Strategic PEO Advisory™

Built for Growth

Dinsmore Steele is an independent Strategic PEO Advisory™ serving growth-stage companies and private equity portfolios. We govern PEO pricing, contract structure, renewal discipline, and workforce alignment — protecting margin and enterprise value across the lifecycle of the decision.

Get Your PEO Alignment Score

Independent. Advisor-led. Built for executive decision-makers.

PEO advisory

Built for a Market Without Accountability Independent Oversight in a Space That Had None

Dinsmore Steele was established in 2010 after observing a consistent pattern: PEO decisions were heavily brokered at selection and rarely reviewed afterward.

Over time, pricing structures grew more complex, underwriting tightened, and contract terms became increasingly consequential.

The market evolved. Accountability did not.

We built a firm structured around oversight, not placement.

Independent Oversight in a Provider-Controlled Market

Most PEO relationships are governed either by the provider or by intermediaries compensated by it.

We operate independently of carrier incentives, platform quotas, and placement economics.

Our role is not to sell a PEO. It is to protect the decision.

  • Independent Oversight

    Recommendations based on structural fit and leverage — not commission structures.

  • Renewal Discipline

    Governance applied before contract reset, not after margin compression.

  • Lifecycle Alignment

    Oversight from diligence through renewal cycles to exit.

  • Decision Accountability

    Clear, written recommendations built for executive and board-level review.

Workforce Infrastructure is a Capital Decision

PEO structures influence EBITDA, risk allocation, compliance exposure, and integration velocity.

Small and mid-market companies deserve the same governance discipline applied by enterprise procurement teams — without building internal bureaucracy.

Governed properly, a PEO becomes stable infrastructure.

Left unreviewed, it becomes recurring drag.

Experience you can measure.

75+
Years combined advisory expertise
3,800+
Businesses advised
400+
National and regional PEO platforms evaluated
Multi-state
multi-entity governance across growth-stage companies

Advisors Structured for Governance

Our team combines expertise in PEO underwriting, workers’ compensation risk, benefits architecture, payroll tax exposure, and contract negotiation.

More importantly, we operate at the executive level — where renewal timing, capital events, and leverage windows matter.

  • Founder and CEO

    Rodney Steele

    In 2010, Rodney founded Dinsmore Steele with a clear vision: to give business owners an unbiased, efficient way to shop, compare, and negotiate with Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs).

  • Managing Partner

    Barbara Pailley

    Barbara has been part of Dinsmore Steele since 2016, bringing with her a wealth of industry experience and a knack for building high-performing teams. An industry veteran, she quickly streamlined operations.. and helped shape a world-class team to better support clients, partners, and providers.

  • Controller

    Jennifer Rivera

    Jennifer Rivera serves as Controller at Dinsmore Steele, where she oversees financial operations, accounting processes, and internal controls, helping drive the firm’s PEO advisory initiatives.

Clarity. Discipline. Control.

Working with Dinsmore Steele means:

Executive-level conversation, not vendor sales.

Clear written governance recommendations.

Renewal timing discipline and leverage preservation.

Structural correction before issues surface in diligence.

Continuity beyond initial placement.

No theatrics. No spreadsheet handoffs. No transactional matchmaking.

  • Direct, expert-led guidance
  • Clear next steps and timelines
  • Negotiation support and follow-through
  • Proactive support as your business changes

Your PEO is a Capital Decision. Manage It Like One.

An independent review clarifies pricing position, structural fit, and renewal leverage before consequences compound.

Speak to an Expert

Independent of provider bias. Structured for long-term accountability.