Check the backgrounds of our professionals at BrokerCheck.

Richard R. Racine, AIF, CLU, ChFC
Managing Director

Mr. Racine has over 25 years of consulting experience providing solutions to clients in the Employee and Executive Benefits arenas. He specializes in advising employers in all aspects of health and welfare and retirement plans. This includes but is not limited to plan design, benefit funding methods, and compliance/fiduciary responsibilities. He has worked with start-up and mid-sized businesses as well as public corporations. Rick’s clients benefit from his attention to detail, his product knowledge and his negotiating expertise.

Prior to establishing The Racine Group, Rick spent 10 years as a partner running the employee and executive benefits department of a successful suburban insurance agency.

Rick holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. In addition to attaining the designations of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) awarded by the American College, he has achieved the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®) designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. He holds FINRA Series 6, 63, and 65 registrations as a registered representative and investment advisor. Rick is a licensed Life, Health, and Variable Annuity broker.

Paul J. Long, CLU, ChFC
Director of Business Development

Mr. Long has 40 years of life insurance and financial planning experience, specializing in pension and retirement planning. Since 2010, Paul has been recognized as a Five Star Wealth Manager. Five Star Wealth Managers score highest in overall satisfaction based on feedback from clients, peers and industry experts. In 2003, he was recognized as the Rhode Island Society’s Professional of the Year which is awarded to a professional illustrating superior ethics, education, and community service.

He is a qualifying and lifetime member of the Million Dollar Round Table and a past president of the Rhode Island Society of Financial Service Professionals and the Rhode Island Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. In addition to Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) designations awarded by the American College, Paul holds FINRA, and NASD Series 6 and 63 registrations and is a licensed insurance broker.

Barbara R. Vallera
Director of Client Services

Ms. Vallera has worked in the field of Employee Benefits for over 25 years, joining The Racine Group in 1998. As Director of Client Services, she oversees all aspects of account management including renewal marketing, new business implementation, and day to day service to clients. This includes assisting clients with HR functions and advising them on state and federal legislative activity including Health Care Reform.  She began her career with The Travelers and managed sales offices in Syracuse and Boston where she worked with local and national customers. Barbara has a B. A. in Economics from St. Joseph College and attended graduate school at Syracuse University. She is a licensed insurance broker.

The Racine Group is a brokerage/consulting firm providing solutions to corporate employee benefits and personal insurance issues. We design, negotiate the costs of, and administer programs that are specific to our clients’ needs. For over a quarter of a century, our detail oriented, client focused approach has exceeded the expectations of individual and corporate customers. Every client experiences our unparalleled service and our integrity.