A young London financial company is celebrating its move up the rankings ladder of Profit 100 magazine. Selectpath Benefits and Financial Inc. jumped 14 positions since last year to 50th in the 100 finalists list.

"It's nice to be in Profit," said Selectpath Benefits president Gord Hart. "It's name recognition."

Hart said the recognition and ranking reflects the company's core belief that a melding of the principles of the financial business can better service clients, "a true partnership group."

Selectpath, with 18 employees in northwest London, was founded in 1994 by original partner Wayne Koch, who was sole proprietor. The G.R. Hart Insurance Agency Inc. merged with J.W. K. Select Benefits Services in 1996. In 1998 the John Sabourin Financial Group joined and in 2000 the three corporations developed their philosophy and the name Selectpath.

"Eighty per cent of what we do is employee benefits servicing for companies with from three to 10,000 employees," said Hart. "The core of the business is with companies with 25 to 200 employees. We have a division within that is financial services doing wealth management and risk management."

Hart said the average age of the firm's employees is 37 compared to the industry average of early 50s.

Selectpath manages $60 million in premiums.

Hart describes Selectpath's growth as "industry shattering" in a less-than-ideal business climate.

Profit magazine editor Ian Portsmouth said the annual survey of Canada's fastest- growing companies is based on a five-year revenue growth average.

Profit has a circulation of 100,000.