Bushnell history

In January 1971, Jim moved back to Vermont and became an insurance agent / broker representing a number of the major insurance companies.

In July 1973, he established Bushnell & Company to assist clients with their retirement plans administration and compliance issues in anticipation of ERISA. The compensation model was fee based offset by commissions from insurance products – the first of its kind in New England.

In September 1974, with the passage of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the company expanded its services to be an employee benefits consulting firm that initially specialized in the design, administration, communication and funding of retirement plans.

In July 1976, Bushnell & Company was incorporated and had grown to a staff of five employees.

In July 1993, Bushnell & Company merged its employee benefits consulting practice with Gallagher, Flynn & Company (GFC), Vermont’s largest independently owned CPA firm with annual revenues in excess of $5,000,000 and a staff of 50 employees.

In August 1996, when his wife was transferred to Atlanta, Georgia, Jim established the first Georgia based, fee only, full service employee benefits consulting firm of Bushnell & Company.

The company renamed themselves as Bushnell Performance Optics and then in 2001 they acquired the Bolle and Serengeti Eyewear brands along with the Moonlight range of night-vision optics.

In 2002 Bushnell bought the Tasco company, which specialised in sporting optics.

In December 2006, when his wife received a promotion and was transferred to Austin, TX Jim transferred (for the last time) his fee only, full service actuarial & employee benefits consulting firm of Bushnell & Company to Texas.