What Communication Partners does

Communication Partners (also known as CPI) is a US-based benefits communication agency founded in 1975, headquartered in Bend, Oregon with a mailing address in Rancho Santa Fe, California. The firm designs and produces custom employee benefits communications for enterprise employers, delivering a portfolio that spans digital and print solutions: navigation-enhanced benefit guides with clickable menus, branded benefit microsites with analytics, single-topic Hero Sites, animated and motion-graphic videos, mobile gateway web apps, total compensation statements, traditional printed benefit guides, emails, posters, postcards, flyers, newsletters, and branding packages. Underlying technology consists of front-end web development, microsite analytics tracking, QR code integration, Vimeo video embedding, and Google Translation localization rather than any proprietary platform or AI system.

The company serves two primary customer segments: HR departments and benefits managers at mid-to-large enterprises (responsible for open enrollment, year-round benefits communication, onboarding, and wellness initiatives) and benefits insurance brokers and consultants (who resell CPI services alongside their advisory offerings). Notable clients disclosed include Humana, Isuzu, Kraken, Logitech, Reddit, Alteryx, ASICS, Avalara, NOV, Zoom Video Communications, Big5 Sporting Goods, and Technicolor, with management reporting 150+ unique clients served annually across virtually every major industry.

Revenue is generated through three streams: custom project-based professional services (campaigns and bespoke deliverables), subscription-style digital products (microsites, navigation-enhanced guides, mobile apps with quarterly updates and hosting), and one-time licensed print solutions. Pricing is quote-based rather than tiered-publicly, with multi-year contract cadences and lead-magnet content (free Open Enrollment Toolkit, monthly newsletter) feeding the top of a consultative enterprise sales funnel. CPI also operates as a closely-held, founder-influenced business — Chris Lonergan serves as President and Summer Lonergan as Principal, with Erhard Ruettimann listed as CEO & Member of the Board — supported by an 11-50 person specialist team that has earned industry recognition including MarCom, Hermes, and DotCOMM awards and achieved a Net Promoter Score of 86-88.

Name

Communication Partners

Legal name

Communication Partners Inc

Website

https://commpart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Communication Partners is a US-based benefits communication agency founded in 1975 that designs custom digital and print employee benefits materials — microsites, navigation-enhanced guides, videos, mobile apps, and printed collateral — for enterprise HR departments and benefits brokers, serving 150+ clients annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Employee Benefits Communication Services

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Direct Mail Advertising (54186), Public Relations Agencies (541820)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Direct Mail Advertising Services (7331)

akta.pro primary industry

Customer Communications Management (CCM) & Transactional Messaging (MPAAAIAL)

Keywords

• Employee benefits communication
• Benefits communication agency
• Digital benefit guides
• Open enrollment materials
• Total compensation statements

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Custom Benefits Communication Campaigns: Project-based professional services delivering custom employee benefits communication materials including guides, websites, videos, and marketing collateral. Pricing based on project scope and deliverable complexity.
2. Digital Solutions: Subscription-style digital products including microsites, navigation-enhanced guides, and mobile apps with ongoing hosting, analytics, and quarterly updates included
3. Print Solutions: Traditional and specialty print materials including benefit guides, postcards, posters, flyers, and total compensation statements with printing and fulfillment services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Communication Partners (CPI) is a benefits communication agency that creates custom employee benefits communication materials for corporate HR departments. It delivers a portfolio of products across three categories: Campaigns & Marketing, Digital Solutions (navigation-enhanced guides, benefit websites, mobile apps, videos, self-guided presentations, hero sites, email), and Print Solutions (traditional guides, posters, postcards, flyers, total compensation statements). Services span strategy, design, content development, video production, and fulfillment, sold as custom engagements.

Product overview

Communication Partners offers a comprehensive benefits communication platform with three main solution categories: Campaigns & Marketing (custom benefit campaigns, branding, newsletters, benefits snapshots), Digital Solutions (navigation-enhanced guides, websites, videos, self-guided presentations, hero sites, mobile apps, email), and Print Solutions (traditional guides, posters, postcards, flyers, total compensation statements). The core offering centers on custom Benefit Campaigns and interactive Navigation-Enhanced Benefit Guides that serve as digital hubs, supplemented by a full suite of print and digital collateral including videos, mobile apps, and professional emails. The portfolio integrates with Vimeo for video hosting, Google Translation for multilingual support, and various wellness platforms like Headspace and Calm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Benefit Campaigns Custom year-round benefits communication campaigns aligned with organizational needs for HR departments and benefits managers, including clear content and design, inspiring participation messaging, thoughtful timing, reduced HR workload, and measurable impact through data and feedback.
• Navigation-Enhanced Benefit Guides Digital benefit guides with interactive clickable menus enabling employees to easily find information, providing an immersive, interactive experience with access to plan details, documents, vendor links, and embedded videos for HR departments.
• Benefit Websites Online benefits information hubs providing one-stop resources for plan details, enrollment instructions, wellness initiatives, videos, documents, FAQs, and carrier contacts accessible anytime by employees.
• Traditional Benefit Guides Printed user-friendly benefit guides helping employees understand and utilize benefits, customized in tone, message, and design to fit organizational branding for HR departments.
• Total Compensation Statements Comprehensive statements showing employees the complete value of their employment including pay, benefits, healthcare, PTO, and retirement contributions, available in print or digital formats for HR departments and benefits managers.
• Videos Custom animated, live-action, and motion graphic videos designed to simplify complex benefits concepts, including script writing, storyboarding, custom characters, engaging scenes, and professional voice actors for HR and benefits communications.
• Hero Sites Single-topic landing pages consolidating important employee benefits materials into a compact format, including custom URL, feature videos, countdown clocks, customizable messages, callout boxes, and Google Translation support.
• Mobile Gateway Web Apps Downloadable digital wallet card containing carrier links, plan details, and contact information accessible from employees' mobile devices, serving as a companion to comprehensive Benefit Guides and Campaigns.
• Self-Guided Presentations Interactive slide shows allowing employees to explore benefits content independently with clickable chapters, drop-down menus, and links, combined with customized scripts and professional voiceover for a multi-sensory experience.
• Email+ Professional email communications for delivering Open Enrollment updates, wellness program announcements, and new benefits information with clarity and visual impact for HR departments.
• Branding Services Custom logo design, comprehensive brand guidelines, and professional materials including letterhead, email banners, and presentation templates for corporate or benefits brand refresh for HR departments.
• Digital Branding Package Custom-branded digital assets for virtual presentations including PowerPoint slides, email banners, virtual backgrounds, and email signatures ensuring cohesive digital presence for HR departments.
• Newsletters Informative scheduled updates for communicating key messages and benefits updates, available in print or electronic formats for onboarding, Open Enrollment, or year-round communication for HR departments.
• Benefits at a Glance Concise snapshot of company benefits designed for prospective employees or as a quick summary for current team members, with balanced visual appeal and digestible information for HR and talent acquisition teams.
• Posters & Postcards Eye-catching printed materials for sharing Open Enrollment information, upcoming events, or new benefits, including bold designs for breakroom posters or mailers to employees' homes.
• Flyers Visually striking single-point communications for highlighting important dates, new programs, or wellness initiatives, providing fast, focused information delivery for workforce engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 65% of employees engage with microsites, with 2+ minutes average session time; some clients achieve 85%+ engagement
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• HumanaminorOthersLogo displayed on partner section of website indicating active client relationship for benefits communication services
• IsuzuminorOthersLogo displayed on partner section of website indicating active client relationship for benefits guide production
• LogitechminorOthersLogo displayed on partner section of website indicating client relationship for postcard and communication design services
• RedditminorOthersLogo displayed on partner section of website indicating active client relationship for benefits communication
• ASICSminorOthersLogo displayed on partner section of website indicating active client relationship; featured in navigation-enhanced guides and total compensation statements
• KrakenminorOthersLogo displayed on partner section of website indicating active client relationship for benefits communication services
• AvalaraminorOthersLogo displayed on partner section of website indicating active client relationship for benefits communication
• NOVminorOthersLogo displayed on partner section of website; won MarCom Platinum Award for Employee Benefits Website created for NOV
• AlteryxminorOthersLogo displayed on partner section of website; won MarCom Platinum Award for Employee Benefits Website created for Alteryx

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Benefit Communications Inc. Employee benefits communication agency producing benefit guides, total compensation statements, and related materials for employer clients — directly comparable niche specialist serving the same buyer (HR/benefits teams) with similar deliverables.

Broad incumbents

• Businessolver: Benefits administration platform that includes employee communications, decision-support tools, and benefits education features — overlaps with CPI's microsite and digital guide offerings but as part of a broader benefits administration stack.
• Benefitfocus: Benefits technology platform offering enrollment, communication, and benefits engagement tools to employers and benefits carriers — competes with CPI's digital benefits experience products from a broader software-platform position.
• OneDigital: Large national benefits brokerage and consulting firm that includes employee communications services as part of its broader benefits advisory offering — directly partners with CPI but also represents a potential in-housing competitor.
• PlanSource: Benefits administration and enrollment platform with employee communication and decision-support features — overlaps with CPI's digital benefits hub and microsite products as part of a unified benefits technology stack.
• Workday: Enterprise HR and benefits platform with built-in benefits communication, total rewards statements, and employee experience features — represents a long-term in-housing threat to specialist agencies like CPI among large employers.
• BambooHR: HR software platform for SMB and mid-market employers with employee onboarding and benefits communication capabilities — competes indirectly with CPI by enabling in-house benefits communication among its HR buyer base.
• ADP: Global HR, payroll, and benefits services giant that offers benefits administration and employee communication tools — overlaps with CPI's enterprise benefits communication work and could expand internal capabilities over time.

Emerging players

• Ease (formerly EaseCentral): Benefits administration and HR platform targeting small and mid-sized employers with enrollment, communication, and employee education features — partial overlap with CPI's microsite and benefits guide offerings, primarily in the SMB segment.
• Benepass: Modern benefits technology platform focused on lifestyle benefits and employee benefits experience — overlaps with CPI's push to make benefits more engaging and personalized, though focused on a different benefits category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1683125
• Xx.com/cpibenefitelect
• Facebookfacebook.com/communicationpartnersinc

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Communication Partners