Benefit pros on the move: The Standard, Fidelity Benefits Consulting, Vida Health and more key appointments.
May 10, 2018 5:28 AM
New adviser moves
As spring slowly takes off, hiring and promotions have started to heat up at employee benefit brokerages and the firms that support them. Here we look at some of the key roles filled at advisories, benefits admin and consulting firms and healthcare services providers.
IdentityForce names Broyles new director of benefit broker relationships
In an effort to expand into the employee benefit and benefit adviser space, ID protection provider IdentityForce appointed Paul Broyles as its director of benefit and broker sales. Broyles has more than 20 years’ experience in the employee benefits and insurance industry. Prior to IdentityForce, he held sales roles inside LegalShield and InfoArmor.
KEENE STUDIO
The Standard appoints new relationship manager
The Standard announced the hiring of Michael Cohen as national accounts relationship manager. He is based in The Standard’s Denver, CO office. Cohen has 12 years of experience in the financial services industry, specializing in retirement plans and partnering with advisors, RIA firms and plan providers. Prior to joining The Standard, he worked as a relationship manager for Charles Schwab & Co.
Forman joins Vida Health as chief commercial officer
Digital behavioral and physical health company Vida Health has hired Randy Forman as chief commercial officer. He will oversee commercial strategy and development of its digital therapeutic and health coaching platform. He will also lead employer sales, sales operations, and channel and platform partnerships. Prior to this role, he served as the head of strategic accounts for Livongo Health and he also held sales and leadership positions with lifeIMAGE and Planar Systems.
Symetra names Freestone to role of SVP, medical stop loss
Symetra Life Insurance Co. promoted Jeremy Freestone to senior vice president for its medical stop-loss insurance business. In his new role, he assumes responsibility for Symetra’s stop-loss business, including sales, underwriting and claims. Based in Symetra’s Bellevue, Wash. headquarters, Freestone will report to Michael Fry, executive vice president, Benefits Division.
Gallagher promoted to vice president for BeneCard BPF
Pharmacy benefit manager BeneCard PBF has promoted Hugh Gallagher to vice president of sales and business development. Gallagher joined BeneCard PBF in 2016 as senior sales director. Gallagher will now lead the PBM’s national sales efforts. Prior to joining BeneCard PBF, he served as sales and marketing executive for a formulary data management and compliance software business; held managerial positions at PBMs and health plans, and in retail pharmacy. He will report directly to Michael Perry, president of BeneCard PBF.
Kestra Financial hires Hammons as head of retirement plans
Independent adviser platform provider Kestra Financial hired Taylor Hammons as its new vice president and head of retirement plans. He will be responsible for overseeing the company’s expanding retirement plan platform designed to provide the highest-quality support to financial advisors and clients in the independent space. Before joining Kestra Financial, Hammons most recently was the director of retirement plan consulting services at Advisor Group.
Fidelity Benefits Consulting appoints Jones
Fidelity Benefits Consulting has added Iain Jones to its team where he will serve as vice president, North America leader for its international benefits practice. Jones has more than 20 years of industry experience and hails from Willis Towers Watson where he led their global services & solutions group for the western U.S. region. He has worked in multiple countries over his career, including the U.K. and South Africa. Jones will be based in Irvine, CA where he will report to Mark Sullivan, head of international benefits consulting.
Perkins Coie adds Moore as executive compensation lawyer
Wendy Moore has joined Perkins Coie’s corporate practice and tax, benefits & compensation subgroup as a partner in the Palo Alto office. She will focus on advising both public and private companies on securities, corporate, employment and tax issues and will work with the firm’s Emerging Companies & Venture Capital, Corporate & Securities and Mergers & Acquisitions practices. Moore brings nearly two decades of executive compensation and corporate governance experience to the PC team. She was previously a partner at Jones Day.
Rarick to lead Sun Life’s national accounts client management
Tim Rarick is the new head of client management, national accounts for Sun Life. He will be responsible for the account management team and client service strategy, including improving client onboarding experience, as part of Sun Life's new, dedicated National Accounts organization. Rarick joins Sun Life from Matrix Absence Management where he was vice president, Risk Management Solutions & Product Strategy. He also served on Aetna's national accounts client management team and held positions at Broadspire, CWIBenefits and Kemper Insurance.
Pure Insurance names Richardson as chief HR officer
The PURE Group of Insurance Companies, which includes Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange, has named Katherine Richardson as chief human resources officer. She joins the company’s executive committee and reports directly to president and CEO Ross Buchmueller. A 25-year insurance industry veteran, she joins PURE from Allied World Assurance Company, where she served as SVP and global head of human resources and she also held several HR roles at AIG in both their field operations and home office. She began her career in 1993 at Leader Insurance.
Sherman signs on to NVA
National Vision Administrators has named Timothy Sherman as sales director. Sherman will report directly to NVA President Dave Karlin and will work with brokers and plan sponsors to promote smarter eye care and eyewear benefits. His territory will be in the midwest.
Eric Hartmann
Walsh joins BeneCard PBF As vice president of pricing strategy
With 20 years of healthcare finance and pharmaceutical supply chain management experience, Sean Walsh joins BeneCard PBF as VP of pricing strategy, a new position inside the PBM. Walsh will focus on product development, pass-through pricing strategy, and providing support to the sales team. Walsh will report directly to Michael Perry, president of BeneCard PBF. In his previous position as VP of Finance at Asembia, Walsh was responsible for overseeing GPO operations and wholesaler/distributor relations.
