About AE & Associates
Hawaii's Specialty Health Insurance Team
AE & Associates Insurance Services, LLC was founded in 2011 as a General Insurance Agency for National Benefits Administrators. From our first day, we focused exclusively on the complexity of self-funded employer health plans — and we've grown to become one of the largest and most specialized agencies in Hawaii.
Our Story
AE & Associates was created to serve as a General Insurance Agency for National Benefits Administrators. From its inception in 2011, the company has grown to become one of the largest insurance agencies in Hawaii — focused entirely on specialty risk, stop-loss underwriting, clinical services, and compliance.
What sets us apart is the depth of expertise on our team. We don't just place policies — we bring an FSA-credentialed actuary, a registered nurse, a licensed pharmacist, a certified medical coder, and a dedicated HIPAA compliance officer to every client relationship.
Alongside our sister company, Benefit Plan Solutions, Inc., we continue to expand our reach and impact across Hawaii. Benefit Plan Solutions serves as a benefit consultant for multi-self-insured employer plans, providing comprehensive support for employers navigating self-funded health benefit programs.
2011
Year Founded
10+
In-House Specialists
4
Core Service Divisions
Hawaii
Based & Focused
AE & Associates
Insurance Services, LLC
“Protecting Hawaii's Workforce”
Core Services
Our People
The Team Behind the Policy
Every client at AE & Associates works directly with the specialists responsible for their plan.
Daniel Smith
President
Insurance executive with 20+ years in specialty risk and underwriting governance. Oversees program design, reinsurance placement, carrier strategy, and all insurance operations.
Selma Oishi
Chief Compliance Officer / HIPAA Privacy Officer
Leads HIPAA compliance and ERISA oversight, providing Health and Welfare Plan financial statement analysis and regulatory governance across all client plans.
Kevin Gabriel
Actuary
Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) with an honors MBA from Wharton. 20+ years in healthcare and reinsurance. Leads pricing, risk management, and actuarial analysis.
Gwen Suzuki-Oishi
Claim Reviewer
30+ years as Claims Director at Queen's Health Plan, Aetna, and HMA. Expert in medical claims processing, auditing, and cost-containment across major health plans.
Cindy Sardinha
Clinical Reviewer
Registered nurse with 25 years of experience and former Chief Clinical Officer of the Healthcare Navigator program. Uses data analytics and hospital alerts to support clinical review.
Wendy Iwasaki
Pharmacist / R/X Reviewer
Clinical pharmacist with 25 years of experience, including 10 years as Senior Clinical Pharmacist at Blue Cross/Shield. Drives clinical pharmacy review and Rx utilization analysis.
Paul Okimura
Chief Information Officer
Leads technology infrastructure and information systems strategy, ensuring secure and scalable digital operations across AE & Associates' client and internal platforms.
Hessy Ahokovi
Founder, Sales & Marketing
Leads sales and marketing efforts, building client relationships and driving new business development. Positioned AE & Associates as a specialty leader in Hawaii's employer benefits market.
Cheryl Wilson
Medical Coder & Claims Reviewer
20+ years as a medical coder. Certified by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). Expert in ICD-10, CPT, HCPCS, ortho, podiatry, and surgery coding.
Ready to Protect Your
Hawaii Employer Group?
Schedule a no-obligation consultation with our team. We'll review your current plan, model out alternatives, and show you what a true specialty partner looks like.