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2015 Group Benefits Leadership Conference (Canada)

9/22/2015 - 9/23/2015
Hilton Toronto Toronto, ON Canada

Overview

Who Attends

Executives and professionals responsible for sales/distribution, marketing, product development/management and strategy of group benefits in Canada.

Highlights

This new LIMRA conference is for Canadian carriers and reinsurers, and it will serve as a platform for the discussion of pertinent issues related to group business. Attending will provide you with the insights you need to remain competitive and secure a market leadership position. With a sharp focus on Canadian group insurance, voluntary benefits, and health care, the Group Benefits Leadership Conference is an offshoot of LIMRA’s annual Group & Worksite Benefits Conference, but it covers Canadian issues exclusively. Attend for exhaustive coverage of group marketing and distribution issues in Canada, new information, insights, and strategies for increased marketing and distribution effectiveness, and networking opportunities with top Canadian group benefits executives and other thought leaders from across the industry.

Speakers

John Carinci
Head, Group & Business Markets, RBC Insurance

John Carinci

Head, Group & Business Markets, RBC Insurance

As Head, Group and Business Markets, John Carinci is responsible for the overall strategy, profitability, product development, and management of RBCI's Group Life & Health Insurance business. Over a 15 year career with RBC, John has worked across all five business platforms. John began his career in 1998, holding a number of front-line and sales roles in Canadian banking, concluding his tenure as a Senior Account Manager for high net worth individuals. Prior to joining RBC Insurance in June of 2010, he participated in the Graduate Leadership Program at RBC with rotations in Group Risk Management (Enterprise Risk Reporting) and in Wealth Management (Direct Investing.) Most recently, John spent a year working at RBC Capital Markets in New York City in the U.S. Municipal Finance business.  John holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management.
Lisa Donovan
President of GMS Insurance Inc., GMS Insurance

Lisa Donovan

President of GMS Insurance Inc., GMS Insurance

Lisa Donovan has been in the employee benefits sector of the insurance industry with GMS Insurance Inc. for 21 years. She graduated from the University of Saskatchewan where she studied psychology with a special interest in Organizational Behavior. She went on to study human resource management at Woodsworth College of the University of Toronto. Lisa currently manages over 450 corporate benefit clients through her benefit brokerage firm, GMS Insurance, located in the Greater Toronto Area.
Jan K. Grude
President and CEO, Pacific Blue Cross

Jan K. Grude

President and CEO, Pacific Blue Cross

Jan is head of British Columbia’s largest regulated insurer and provider of supplemental health coverage. He has more than 25 years of experience in the public and private sector in financial services, insurance, health care, professional services, utilities, and manufacturing in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere. Prior to joining Pacific Blue Cross, Jan served as Chief Executive of Healthcare Benefit Trust, the largest health trust of its kind in Canada. Jan also serves in leadership roles at several trade and charitable organizations.
Jean Guay
Executive Vice President, Group Insurance, La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services

Jean Guay

Executive Vice President, Group Insurance, La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services

Jean has more than 30 years of experience in the group insurance industry. A seasoned executive, he has served in senior management positions for most of them. He graduated from the Université du Québec à Montréal with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Jeff Kinch
Regional AVP, Group Insurance, La Capitale Financial Group

Jeff Kinch

Regional AVP, Group Insurance, La Capitale Financial Group

Jeff leads La Capitale’s group insurance operations and business development out of its Mississauga, Ontario, office. Jeff has more than 30 years of experience in the employee benefits and retirement services industry. He has worked in senior positions on both the carrier and consulting sides of the business, both domestically and internationally.
Stefan Kristjanson
Executive Vice-President, Group, The Great-West Life Assurance Company

Stefan Kristjanson

Executive Vice-President, Group, The Great-West Life Assurance Company

Stefan joined Great-West Life in 1990 and has held various positions of increasing responsibility within the Group Division. Recently, he led the integration efforts associated with the acquisition of Irish Life. In 2013, he was appointed Executive Vice-President, Group, with overall responsibility for Group Insurance in Canada. He's a graduate of the University of Manitoba.
Noel MacKay, CEBS
Senior Consultant, The Williamson Group

Noel MacKay, CEBS

Senior Consultant, The Williamson Group

Noel MacKay is a Senior Consultant at The Williamson Group, who works with private and public sector employers, helping them in meeting their corporate employee benefit plan needs today and in the future. Noel has 29 years of experience working in the employee benefits field, including program design, corporate health strategies, and prescription drug formulary design and carrier service management. Prior to joining The Williamson Group in 2000, he worked in the international consulting community, and with a prominent insurance carrier in Canada. Noel is a graduate of Wilfred Laurier University, and holds the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation through the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans and Dalhousie University. Noel has also been a CEBS course instructor at Fanshawe College, London and Sheridan College, Oakville. Away from work he is active in the management of charity running races and participates in road, cross country and track cycling and running events.
Mario Malatesta
President, GroupQuest

Mario Malatesta

President, GroupQuest

Mario began his financial services career as an agent with Sun Life Financial in 1989. He quickly moved into the group benefits industry, building a block of 50 cases in three years. Later in his career, he helped Sun Life’s group benefits unit SunAdvantage move into the brokerage market. He was SunAdvantage’s group representative of the year for six consecutive years and subsequently became its director of business development. Afterward, he founded GroupQuest Benefits Resources Inc. with his business partner. GroupQuest is a leading group MGA in Canada, with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, and Mississauga, Ontario.
Karen Mason
Senior Vice President, Individual, The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada

Karen Mason

Senior Vice President, Individual, The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada

Karen Mason joined Equitable Life of Canada in 2006 as Vice President of the Group operations, later becoming Senior Vice President, Group. In 2015, she was named Senior Vice President, Individual. In this role, she oversees all aspects of distribution, underwriting, marketing, pricing, administration, claims, reinsurance, and operations for the Life & Health line of business. Karen has a Master’s of Business Administration from Dalhousie University and a Bachelor of Home Economics from Mount Saint Vincent University. Karen is also a Fellow Life Management Institute (FLMI). In 2014, Karen was named one of 50 Women of Influence in Canada’s life insurance industry by the Insurance & Investment Journal.

Darko Mihelic, CFA
Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, RBC Capital Markets

  • Tuesday, September 22, 2015

    1:00 pm - 2:00 pm: GENERAL SESSION

Darko Mihelic, CFA

Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, RBC Capital Markets

Darko rejoined RBC Capital Markets in 2013 to assume coverage of the Canadian banks and life insurance sector. He has covered the Canadian banking industry since 1999 and the Canadian life insurance sector since 2006, and has been ranked highly in various industry surveys. In 2014, he was ranked second for the Canadian banking sector and third for coverage of the Canadian life insurance sector in the Brendan Wood International survey. In 2014, he was ranked first for coverage of banks and life insurance in the Greenwich survey. Darko completed his MBA at SDA Bocconi in Milan and is a CFA charter holder. 
Michael Sanford
Principal, Group Benefits, Eckler

Michael Sanford

Principal, Group Benefits, Eckler

Mike joined Eckler in 2011. He has more than 30 years of experience in the employee benefits field, and has worked with a large cross-section of clients and insurance companies in all aspects of their employee benefit programs. Mike specializes in new business development and customer retention as well as insurance company and supplier relationships. He has worked with a variety of clients ranging from large, multinational organizations to national, provincial, and local union groups and associations. Mike attended York University and is a graduate of the Queen’s University Executive Program.
Kathy Seliga
Vice President, Finance and Actuarial, Sun Life Financial

Kathy Seliga

Vice President, Finance and Actuarial, Sun Life Financial

As the CFO for the Group Benefits business, Kathy is responsible for pricing, profitability management, valuation, capital management, financial reporting and analysis, business planning, and risk management. Throughout Kathy's 26 years in the life and health insurance industry, she has held positions of increasing responsibility in the Individual, Group Benefits, and Client Solutions insurance businesses. Kathy has held leadership roles in financial management, pricing, product development, claims, marketing, sales, and operations. Kathy earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto and is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (FCIA).

Agenda

Registration

Registration Fees:

Early Registration (register by July 31)
LIMRA member - $525 U.S. plus applicable Canadian taxes
LOMA member - $625 U.S. plus applicable Canadian taxes
Non-Member - $725 U.S. plus applicable Canadian taxes

Regular Registration (register AFTER July 31)
LIMRA member - $595 U.S. plus applicable Canadian taxes
LOMA member - $695 U.S. plus applicable Canadian taxes
Non-Member - $795 U.S. plus applicable Canadian taxes

Hotel / Venue

Hilton Toronto

145 Richmond Street West
Toronto, ON  M5H 2L2
Canada

Reservation link: https://aws.passkey.com/event/13869484/owner/13364/home

Call in number:  1-800-HILTONS

Reference group code: LIMR15

Make your room reservations by August 21, 2015 and mention the LIMRA Group Benefits Leadership Conference to receive the discounted group rate of $229 single/double (plus applicable sales taxes.)  A set number of rooms are available at the group rate until August 21, 2015 or until the group block is sold out, whichever comes first.  While LIMRA works hard to secure a sufficient number of rooms, we cannot guarantee rooms will be available. Please make your reservation early to take advantage of our discounted group rate. 

The group rate will be offered three days prior and three days after the meeting dates subject to availability of rooms at the time of your reservation. Reservations must be guaranteed with a major credit card.

Become a Sponsor or Exhibitor

Sponsors and Exhibitors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsor

Contact us to learn more:

Joan O'Neil

Senior Conference Coordinator

LIMRA

(860) 285-7741

joneil@limra.com

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