Our Professionals

Our people make it possible for us to provide best in class benefits consulting and benefits management services. From our corporate administrators to our client-focused sales and account management teams, our common goal is working with our clients to improve and sustain processes that help them focus on their core businesses.

The WestLake Financial Group, Inc. professionals are:

Paul J. Burt, Founder and CEO

Paul J. Burt started WestLake Financial Group, Inc. in 1991 to cater to the employee benefits needs of mid to large sized companies. Mr. Burt is a pioneer in the field of human resources outsourcing and benefits administration, as WestLake has redefined the delivery of benefit information to employees through technological advances.

Today, WestLake Financial Group, Inc. has over 50 employees and provides benefit consulting expertise, technology solutions and outsourcing, third party administration, and brokerage services to over 150 large corporate and healthcare clients nationwide. Mr. Burt’s continuous enthusiasm and ideas have propelled WestLake Financial Group, Inc. to be one of the top Chicago area benefit and technology consultants, with consistent annual revenue growth each year, including 57% growth in the past six months. Mr. Burt contributes this success to his relentless pursuit of creating additional value added services to offer to his clients.

Mr. Burt’s additional achievements include a five year endorsement for WestLake’s technology by the American Hospital Association, which has helped WestLake to earn the position as the leading provider of benefits technology for healthcare providers in the country. In 2004, Mr. Burt was awarded into the prestigious Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame by the University of Illinois. He also serves on the corporate giving board of Children’s Memorial Hospital.

Prior to starting WestLake Financial Group, Inc., Mr. Burt had his formal training in insurance and benefits in New York City. He started his career at Continental Insurance, and continued on as an independent consultant before moving to Chicago in 1991.

Christopher N. Clemmensen, President

Chris joined WestLake Financial Group, Inc. in 2013 and his position oversees the implementation and ongoing delivery of products to WestLake’s client base, in addition to the overall operations of WestLake Financial Group, Inc.  For more than 25 years, Chris Clemmensen has delivered profitable revenue growth, P&L management and strategic branding to Fortune 500 and venture-backed companies in the technology, healthcare and consumer packaged goods industries. He led marketing efforts for two successful acquisitions, including an early-stage IPO and a venture-backed $100 million healthcare information technology company.  As EVP and Chief Marketing Officer of Brickfish, a leading digital and social media technology company, he built the sales, marketing and account management teams that drove significant revenue growth. As Vice President of Marketing for Press Ganey Associates, Inc., a venture backed $250 million healthcare information technology and patient satisfaction company, Chris assembled a product marketing team that helped the firm accelerate annual sales by 20 percent. As Senior Vice President of Marketing at Thomson Reuters, he successfully integrated marketing activities across five companies and led a 50-person global marketing team. He also led the post-acquisition integration of the $13.5 billion combination of Thomson Corporation and Reuters Inc. as the chief marketing person for the healthcare division. Prior to that Chris held senior marketing roles at yesmail.com, Kraft, and S. C. Johnson & Sons. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Marketing and earned an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia. Chris serves on the corporate board for the American Heart Association and recently chaired the Chicago Heart Ball. An Eagle Scout, Chris and his wife are active in Scouting and golf with their two sons.

Mark Procter, Controller

Mark joined Westlake in January of 2009 and is responsible for the Finance Department and Human Resource function of the Company. His broad based business experience and extensive accounting and finance knowledge helps WestLake provide the highest level of service to its clients. Prior to joining WestLake, Mr. Procter spent the past twenty plus years in various industries involving both publicly traded and privately held companies. Mark attended Northern Illinois University and holds a B.S. in Accountancy and Finance with a minor in Economics. He is also a CPA in the State of Illinois.