James Russell — Licensed Employee Benefits Consultant
James Russell is a licensed employee-benefits consultant based in Portland, Oregon, and the founder of PDX Benefits LLC — an independent brokerage serving small and mid-sized employers across Oregon, Washington, California, Michigan, and Arizona since 2023.
James Russell
Founder, PDX Benefits
Credentials & Licensing
- Oregon Insurance Producer License: #20759495 (Life, Health, and Variable Annuity lines)
- National Producer Number (NPN): 20759495
- Washington Insurance License: #1253051
- California Insurance License: #4372856
- Michigan Insurance License: #1449765
Background
Before launching PDX Benefits in 2023, James spent 12 years as a Special Education teacher, where he specialized in translating dense regulatory frameworks — including IDEA, IEP compliance, and FAPE — into plain language families could act on. That same translation work is what employee benefits needs: most benefits decisions get made under information asymmetry, where the broker knows the rules and the employer is left to trust the recommendation. PDX Benefits exists to flip that dynamic.
Areas of Expertise
Continuing Education
James completed 24 CE hours in the last 12 months, including coursework in:
- Legal Concepts for Insurance Agents (OR 1017995)
- Overview of Legal and Ethical Guidelines (OR 1017997)
- Understanding Insurance Underwriting (OR 1017999)
- Oregon Law Update 2023 (OR 6000142201)
Industries Served
Construction & Trades
60–70% of clients
Manufacturing / Industrial
20–25% of clients
Professional & Personal Services
10–15% of clients
Carrier Partnerships
James actively places coverage with the following carriers:
Professional Affiliations
Connect with James
Last updated: August 2026. Insurance license information verifiable at the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation and the National Insurance Producer Registry.