John Baird

Alumni: Walsh University, B.A., Business; University of Toledo School of Law, J.D.

With more than 15 years of experience in the benefits field, John Baird is a senior flex plan consultant for Nyhart, providing consulting expertise in Flexible Spending Account, COBRA, HRA, HSA, and POP benefit design and administration.

John advises companies ranging in size from one to two to upwards of 10,000 employees on their flex plan and related benefit programs. He collaborates with insurance agents, benefit agencies, and brokers that deal with health insurance to offer Nyhart’s services to their clients. He is consistently recognized for his understanding of the complexities and legal issues tied to these benefit plans.

John has twice been a member of the Nyhart team. In his first stint, he worked as a retirement plan attorney drafting retirement (defined contribution, defined benefit) plans and cafeteria (flexible benefits) plans, dealing with IRS for potential audits, filing for determination letters,  and educating clients on how legislation affected their plans. He left in 2003 to launch a boutique benefits administration business focused on premium-only plans, flexible spending accounts, and health reimbursement.  He rejoined Nyhart in 2010.

Prior to Nyhart, John spent two years working at the firm Gardner and White as a TDA compliance supervisor for non-profit organization retirement plans, served as a liaison between marketing and legal departments and product development for Anthem Life, and ran his own general practice, non-criminal legal practice.

Married with three children, in his spare time John coaches a traveling youth baseball team.

Areas of expertise

Section 125 Plan, Flex Plan, Flexible Benefits Plan, Cafeteria Plan, Premium Only Plan (POP), Flexible Spending Accoun (FSA), Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), Health Savings Account (HSA), COBRA