The Group Life and Disability Income product lines also represent areas for the Group Division to grow, and we have invested in our expertise on the street in this area as well. During the last year, we have brought in two very experienced Group Life and Disability Income professionals, Julie Bosse in our Boston office and Andy Alltop in our Atlanta office. Julie and Andy brought with them some great relationships, as well as product and market insight that will help us turn our strategy into reality.

What can producers expect from Symetra Group under your leadership?

All of our business is generated through independent third parties – general agents, brokers, consultants or third party administrators. I have been in this business long enough to know that without them, we have nothing. These relationships have been a factor critical to our past success and our producers and general agents can expect no slippage in Group’s commitment and service to them. My hope is that they actually feel more commitment from and connection with Symetra Group in the days ahead.

Far and away, our people. Even with all of the advances made in technology, this is still a relationship business. The relationships that we have with our producers are broad and deep. Not only do we have front-line relationships among sales personnel, we have well-developed connections within our backroom operations, such as claims, managed care and administration, as well as at executive levels.

Symetra has a producer-driven culture. Our producers know us well and we know them well. Our CEO, Randy Talbot, is a former producer for our company, and he makes sure that the producer mind-set is here all the time. Our field people are close to the producers. They’re not all here in our headquarters, they’re out there with our producers in their markets, understanding their markets. That creates more of an entrepreneurial, small-business environment within a larger company. We try to move fast and are not afraid to think outside the box. We are a little different and we embrace that difference.

How do you see the group benefits business changing over the next few years?

Symetra Group is well-positioned to capitalize on those opportunities. We have strong, well-established Stop Loss relationships with traditional benefit brokers and consultants which can be leveraged for limited benefit and voluntary worksite sales. We also have deep relationships with selected limited benefit specialists and we are developing contacts with worksite brokers.

What challenges do you see in the benefits market today and what will Symetra be doing to help producers deal with them?

Most employers find that offering benefits to employees not only helps them attract and retain capable personnel, but also lets them stay a step ahead of their competitors. Unfortunately, rising costs make it increasingly difficult for many employers to offer or continue to offer comprehensive benefit solutions. More and more employers are turning to voluntary benefits as a solution.

In these challenging times, Symetra can help our policyholders and producers through our Stop Loss and Select Benefits products and our other related worksite product offerings.

Self-funded health plans are a cost-effective alternative to conventional, fully insured plans. By self-funding its health care plan, an employer can save money by eliminating state premium taxes, as well as overhead and other fees paid to their former insurers. Stop Loss insurance limits the cost exposure for the employer by reimbursing medical costs that rise above a certain dollar amount in the self-funded plan.

Select Benefits is group limited benefit medical insurance that allows employers to offer health and life coverage to their employees while maintaining control of costs. The product is designed to cover employees who cannot afford or are not eligible for other benefits. These benefits can be funded by the employer, shared by the employer and the employee, or paid entirely by the employee on a voluntary basis.

How did you get started in the employee benefits business?

Prior to joining Symetra, I worked for the Lincoln Financial Group (LFG) for 14 years. I held various financial positions with LFG, the last one being the Controller for their Reinsurance Division. I had a good job at a terrific organization but I longed for something broader than managing the financial environment. I had a strong interest in business and the diverse factors that must be managed effectively to achieve success.

After discussing my career aspirations with our senior management team, I was transferred to the Group Benefits Division and asked to grow the Stop Loss business through acquisition. Be careful what you ask for; you just might get it! About one year later, we bought the ARMS Stop Loss organization from Fortis. Many of those folks are now part of Symetra Group today. It’s been a great ride. I wouldn’t change a thing.

On a personal level, what's one of the most interesting things about you that most people don't know?

Some people are surprised that I have two children in college. I have a daughter who is a senior at the University of Portland. She is a biology major and will be going on to graduate school to pursue a career in medical research. I have a son who is a sophomore at Santa Clara University. He is a business major and plans to attend law school. Symetra Group will be successful going forward – tuition payments are a great incentive!

In August, my wife and I will have been married for 25 years. We met when I was 17 years old. I don’t know the secret to lasting so long, but I think good communication and mutual respect – and maybe a little luck – have something to do with it.

Learn more
To learn more about Symetra’s Group products, visit the Stop Loss, Group Insurance and Worksite product Web sites.