Financial services management and practitioners in the areas of marketing, marketing research, public relations, advertising, corporate communications, sales support, and marketing services.
Highlights
We know that effective marketing results from insightful research. But today, there are so many variables: the variety of products is immense, the methods of consumer engagement are many, and customers’ preferences are constantly changing. It’s never been more important to keep up. With workshops and sessions focusing on Generations X and Y, customer centricity, Big Data, social media, branding, and more, LIMRA’s 2015 Marketing & Research Conference will prepare you for success. And as always, there will be excellent networking opportunities. Our 2015 conference will be in Baltimore, a city that has undergone a renaissance. Let the setting inspire you to do likewise, as we set the stage to Connect, Innovate, and Transform.
Registration
Registration Fees:
Early Registration Fee: LIMRA Member: $1,145 LOMA Member (but not LIMRA): $1,720 Nonmember: $2,290
After May 1, 2015 LIMRA Member: $1,295 LOMA Member (but not LIMRA): $1,945 Nonmember: $2,590
LIMRA requires prepayment of registration fees prior to all conferences and meetings. Please make checks payable to LIMRA in U.S. dollars drawn on a bank in the United States. For Vendor registration fees, call Event Registration at 800-235-4672 (U.S. and Canada) or 860-285-7789.
Cancellation Policy
All cancellations must be received in writing. Notify customer.service@limra.com. Cancellations received before May 6, 2015, will be refunded, less a $75 processing fee. Cancellations received from May 6, 2015, to May 20, 2015, will be refunded, less a $275 processing and administrative fee. No refunds will be issued after May 20, 2015.
In the event that a scheduled meeting or event is cancelled by LIMRA for any reason, LIMRA shall refund any conference registration fees that have been paid by the registrant. Under no circumstances, however, shall LIMRA be liable to the registrant for any other expenses including, but not limited to, airfare and hotel expenses incurred by the registrant.
Please contact A Room With A View for information on the designated LIMRA overflow hotel. They will secure the lowest available rates within walking distance of The Four Seasons Hotel.
In the event that rooms become available at The Four Seasons Hotel due to cancellations, A Room With A View will notify attendees and help transfer attendees back to The Four Seasons Hotel in the order in which they were booked.
A Room With A View can be reached at 1-800-780-4343
Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Baltimore
Baltimore is buzzing. Investments are being made to the Inner Harbor, downtown, and surrounding neighborhoods. An impressive schedule of special events and conventions is attracting visitors year-round. As the city’s official DMO, Visit Baltimore has invested in sales and marketing initiatives to leverage the changes that are taking place and increase the city’s competitive position. Come learn about these initiatives and allow the spirit of Baltimore’s revitalization to stimulate your company’s innovation and transformation!
SARAH HEDGES, CFP, CLU, ChFC, Life Sales National Program Manager, MassMutual Moderator: MAT NELSON, Marketing Consultant, MassMutual
“One size fits all” doesn’t apply to marketing. Understanding your sales process and connecting with distribution will help you tailor your message to suit the effective sales practices of your organization. Learn how to create content that interests your client/ prospect and engages the field. Hear how concierge service and a go-to-market plan take a marketing piece from plan to concept to launch — and result in a successful program.
JESSICA REITER, Senior Vice President, Neuroscience & Emotion, Ipsos Moderator: DEBBIE SIMMONS, Assistant Director, The Hartford Financial Services Group
Looking to enhance your current approaches with a new perspective on the emotional whys behind consumer behavior? This session will provide a guide to navigating the exciting and innovative area of neuroscience-based consumer research.
Learn how to choose the right neuro tool for your research objective.
Through case studies and practical examples, gain insight into how companies are applying these techniques to better understand the drivers behind consumer behavior and to inform business decisions.
LANCE POOLE, Founder, d. behavior ALISHA REED, FLMI, Vice President, Marketing Strategy, Protective Life Insurance Company Moderator: TERI SCHULTZ, Vice President, Marketing, Protective Life Insurance Company
Want to utilize Design Thinking principles in your job but worried you don’t have the time or support to do so? Applying Design Thinking theory in your marketing and research activities can be simpler than it seems. You don’t have to rework your entire department structure or totally transform your processes to do so. Come learn some quick and simple ways to start applying the steps of empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing in your work today.
KATE McCOWN, Second Vice President, Group Compliance, Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. TRACIE FOSTER, Director, Product Management/Business Development, Anthem Life Insurance Company Moderator: NATALIE BARENTHIN, Senior Marketing Research Analyst, Anthem Life Insurance Company
Are you seeing an impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on your benefit plans? We want to help answer your questions and show you market trends in ancillary products. We will have a Q&A session where you can ask two experts your questions, and we will touch on three important impacts of ACA on benefits: 1) ACA impact to small group ancillary purchasing, 2) growth of voluntary sales (pros/cons), and 3) private exchanges (pros/cons).
RICHARD A. FUNKE, LLIF, Assistant Vice President, Assessment and Development Solutions, LIMRA JOHN R. WILSON, FLMI, AIRC, ACS, Data Scientist, LIMRA Moderator: RITA LEPORE, Senior Client Analytics Specialist, Great-West Life, London Life & Canada Life
Come discover two approaches to applying predictive analytics in
the financial services industry:
Learn how LIMRA and the University of Connecticut created a
process to collaborate on predictive modeling and forecasting
projects. Walk away with a roadmap for how to approach an
academic institution, expectations, obstacles, and the benefits
of partnering. In addition, be introduced to a project just
completed by UConn students in partnership with LIMRA.
Hear how LIMRA has been using predictive analytics for over
75 years to make predictions regarding the success potential of
candidates for financial services sales positions. We will outline
the process involved in developing our predictive assessments
and the impact they have had on the industry.
ANGELA MEEHAN, CLU, ChFC, RFC, Vice President, Variable Product Marketing, Ohio National Financial Services Moderator: MAT NELSON, Marketing Consultant, MassMutual
This session picks up where “Connect and Transform your Content Marketing” left off. Now that you can create the best content ever, how do you effectively communicate it to those who sell your products? Learn several tips to help you package your content assets and reach your distributors.
JEFF FROMME, President, FutureCast GREG VODICKA, Millennial Consultant, FutureCast Co-Moderators: LEANNE DRIVES, FLMI, ACS, Senior Market Research Project Manager, Northwestern Mutual MARTIE ZOOR, Senior Analyst, Group Benefits and Consumer Insights, Lincoln Financial Group
Do you want to reach the most influential American generation?
Then it’s time to get into the heads of Millennials. With 80 million
in their ranks, Millennials (aka Generation Y) are unlike other
generations. Coauthor of a best-selling new book, Marketing to
Millennials: Reach the Largest and Most Influential Generation of
Consumers Ever, Jeff Fromm, President of FutureCast, and his
colleague Greg Vodicka, share new research and best practices in
creating engagement with Millennials.
FutureCast will cover:
Major millennial trends and strategies that win with this
audience
Brands that are winning and losing and why
Best practices you can apply to your business
When you leave, you will have leading ways to connect with
Millennials.
For the leaders of today and tomorrow. What are the “art and science” skills required for team members in today’s world? What are the strategic and tactical skills and training critical for developing your highly successful marketing team for tomorrow? And, as a leader, how will you facilitate this critical growth and development? How can you effectively convey the value of marketing to your stakeholders? Come and find the answers to these questions and more.
Voya Financial’s CMO, Ann Glover, has much to talk about. The company recently completed an enterprise-wide rebranding effort, debuted a new, national advertising campaign, and launched the Voya Born to Save™ program to build consumer awareness of the Voya name. Glover will kick off this year’s Marketing & Research Conference discussing Voya’s “Big Ideas” of 2014, the due diligence, planning and research behind these initiatives, and how the company plans to continue its momentum in 2015.
Chief Marketing Officer, National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is among the gold standards in the world of professional sports. As its CMO, Pam El knows how research and planning can be used effectively to position this global brand in today’s competitive sports environment. Pam has over 30 years of marketing experience, many of them in financial services, and in her talk she will discuss the strategies she’s developed for successful outcomes. Listen to how her marketing expertise can apply to our industry and help you connect to today’s consumers.
CORI SCHMID, Social Media & Online Marketing
Manager, Mutual of Omaha KYLE MARIE WOODS,
Marketing Manager, Advisor Marketing, Thrivent Financial Moderator: ANN FREEMAN, Director of Marketing, Allstate
Insurance Company
Help your agents connect in innovative ways to transform customer engagement. This session will focus on creating effective content for agent use in social media. Hear two unique perspectives on how to make content development more fun and less painful, including best practices, overcoming issues within your organization, and real-life examples of effective social campaigns.
PHIL BROWN, Senior Product Manager, LIMRA TODD SILVERHART, Ph.D., Director, Insurance Research, LIMRA Moderator: CAROLINE BEHUNIAK, Research Director,
Voya Financial
Customer Experience Measurement continues to be a strategic focal point for the financial services industry. However, limitations in applying existing measures to the life insurance industry are leading many to ask for new approaches. In this session, you will hear not only about the limitations of frequently-used metrics, but more importantly about LIMRA’s approach to measuring the Customer Experience in the life insurance industry.
NILUFER AHMED, Ph.D., Senior Research Director, Insurance
Research – Markets, LIMRA BRYAN DAVIS, CFP, CLU, ChFC,
Advanced Sales Consultant, The Guardian Life Insurance
Company of America RICHARD M. WEBER, CLU, AEP®,
President and CEO, The Ethical Edge, Inc. Moderator:SHAWN C. SMITH, Director, Life Insurance Product
Marketing, The Guardian Life Insurance Company
of America
Fast forward 10 years into the future — you’re the new CMO of ABC Insurance Company. How will you transform the way you engage Gens X, Y, and Z to drive your company’s sales growth? What are the sales concepts producers will utilize that resonate with these consumers, and how will they need to switch from “teacher to triage nurse” while watching many other carriers go direct? Forget the Boomers — how can we all help launch their children and grandchildren into financial well-being?
The Internet holds a wealth of information — more and more each day — but it’s not always easy to find the right information. If done correctly, searching can be effective, but often we are left sifting through piles of results, wondering if sources are reputable and feeling overwhelmed. This workshop will examine how to make the most of your Internet searches, review results effectively, and create valuable end deliverables.
PETER BROWN, CLU, AVP, Digital Marketing, Western &
Southern Life SARA ENRIGHT, Vice President, Marketing
Management, Prudential Moderator: AZIZA ALEXANDER,
Director, Industry & Competitive Intelligence, Prudential
Understanding how to positively transform your customer’s journey
involves many moving parts. Customers have different needs,
preferences, and behaviors, and it is critical that we understand
how they make decisions and interact with us. In this session,
we will:
Identify best practices for defining customer segments
Review the channels and approaches insurers take to impact
customer experience, including digital
Explore challenges insurers face when attempting to transform
customer experience
DANA LYNCH, Director of Digital Marketing, OneAmerica
Companies KYLE MARIE WOODS, Marketing Manager –
Advisor Marketing, Thrivent Financial Moderator:STEVE WENDORF, Director of Marketing, Catholic United
Financial
Attend this session to learn how to use key social media metrics to enhance and direct your communications to your targeted audiences. You will walk away with ideas to help you determine which metrics may be most beneficial to your company, how to measure success with social media, and how to make adjustments based on the metrics.
DAN HILL, President, Sensory Logic JOSH KAMOWITZ,
Associate Vice President of Business Development,
BrainJuicer Co-Moderators: KENIA COLLINS, Director,
Research Solutions and Management, MetLife TALI YARMUSH, Sr. Research Analyst, Market & Customer
Insights, Guardian
Do you find yourself using the same methodologies time and
time again? Discover innovative methodologies — Gamification
and Facial Coding — and their practical application.
Explore these nontraditional research techniques infrequently
used within the insurance space; and
Learn about the potential for different insights gained from
utilizing these uncommon methodologies.
STEPHANIE ROY, Sr. Industry Analyst, Mintel
Comperemedia Moderator: MICHAEL GRECO, Research
Director, Gerber Life Insurance Company
Did you know that 14 percent of Millennials like getting text messages from brands? Or that when asked about factors that impact a child’s well being, Gen X and Baby Boomer moms are more likely to list finances as a concern than younger moms? Join Mintel Comperemedia as we explore how brands are communicating with consumers at different stages of life, how attitudes differ between consumer groups, and how companies market to them.
KATIE BARTLING, Manager, Marketing Communications,
Midland National Life PAM ELHOFF, Second Vice President,
Sales Development, Midland National Life Moderator:BRAD ROSENBLATT, Vice President, Sales and Marketing,
Sammons Financial Group/Midland National Life
Now that you have a CRM and marketing platform in place,
how will you generate an ROI? In this session, you will receive
invaluable insight from managers who recently implemented a
successful marketing platform. You will walk away with:
Insight from marketing and sales managers regarding platform
selection, implementation, and utilization
The keys to generating ROI from a marketing platform
Handouts include suggested performance measures and a
“must-do items” checklist
JENNIFER DOUGLAS, Associate Research Director, LIMRA KIMBERLY LANDRY, Analyst, LIMRA Moderator: SARAH EHLINGER, Research Manager, Principal Financial
Is the motivation to shop for life insurance the result of careful
deliberation of the pros and cons and a rational consideration
of risk? The field of behavioral economics suggests otherwise.
Instead, like most human behavior, consumer receptivity to
life insurance is likely driven by quick, automatic responses.
Come hear the results of new research in which LIMRA turned
to the subconscious for some answers:
How do consumers really feel about life insurance ownership?
What emotional benefits do people want from life insurance?
What type of messaging might increase their likelihood to
purchase the product?
CINDI EMERICK, Webmaster, The Baltimore Life Companies BEN PRITCHARD, Interactive Technology Director, Garrison
Hughes ERIC SONDERGELD, ASA, CFA, MAAA, Corporate
Vice President, Distribution & Technology Research, LIMRA Moderator: SARAH HAMILL, CLU, ChFC, MSFS, CASL,
Marketing Director, Nationwide
How are companies designing websites with today’s consumer in mind? How do they leverage social media to drive traffic to their public site? Learn the top trends to drive consumers to your website. We will review design elements and content of leading companies.
JOSEPH HOPPER, Ph.D., President, Versta Research KRISTI WICK, Digital Media Coordinator, America’s Health
Insurance Plans Moderator: JESSICA KANE, Market
Research Manager, Unum
Infographics are a great way to make data digestible for audiences by simplifying the story. Despite their simplicity, creating successful infographics is far from a simple task. This session will cover all aspects of infographics, including case studies (what works, what doesn’t), how to build them (tools and techniques), and best (and worst!) practices for using infographics to tell your story and connect the dots for your audience.
Most professionals are very good at what they do, but struggle to explain what they do — especially through PowerPoint communications. Mary’s mission is to rid the business world of buzzword-filled presentations and aimless meetings. She will show you a time-saving method to transform your talks into communication that will advance your ideas, engage your audience, keep your bosses’ attention, and build your personal brand.
What better way to network with your fellow conference attendees than to dine at a local restaurant without the bother of making the reservations? LIMRA will manage the reservations for small groups. Restaurant sign-up sheets will be posted near the conference registration area.
BETH FISH, Agent, American National; Additional Speakers
TBA Moderator: SCOTT CAMPBELL, Senior Vice President,
Chief Marketing Officer – Multiple Line, American National
Our agent panel talks about how they’re making social media a core part of their marketing activities — making connections, building awareness, and finding sales opportunities. You’ll hear what works, what doesn’t, and what producers need from you to make it all happen.
JULIE BROWN, President, The Center for Strategy Research,
Inc. KENIA COLLINS, Director, Market Intelligence, MetLife Moderator: AUDREY CLAIR-GENTRY, Sr. Market Research
Analyst, Western & Southern Financial Group
Over the years, many have studied the military strategies employed
by the Union and Confederate armies in the days leading up to,
during, and following Gettysburg. What can marketers and market
researchers learn from this storied event? We will explore such
lessons as:
What is strategy, and how can a better understanding of
strategy lead to more-insightful research results?
How can military strategies be applied to the battle for the
hearts and minds of customers?
This session will offer a compassionate-yet-frank discussion
around the widening gap between consumer perceptions
and the industry’s intentions, and how the roles of marketing
and research are critical in transforming the way we think
about closing it. As a former insurance marketing executive,
turned innovator, Maria will discuss how the consumer
demand for a great experience drives the need for better
insight, innovative solutions, and new measurements.
This includes:
The role of authenticity
Maintaining true differentiation
Recasting your relationship with legal and compliance
Reimagining your marketing dashboard
A relevant case study
For those in marketing roles, this session is intended to
inspire a redefinition of purpose and impact.
For those in
research roles, this session will help you design new metrics
that unify teams around what’s most important.
Senior Vice President and Director of Research, LIMRA, LOMA and LL Global
Marketing and research are critical to long-term growth and success. And both of these areas are transforming due to changing consumer needs and evolving technology. Come to this session to understand how insights from other disciplines like journalism, politics, and even neuroscience — a multidisciplinary field comprising subjects as diverse as biology, psychology, medicine, physics, and linguistics — can help improve marketing and research strategies in our industry.
Chief Marketing Officer, National Basketball Association
Pamela El is responsible for the NBA’s global marketing operation, directing brand development, overall marketing, and advertising for the NBA, WNBA, and NBA Development League. With more than 30 years of experience, El is widely recognized as an industry leader for her expertise in brand management, marketing strategy, creative development, and media and sponsorships. Prior to joining the NBA in 2014, El served as Senior Vice President of Financial Brand Marketing for Nationwide Insurance. Earlier, El spent over a decade with State Farm Insurance, where she led sales and marketing strategy for the U.S. and Canada. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Virginia Commonwealth University. She lives in New York City with her husband.
After more than 20 years as an executive in the insurance and financial services industry, Maria Ferrante-Schepis joined Maddock Douglas in 2010 to focus on the opportunities for innovation in those industries. Her mission is to enable like-minded executives to proactively shape their own change, versus having it shaped for them. Ferrante-Schepis has helped clients in all the major lines of insurance, retirement and investments address challenges relative to category disruption. She co-authored the book, Flirting with the Uninterested; Innovating in a ‘Sold Not Bought’ Category, and, in 2015, was named one of the 20 most creative people in insurance by The National Underwriter magazine.
Ann Glover is the chief marketing officer for Voya Financial. In addition to leading the company’s rebranding effort, she oversees all corporate strategic marketing activities, including brand development, advertising, digital and social strategy, sponsorships, market research, data analytics and consumer insights, and business marketing. Glover joined the company in 2008 after seven years with The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., where she served as the company’s group senior vice president of corporate relations and chief marketing officer. Prior to The Hartford, Glover spent 13 years in key marketing leadership roles for PepsiCo Inc. Glover holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from St. Michael's College in Vermont and an MBA from Northeastern University in Boston.
President and Founding Partner, The Klapper Institute
Brian Klapper is an expert in operational and cultural transformation, as well as a speaker and writer. He has worked with international companies in a variety of sectors, including financial services, consumer products, and health care. While Klapper’s experience spans all elements of the value chain, as well as all customer touch points, he focuses primarily on helping his clients create a culture of execution excellence. His book, The Q-Loop: The Art and Science of Lasting Corporate Change, was nominated for the Financial Times/Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year.
Mary Milla’s mission in life is to rid the business world of dull, lengthy, buzzword-filled presentations. She teaches clients how to translate their expertise into material that’s engaging, understandable and persuasive. Milla’s 20-year career in public relations, state government and TV news taught her that good stories and information often get lost in a lot of muck. Her method is easy and practical, designed to help busy professionals quickly prepare presentations and get back to their real jobs.
Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Baltimore
Sam has been in the travel and tourism industry for more than 35 years, and has worked for Visit Baltimore since 2007. In his position, he develops and implements marketing campaigns to attract visitors and conventions to the city. Previously, he served in executive roles in tourism bureaus in Pennsylvania and in Virginia, as well as in an advertising and public relations agency in Philadelphia. Sam has gotten several awards for domestic and international travel marketing, and graduated from Colgate University cum laude.
Senior Vice President and Director of Research, LIMRA, LOMA and LL Global
Alison Salka joined LL Global in 2012 and is responsible for determining and implementing the strategy and direction of its global research program. She oversees a team of more than 80 researchers and other staff professionals in the research division who conduct consumer research, benchmark studies, and white papers focused on helping member companies better understand industry issues and trends. She is also the director of the Secure Retirement Institute. Salka previously led the retirement research and competitive intelligence team at Prudential, and was also a director of retirement research and business analytics at MassMutual. She has earned a Master’s degree and holds a doctorate.
Connect With Key Prospects This conference is your opportunity
to meet financial services marketing, marketing research, public
relations, advertising, communications, sales support, and
marketing services executives and professionals in one
location.
Sponsorship
Opportunities We can help you reach out to your
target market in many ways, such as:
Multiple conference registrations, which include full access to
attendees at breaks and meals
Sponsorship of an evening reception, luncheon, or refreshment
break
Special recognition in the registration brochure, onsite
conference program, onsite signs, and general session walk-in
slides
Acknowledgement from the podium
Your company's marketing piece in attendee packets
One-time usage of the attendee mailing list before or after the
conference
Specialty conference merchandise that will deliver your company
name to all attendees