Insurance is our jam!
Meet Your Local Insurance Experts in St, Michael, MN
Our moto is "What would we do for our mom & dad".
We aren't focused on anything other than what is best for you and your family.
Money is not our motivation. Never has been. Never will be.
Cory Wiest
President, Owner
Cory entered the family business of EMEX in 1999 and has developed a strong working knowledge of group, individual and self-funded plans. Cory is the “go to guy” in our agency for questions on group and individual plans with a multitude of carriers. As a certified Medicare consultant he loves helping people choose the right plans to suit their needs.
Cory got his Certified Benefit Consultant professional designation, and is constantly expanding his expertise in a variety of areas including HSA’s, HRA’s 105 plans and flex as well as self-funding of benefits. Cory’s hard work and persistence have paid dividends for his clients and our agency.
Cory's primary focus is the health and financial security of EMEX customers. Being a father and husband gives him clear understanding regarding the importance of health insurance.
As a group insurance agent he helps employers implement benefit plans that provide financial security to staff, attract qualified potential employees, promote wellness, and encourage productivity.
Cory is also an enrollment specialist offering clients modern and convenient online tools to administer renewals, or new plan implementation. EMEX provides EASE to our clients; a personalized benefits onboarding and enrollment portal, outlining coverages, premium responsibilities, carrier links, required employer notice tracking and forms and documents.
Always learning, Cory attended The American College, studying the Affordable Care Act (Healthcare Reform), and the effects it will have on our industry. Understanding the evolution of health insurance helps us better prepare EMEX clients for what to expect in the future.
In his off time, Cory has two boys that he loves to spend time with. He is an avid hunter, fisherman, bowler, one-wheeler, dog trainer, music-lover, and all-around fun guy to hang out with.
Courtney Wiest
Vice President
I graduated from Minnetonka High School, MN in 1995 and was captain of the tennis and softball teams. After, I spent 2 years at St Thomas University and finished my Marketing Degree at Mankato State University in 2000. I have spent the last 20+ years working in marketing, operations, management, accounting, HR, PR, and administration. I’ve enjoyed a varied career, learning from and working with amazing entrepreneurs. I’ve worked in industries ranging from home builders to a food distributor in marketing and purchasing; ran a real estate company, managed a weather and technology company, helped start a 24-hour TV Weather channel, and managed an HVAC business. These varied roles over the years have made me wear many hats, even as a fill-in cooking teacher, which is hilarious to Cory and anyone who has seen me cook. Even odder was my role as the project manager for a 100 m tall meteorological tower at a nuclear plant. It’s a weird combo, I know!
These roles have allowed me to understand the many hats that have to be worn by business owners and the other folks who keep the wheels on the bus. And even more, I understand the importance of keeping those wheels moving forward. There are more challenges and opportunities than hours in the day, typically. This is precisely why I’ve always loved working with small to medium-sized businesses. The grit and determination to succeed is invigorating. After the death of my father-in-law, Dave, I decided to take my talents and experience into the family business. With my husband, Cory, we strive to help small and medium-sized business owners navigate employee benefits.
I love working with Cory! Not only is he my best friend, but we both have a well-balanced skill set that makes us an excellent team. We aim to help business owners and individuals navigate the confusing insurance world. It is like teaching, advocacy work, marketing, and technology skills all wrapped up into each day.
Each step, especially the missteps, brought me to the exact spot in life I was meant to be in....right here at EMEX Benefit Systems.
Why we work with ALL sized businesses and individuals, when most agencies choose to focus only on larger groups.
At EMEX, we have a bit of a secret sauce going on.
Cory's had over 25 years of Insurance experience with employers, individuals, families, and Medicare folks. Courtney's had over 25 years of filling the utility role in small to medium-sized businesses.
We just get it.
We run a small business and have been surrounded by all the challenges, obstacles and opportunities that all small businesses go through.
Technology is fantastic, but it needs to be paired with a real person to count on.
Ensuring that our clients, big and small, have the tools to manage it easily, while remaining in compliance is paramount for us. However, at the same time, we ensure that owners, employees, and individuals know they can contact us for help directly.
Each business we work with knows to have their employees call us if they have questions. We don’t expect them to have the answers and we ultimately fill that role for them.
EMEX Benefit Systems knows how expensive, complex, and truly annoying insurance can be to most people and businesses.
It is a necessity, but few people actually enjoy dealing with it. Call us crazy, but we are those people. Most people truly don’t understand how their insurance works. We don’t blame them; it is complex and confusing. Nothing is more important than ensuring that businesses, their employees, and individuals seeking our help feel comfortable and are truly covered for their unique situation.
When someone decides to make a call to us, they get us.
Our years of experience, our years of connections, our knowledge to handle any situations that may arise....and they pay us $0. Most people don't understand that using the services of an agency or broker costs them nothing. Many continue to go to the carriers themselves to select plans and put their package together. They do this at the same cost they would experience when adding a level of expertise and advocacy that a great agency or broker can provide.
What the heck does EMEX mean?
The name EMEX, let’s be real....is confusing. What does it mean? How do you even pronounce it?
Cory’s father, Dave, started the agency in 1986 and named it EMEX Benefit Systems. The goal was to focus on "EMployers and EXecutives".
He, very wisely, knew that insurance would only get more complicated and expensive, and that for our small businesses to be able to continue to thrive, they needed an advocate in that space. He couldn't have been more right. Thus, the name EMEX won’t be going away anytime soon.
It is pronounced Eh-Mex, but we don’t get too picky if people get the name wrong. We prefer to focus on letting our clients know that they can always count on us for support. From medical (every type of plan and carrier possible), dental, vision, long and short-term disability, life insurance, travel insurance and Medicare, we have the expertise to help guide each person through the process.
Where are you located?
During the pandemic, we made the AWESOME decision to sell our longtime brick and mortar location in Hamel, MN. We moved the business into our home in St Michael, MN.
Not only were we able to save money that we can reinvest into our business and the tools we provide our clients, but we are saving ourselves tons of time. We opened up our schedules further without the commute and added time to be able to assist more people.
We meet people where they are at. We go to their office, their home, at a convenient location, online or via phone. We don't need an "office" to provide valuable service, in fact not having one has increased our value exponentially.