and has coached Youth Basketball, Soccer and Baseball for many years. John resides in Tampa, Florida with his wife Susan of over 30 years. They enjoy spending time with their big family.

Our Team