Step Benefits Group joins forces with Pender & Howe to deliver end-to-end talent and benefits solutions

Bruce Frick, Founder and President of Step Benefits Group, and Travis Hann, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Pender & Howe

Pender & Howe, a leading executive search firm, announces its merger with Step Benefits Group

With this merger, we can now provide strategic support that ensures long-term success by aligning compensation, benefits, and pension structures with leadership goals and organizational growth.”

— Travis Hann

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, April 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Pender & Howe, a leading executive search firm in Canada, today announced its merger with Step Benefits Group, an advisory firm specializing in employee benefits and pension plans.

This addition significantly expands Pender & Howe’s ability to support clients across the full employee lifecycle, from identifying and securing top talent to retaining, engaging, and supporting that talent through tailored benefits and pension strategies. By integrating recruitment expertise with comprehensive benefits advisory, Pender & Howe is uniquely positioned to help clients not only attract the right people, but also to protect their investment in that talent and drive long-term organizational performance.

In today’s competitive talent landscape, organizations require more than exceptional hiring; they need comprehensive strategies to engage, reward, and retain their leaders. By integrating executive search with bespoke benefits and pension advisory services, the combined firm is uniquely positioned to support clients across the full talent lifecycle — from leadership placement through to onboarding and long-term retention strategy.

“Placing the right leader is only the beginning,” says Travis Hann, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Pender & Howe. “Our clients increasingly look to us for guidance beyond the hire. With this merger, we can now provide strategic support that ensures long-term success by aligning compensation, benefits, and pension structures with leadership goals and organizational growth. I’ve known Bruce for many years and have always respected his depth of knowledge and thoughtful approach in this space. I’m excited to partner with him as we build a truly full-service human capital advisory firm for the Canadian mid-market.”

Bruce Frick, Founder and President of Step Benefits Group adds: “We have always taken great pride in delivering highly customized, client-centric solutions. Joining forces with Pender & Howe allows us to extend that philosophy into earlier stages of the talent journey, while continuing to provide the high level of expertise our clients rely on in benefits and pension planning. It will be exciting to combine forces with Travis and his team and to continue to build out and expand upon our services offerings in the future.”

Step Benefits Group will operate independently during the initial phase of the partnership, with its leadership team remaining in place to ensure continuity and support continued expansion. Over the course of the first year, the firm will transition into a formal division under the Pender & Howe umbrella. Integration efforts will focus on aligning capabilities and enhancing collaboration across both organizations, while preserving the distinct expertise, client experience, and culture that define each business.

About Pender & Howe
Pender & Howe is a boutique executive search firm built on precision and partnership. Backed by the world’s largest global executive search alliance, Kestria, we combine high-touch service with a tech-enabled, data-driven approach that brings clarity, speed, and confidence to every search.

About Step Benefits Group
Step Benefits Group is a one-stop source for tailored, comprehensive and cost-effective benefit and pension programs. The firm works with organizations across Canada to design and implement customized plans that support workforce wellbeing and long-term financial security.

Maja Falvo
Pender & Howe
maja.falvo@penderhowe.com
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