Banco Popular de Puerto Rico

There was a notable buzz in Dallas in September as advisers at EBA's 6th Annual Employee Benefit Adviser Summit learned and discussed the latest on helping clients handle costs, how health care reform will affect their business and the new line of interest in voluntary benefits.

Employers implementing wellness programs not only will help lower health-related costs, but their employees will be more engaged and productive while on the clock.

Nationwide Better Health, part of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, closed its doors Sept. 1 after five years in the wellness and productivity business. The company announced on May 25 that Nationwide would sell its productivity services to Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc. and wind down disease management and wellness programs.

Good news for advisers selling disability income insurance: Sales of traditional and voluntary DI are headed upward. But even more exciting is the undercurrent of optimism and excitement among major insurers and disability management experts about the future of disability benefit programs.

As I write this, the entire Benefits Group staff is just returning from the 6th Annual Employee Benefit Adviser Summit, co-located with our 24th Annual Benefits Forum and Expo. In Dallas this year, we had a gratifying turnout of nearly 1,000 benefit industry professionals from all parts of the industry, with Summit attendance boosted by participants staying over from the United Benefit Advisors conference - a most welcome addition to the educational sessions and to our industry networking opportunities.

EBA searched far and wide to find 10 "Rising Stars in Advising" who are making a name for themselves and will lead the next generation of advisers. We're delighted to introduce them.

Here's a recent roundup of industry accomplishments. Check to see if a colleague is mentioned this week.

American workers are becoming more and more pessimistic about their retirement prospects, according to a new survey by Sun Life Financial, but those who have invested in annuities or hold long-term care insurance are decidedly more confident.

FINRA this week issued an investor alert urging the roughly 30% of American workers who are not contributing enough to their 401(k) plans to receive a full employer match to step up their contributions in order to meet their eventual retirement needs.

Even the most able of insurance CIOs may find themselves hard pressed to keep their footing on a rapidly evolving technological playing field. Yet, even if they do, they may find the rules of the game are changing too.