Executives responsible for sales/distribution, marketing, product development/management and strategy of Group Benefits.
Highlights
This 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.
Scott is a founding partner in Kearns Edgewater Financial Services Inc. (KEFSI) a “bespoke” insurance marketing firm in downtown Toronto specializing in employee and executive benefits and sophisticated planning for successful Canadians. The firm operates across Canada. From 2008 – 2014 Scott was President of Edgewater Financial Group Inc., now part of KEFSI. Scott is a Director of One Posting Canada; founded in Dublin, One Posting is a fast growing, innovative cloud based invoicing company expanding throughout North America with offices in Toronto. Until 2008, Scott was Vice President of Living Benefits at a major national insurance wholesaling organization. Scott has held a variety of senior positions in insurance marketing and product development and sales. Past roles include leading Crown Life’s North American Disability Insurance Division and prior to that as an actuarial student at the Paul Revere Life Insurance Company.
Greg is an experienced senior leader with more than a
decade's experience in global brand strategy, global innovation design &
delivery, go to market execution, and business model innovation on billion
dollar brands. His work has been recognized by Procter & Gamble, the United
Way, and at the Cannes Advertising festival. Greg has worked in Canada and the
U.S. in the consumer packaged goods and banking sectors, including several year’s
leading the global innovation capability for Gillette. He recently was the
Director of Corporate Engagement with the MaRS Discovery District, the world’s
largest urban innovation hub. At present Greg has joined Amazon to help
scale their fast growing media business and bring innovative new solutions to
life. He presents regularly to corporate executives and innovation
practitioners. A sample of his work is available at https://medium.com/@gregdubejsky
After a 13+ year career at Mercer Human Resource Consulting, where she achieved the role of Principal, Sally Hagan joined NFP Canada in 2016 as a Senior Account Executive. In March 2017 Sally took on the role of Regional Director, Group Benefits where she currently leads regional sales and marketing initiatives, mergers and acquisitions and manages mid-to-large client consulting cases. Client-specific solutions are Sally’s strength, along with her unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional service and quality products. For these reasons, the loyalty of Sally’s clients is unparalleled in the group benefits industry. Sally is an employee group benefits maven with a long-established and consistent record of success in delivering superior, leading-edge plan management solutions for public and private employers of all sizes. She possesses extensive knowledge on market trends, Canadian legislation, and the economic influences that impact employee benefits administration and drug plan management. Sally works closely with organizations looking to harmonize their benefit program across acquired companies to help her clients deliver a “one global plan” total rewards package while respecting regional differences. Sally is passionate about keeping her benefits knowledge up-to-date to maintain her thought-leadership role at NFP Canada.
Vice President, Group Distribution, Empire Life Insurance Company
Jaime joined Empire Life in April 2008 — he has 3 decades of Group Sales and Sales Management experience. Jaime has previously worked in the Investment Management and Consulting industries, bringing a diverse business background to his current role. As Vice President of Group Distribution, Jaime has responsibility for creating and executing Empire Life’s group distribution strategy and for revenue growth. He is a member of the Group Senior Management team as well as a member of Empire Life’s Strategic Leadership Team. Jaime is a graduate of Concordia University where he received his Bachelor of Commerce in 1980. He is also a graduate of the University of Toronto, where he received his Executive MBA in 1997. He is a board member of the Counselling Foundation of Canada and also the LIMRA’s group marketing committee.
Executive Vice President, Group Customer, The Great-West Life Assurance Company
Jeff joined Great-West Life as a Group Sales Representative and worked his way through a variety of increasingly senior positions which include Senior Vice-President, General Sales Division, Senior Vice-President, Wealth & Estate Planning Group and Quadrus Investments and Senior Vice-President of Group Sales and Marketing. In 2015, he was appointed Executive Vice-President, Group; in 2016, Jeff was appointed Executive Vice-President, Group Customer. His industry awards include, Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal; Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award; William Bowman Award recognizing his leadership with the YMCA of Western Ontario and St. Joe’s Hospital Leaders and Volunteer Award.
For the last 17 years, Pascale has worked on both the carrier and the brokerage side of the employee benefit business. Pascale started her career working for a major carrier in 1999 specializing in small group insurance. Over the course of the next 10 years, Pascale had the pleasure of working for several organizations in different roles learning the employee benefit business with companies of all sizes. From travelling the county launching the first on-line quoting and enrolment tool in 2001 to working with large union and not for profit clients Pascale found a passion for benefits and how they can affect and drive change in organizations. Always knowing she would venture off to work on the brokerage side of the business, in 2010 Pascale started her journey by launching Mapleston Benefit Consulting. Five years later the merge of this corporation with her long time mentor Tim Spark formed Align Benefits. Most recently, in addition to being a partner in a successful brokerage in the Toronto market, Pascale is also a partner in Workplace Evolution, sister company to Payment Evolution, as She and Tim work towards merging technology with the existing benefits world in the Canadian marketplace.
Vice-President Product & Integrated Health Solutions, Group Benefits, Sun Life Financial
Marilee joined Sun Life in 2013, bringing over 25 years of experience in health care, consulting and the Group Insurance industry including disability management, marketing, product and business development. In her current role she is accountable for the development and execution of Sun Life Financial’s Group Benefit Product strategy and Integrated Health Solutions business. She has been extensively involved in the industry and sits on a number of external Community and Industry advisory boards, including Benefits Canada and the Sanofi Canada Healthcare Survey.
Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Johnston Group, Inc.
Keri Sheppard has been a member of the Johnston Group team since 2009. He is Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the Johnston Group. Based out of our head office in Winnipeg, he also acts as Business Development Director for the province of Manitoba. Prior to joining Johnston Group, Keri worked as a pharmaceutical sales account representative for Proctor and Gamble in Manitoba. This was a big shift from his previous employment as a Canadian Alpine Women’s Ski Team coach from 1999-2006. Before he joined Team Canada’s coaching staff, Keri coached ski racing programs in Ontario, Manitoba, and B.C., as well as Australia. Keri studied at University of Guelph where he received a BA for political science and philosophy in 1993. Keri makes his home in Oakbank, MB, where he’s active in a number of community development organizations.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Empire Life
Mark Sylvia joined Empire Life as President and Chief Executive Officer in June 2014. He is also Chair of the Board of Directors for Empire Life Investments. Mark has more than 40 years of experience in the financial services industry with 25 of those years in a CEO capacity. Prior to joining Empire Life Mark was the President of EGI Financial and the CEO of Echelon General Insurance Company and prior to that the President & CEO of Hartford Life. He is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers and the Society for Risk Analysis. Mark has served as a director of the CLHIA, Assuris, and was Vice Chair of the Industry Committee supervising the wind up of Confederation Life.
Assistant Vice President, Market Development, Great-West Life
Ryan has been with Great-West Life for the past 12 years in positions that span claims, operations and sales areas. Working within the Group Customer Experience & Marketing team, he currently has responsibility for the benefits and pension product portfolio across Great-West Life’s block of business. This includes new product development, servicing and specialist support, and strategic relationship development in the delivery of new products.
Associate Partner, Cognitive & Analytics, IBM Global Business Service
Paul is an Associate Partner within IBM's Cognitive & AI practice responsible for the Insurance sector in Canada. Paul has spent 10+ years across technology and management consulting covering multiple industries and domain areas. Paul’s experience covers many aspects of digital transformation, data, machine learning, automation and industry based cognitive solutions. He combines the best of data science, analytics, management consulting and cognitive capabilities to drive strong value propositions for the Canadian Insurance Industry. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulwellman/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_wellman
Moderator: JULIE GAUDRY, Director, Group Life & Health, RBC Life Insurance Company
Paul Wellman
Associate Partner, Cognitive & Analytics, IBM Global Business Service
Cognitive computing refers to next-generation information systems designed to accelerate, enhance and leverage human expertise. These systems can learn at scale, reason with purpose, and interact with humans naturally. The session will challenge attendees to explore the potential of cognitive and AI computing, demonstrate the art of the possible and understand what others are doing today across the industry. Benefits of attending include:
Learn the fundamentals of Cognitive and AI technologies and how these capabilities are being used across the
insurance industry
Hear a number of use cases across the insurance value chain including: marketing, sales, underwriting, claims, investments, operations and legal
Explore how this intelligence can remake business processes (improve efficiencies and bottom-line) and elevate the client experience by better understanding
their needs.
JULIE SERA, MSM, Clinical Operations Manager, Best Doctors; PAUL WELLMAN, Associate partner, Cognitive & Analytics, IBM Global Business Service; ANTHONY ANTONELLO, Global Vice President, Customer Innovation & Enterprise Platform, SAP Software Solutions; Moderator:JUDY BACSU, FLMI, Director National Sales, Group Insurance, Co-operators Life Insurance Company
You’ve heard all about Cognitive Computing and the use of AI,
but does it seem more like a far off possibility than something concrete that you can implement to drive results? Attendees will hear from three (3) different organizations about how they are putting innovation into action in the areas of:
Sales/marketing — knowing how to make the “next best offer”
Advice and recommendations — automating and accelerating your advice capabilities
Personalized and targeted recommendations and programs to encourage plan members to improve their health
CHARLES DÉRAGON, Senior Consultant – Audits, Best Practices and Innovation, Desjardins Insurance; SHEILA KARRAS, Manager, Claims Investigations, Empire Life; Moderator: ISABELLE BOUCHARD, VP, Group Reinsurance, RGA Life Reinsurance Company of Canada
Beginning with definitions of fraud and abuse, and providing case studies and statistics, our speakers will set the stage for their discussion about best practices in the investigation, detection and prevention of fraudulent claim activity and ways in which predictive analysis can help identify suspicious claiming patterns. Session will conclude by highlighting some current trends that insurance carriers are uncovering with fraud and what might be coming next in this ever-changing field.
Executive Vice President, Group Customer, The Great-West Life Assurance Company
Marilee Mark
Vice-President Product & Integrated Health Solutions, Group Benefits, Sun Life Financial
Mark Sylvia
President and Chief Executive Officer, Empire Life
Ryan Weiss
Assistant Vice President, Market Development, Great-West Life
Group Insurance Executives share their insights on the main challenges, obstacles, and opportunities in the Canadian group insurance market. Attend this session to learn about what’s top of mind for these leaders and what they see as the most pressing areas of focus for the industry.
All registered conference attendees are invited to attend reception, brewery tour and dinner. Come and continue the networking with your peers and enjoy a fun evening of beer tasting and dinner.
Amsterdam Brew House — Located on the lake and across
the street from the Radisson Admiral!
Moderator: PAUL OVCACIK, Director, Digital Solutions, Sun Life Financial
Greg Dubejsky
Program Manager, Advertising, Amazon
Marc Andreessen famously noted that Software was Eating the World. Half a decade later, we are seeing new business models emerge, powered by advances in technology , that are systematically unbundling traditionally capital intensive industries such as banking, insurance, automotive and hospitality. And the majority of this change is being driven by startups. Can corporations create the same outcomes as startups? This talk will explore and explain the mindsets, tools and methodologies that startups utilize, and highlight the stark contrasts between startups and corporates. Via a case study on new approaches corporates can take to ideation, validation, and product launches, participants will walk away with best practices for interacting with startups and a framework for how to approach learning in these times of extreme change.
TIM CLARKE, tc HEALTH CONSULTING; Moderator: BOB MONGIA, Vice President, Canada, Allstate Benefits
We’ve seen it happen in many other industries — disruptors who take a completely different view of how a business could/should be run, and utilize technology to radically change the industry in a short period of time. Companies like Airbnb and Uber immediately come to mind. But what about the group insurance business in Canada? Who are these companies that are promising or threatening to disrupt the group insurance business? What kinds of new solutions and approaches are they offering? Are they a threat to existing providers, or simply additional services that providers and employers will bolt onto their existing solutions? Should traditional insurers and providers of group benefits services be excited about the potential, or scared that their niche in the market is about to disappear? We will explore all these topics and more.
NED POJSKIC, HonBsc, MSc, PhD, Pharmacy Strategy Leader, Green Shield Canada; MATTHEW GAUDRY, Manager, Group Marketing, Great-West Life Assurance Company; KIM MACFARLANE, AVP, Group Benefits Product, Manulife; Moderator: MARTIN CHUNG, Assistant Vice President – Strategic Health Management, Equitable Life of Canada
Drug plan inflation and disease trends are driving a departure from traditional approaches to private drug plans. This session will focus on a practical discussion on what’s changing and the driving forces underpinning the carrier “push strategy” to assist our clients to better balance the benefit and risk associated with drug plans.
Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Johnston Group, Inc.
Jaime Hugessen
Vice President, Group Distribution, Empire Life Insurance Company
Join us for a discussion with our panel of group insurance advisors. Gain perspectives on the business issues facing
our distribution partners and learn how you can align more effectively with group insurance advisors. Key topics of discussions will address:
Advisors’ primary responsibilities today and has this changed over time? Will the role as an advisor further evolve over time?
Biggest challenges faced by an advisor/firm and how are these challenges being dealt with? What future challenges should an advisor anticipate for?
What services and support are provided by carriers to their distribution partners? Are there areas for improvement?
12:00 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
Registration
Early Registration (register by September 11)
LIMRA member - $550 U.S. plus applicable Canadian taxes
LOMA member - $650 U.S. plus applicable Canadian taxes
Non-Member - $750 U.S. plus applicable Canadian taxes
Regular Registration (register AFTER September 11)
LIMRA member - $675 U.S. plus applicable Canadian taxes
LOMA member - $775 U.S. plus applicable Canadian taxes
Non-Member - $875 U.S. plus applicable Canadian taxes
Hotel / Venue
Radisson Admiral Hotel – Toronto Harbourfront 249 Queens Quay West Toronto ON M5J 2N5 Canada
Reservations by Phone: +1 (800) 967-9033 (US/Canada Toll-free)
Make your room reservation by September 11, 2017 in order to receive the group rate of $199 single/double (plus applicable sales taxes). Requests afterSeptember 11, 2017 will be accepted on the basis of rate and space availability.
Extend your stay? The group guest room 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. You may need to call the hotel directly to book the extra nights.
As a reminder, the hotel rates may increase after the cut-off date or when the meeting room block sells out, whichever comes first. Make your reservations early to be able to receive our discounted rates.
