Our Mission: Not Your Typical PEO

No business is the same, and yet the majority of PEOs provide a one-size-fits-all solution.

CalmHR isn’t today’s PEO, and we’re certainly not yesterday’s PEO. We offer a reimagined service focused on providing a personalized, consultative relationship with your organization—understanding that your business and its needs are unique.

We started CalmHR because we believe businesses shouldn’t be forced to accept the same old mold from their PEO. With CalmHR, you don’t fit our mold because we don’t have one. We give you the latitude to decide what mold fits you best, and then we design a full suite of custom services to relieve the day-to-day stress of business operations.

Leadership

Joe Appelbaum, CEO and Founder

Joe founded Potomac Insurance in 1990 with one guiding principle: to build relationships with clients, to exceed their expectations by providing exemplary service, support, and expertise, and to become the comprehensive source for clients’ employee benefits needs. He has been an insurance practitioner for over 35 years and his experience in and knowledge of the employee benefits industry affords clients a unique and innovative approach to employee benefit selection. Joe is a subject matter expert on controlling healthcare costs, PPACA (healthcare reform), and HR issues. He speaks frequently at various trade association conferences and SHRM functions across the country. Joe is the thought leader, advisor, and chief analytics officer for all his clients.

Joe is a lifelong entrepreneur and started his first business at the age of 13 in Manalapan, New Jersey. He is an active member of the Association for Enterprise Growth (AEG) and is a founding sponsor of Executive Leaders Radio. Joe enjoys helping other CEOs and local business owners connect and collaborate with fellow leaders, and is a longtime philanthropist for the Brain Tumor Society and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Joe attended Carnegie Mellon University and graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. He resides in Rockville, MD with his wife and children.

Walt Ziffer, AIF

Walt is the Founder and President of (k)RPG Advisors, LLC and (k)RPG LLC and has over 29 years of experience advising a select group individuals, families, and company retirement plan sponsors and their employees in their quest to achieve financial independence.

His firms provide ERISA 3(21) & 3(38) investment fiduciary services and consulting services for retirement plan sponsors (i.e., 401(k), 403(b), Defined Benefit Plans, and Cash Balance Plans), foundations, and private trusts and fee-based wealth management and financial planning services for individuals and families. Prior to starting (k)RPG, LLC in 2004, Walt was a member of the management team at New England Securities’ Washington, DC office.

Walt holds the Series 6, 63, and 65 securities registrations and, as a result of his commitment to assisting retirement plan sponsors and their retirement plan participants, he received his Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF) designation in 2012. In 2015, he received the Cash Balance Consultant (CBC) designation, a certification granted by Kravitz, Inc. and the Cash Balance Coach® Program, a dedicated program for cash balance pension plan consultants.

In 2018, he received the Certified Health Savings Advisor® (CHSA) designation in order to better assist employers and employees in understanding and utilizing their health savings account benefits.

Most recently, Walt also has received the NQPA (Nonqualifed Plan Advisor) certificate and the CPFA (Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor) credential from the National Association of Plan Advisors.

Walt graduated from Virginia Tech and currently resides in Darnestown, MD with his wife Deborah and his two children, Julia and Trevor.

ERISA 3(21) and 3(38) plan business services and financial planning through KRPG Advisors, LLC, a registered investment advisor. Securities and advisory services (Third Party Money Manager Platforms) are offered through H. Beck, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC.  H. Beck, Inc. is not affiliated with (k)RPG, LLC nor KRPG Advisors, LLC.

We’re a Company Rooted in Principles

But these aren’t simply what we think look or sound good. These are the values that guide us.

Transparency

We believe there is nothing to gain from confusing and hard-to-navigate systems. A cornerstone of success to us is ensuring our clients understand every element of their customized programs.

Communication

We pride ourselves on timely and efficient communication, understanding your problems and concerns deserve quick answers. Day or night we’re here for you.

Honesty

When it comes to HR, there’s no time to beat around the bush. It’s critical you’re provided with honest and straight-forward communication about your program. We take our work seriously and we work hard to make sure you understand that.

Teamwork

There’s no “us and them” mentality here. When you partner with CalmHR, you become part of our team. And team success is what drives us everyday. This means you can expect genuine collaboration from us towards our common goal.

Education

Because we offer a range of completely customized services, we understand we always have to keep evolving. Continuous education is part of the job description—and we extend this knowledge to our clients with the goal of empowering the whole team.

Support

Plain and simple: you’re a bad HR company if you’re not available for support. And we’re not a bad HR company. With CalmHR, you never have to guess about our availability or willingness to pick up the phone. All you need to do is reach out.

Simplicity

For 35 years, we’ve managed a successful business model based on the premise that there’s always a simpler path. When it comes to HR, simplicity is usually marketed as comprehensiveness. But the reality is that it almost always means higher cost and greater inefficiency.

We Believe in Keeping Things Simple

You are the front line—but you are not alone. No one can know and manage your company’s unique challenges like you can, and we are here to help.

KISS - Keep It Simple Solution™ Includes

CalmHR provides and manages an employee self-service benefits management portal through our KISS - Keep It Simple Solution™ concept.

This solution is more comprehensive than a mere self-service portal, as it includes all aspects of HCM.

Features

  • Payroll
  • HR & Benefits
  • COBRA
  • ACA Reporting
  • Performance Review
  • Applicant Tracking/Recruitment
  • Time and Attendance
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
  • 401(k) Platform
  • One Point of Entry
  • Employee Onboarding
  • Open Enrollment
  • Benefits Education
  • Total Compensation Statements
Learn more - download the brochure