2022 Distribution Conference for Financial Services
The Shape of Things to Come
3/1/2022 - 3/3/2022
InterContinental Miami, Miami, FL
Overview
Who Attends
Distribution professionals involved in channel growth, productivity, and reshaping distribution for success. Attendees include heads of distribution, sales, recruiting, compensation, distribution finance, training, marketing support, and product development. Enjoy the freedom to attend any of the breakout sessions across these key distribution channels ― agency building, brokerage, independent, multi-line, and direct-to-consumer.
Highlights
Do you recognize the forces shaping insurance distribution?
Our traditional understanding of individual channels is changing, and hybrid, which really means “all of the above,” is the way forward. If our industry is to remain relevant, we need to combine a digital playbook with our decades of experience delivering financial security.
And what will recruitment look like after COVID? The pandemic has transformed recruiting. Permanently. There is more automation and reinvention in the recruiting processes ― particularly when it comes to interviews, assessments and candidate experience.
Another force to consider ― DE&I. As an industry, how do we develop a unified definition and understanding of diversity, belonging, and inclusion and a consensus on what meaningful action looks like?
And, just as COVID has forced insurers to adopt remote and digital ways of working, so it is undoubtedly set to drive a wider acceleration of technology adoption across the industry.
So what is the right strategy? If companies believe their roadmaps are directionally correct, it’s time to invest in the future ― in the digital capabilities, talent and other strategic resources needed for long-term success. Companies that invest now in their capabilities and strengthen the bond with their customers have the potential to emerge from the crisis ahead of their competitors.
This year’s conference will address how you can manage the transition in our industry and better prepare for the shape of things to come. Don’t miss this premier event for distribution professionals.
Chief Marketing Officer, Individual Life Insurance, Prudential
Michele Frey leads the Marketing area for Prudential’s Individual Life Insurance Group. In this role, she has responsibility for developing and deploying omnichannel marketing strategies that inspire advisors and consumers to consider Prudential as their provider of choice. Her team leverages marketing technology and insights to deliver compelling, engaging campaigns that address specific needs and delight target customers. As a leader, Michele has a passion for nurturing talent. In April 2019, she was acknowledged by her peers in the Women Unlimited LEAD program for giving feedback and challenging others in the program to grow in their own leadership journeys. With more than 18 years’ experience at Prudential, Michele has worked in their Retirement, Individual Life Insurance and Annuities divisions. Her responsibilities have spanned a variety of leadership roles in Business Strategy, Marketing, Market Research and Client Relationship Management.
Recognized as the #1 executive coach in the world by Leading Global Coaches, Peter Bregman coaches CEOs and senior leaders in many of the world’s premier organizations. Having started his career teaching leadership on wilderness and mountaineering expeditions, Peter is CEO of Bregman Partners, an executive coaching company that helps helps successful people become better leaders, create more effective teams, and inspire collective action on their organization’s most important work. Peter is ranked as a Top 30 thought leader by Thinkers 50 Radar and selected as one of the Top 8 thought leaders in leadership. He is the award-winning, bestselling author and contributor of 21 books, including most recently, You CAN Change Other People, and a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review and host of the widely acclaimed Bregman Leadership Podcast.
Steve Welker started a career in property and casualty insurance in 1977. He was soon after involved in a freak automobile accident where he lost his vision and the trajectory of his life completely changed. As Steve’s recovery progressed, he decided to try continuing his insurance career. His employer was supportive and Steve’s career blossomed once again. Soon, prompted by his parents’ lifelong entrepreneurial examples, he found himself opening his own independent insurance agency, which he ran until 2004, selling it in order to give himself more time to devote to his new interests — motivational speaking, resiliency training, and writing. In the years since he lost his sight, Steve has become active at the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ACBVI). He serves on the agency’s Board of Directors and is the author of various motivational books focused on the power of resiliency.
Former Director, Global Diversity & Inclusion, Starbucks
Boldly challenging the status quo and decades of diversity and inclusion practices, Dr. Tony Byers is transforming D&I from “the right thing to do” to the business imperative of our time. Learn from the success stories of companies that have evolved beyond “doing diversity well” to leveraging inclusion as a powerful business advantage. These inclusive cultures are increasing employee creativity and productivity, developing new products and product categories, and far outpacing their peers in innovation, marketplace growth, and business performance. Dr. Byers shows you how to build an inclusive culture through a breakthrough behavioral approach that overcomes biases and creates buy-in. You’ll also learn how to set in motion a multiplier effect of inclusion that more than doubles employee productivity while positively impacting every aspect of your organization.
The author of The Multiplier Effect of Inclusion: How Diversity & Inclusion Advances Innovation and Drives Growth, Dr. Byers is best known for leading and revitalizing Starbucks’ highly respected and successful D&I function and programming. As Global Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Dr. Byers developed and lead the company’s strategic direction to drive engagement, innovation, and business growth. Prior to Starbucks, his impressive track record in large matrix multinational organizations included Cargill and H.J. Heinz.
Ugur Hamaloglu is the Financial Services Technology Solution Delivery leader for EY. He is responsible for the day-to-day oversight and setting the strategic direction of a global tech workforce. Under his leadership, EY ran technology led business transformations at wirehouses, retail brokerages, asset managers and insurance firms focused on digitization of distribution solutions. He has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Before his current role, he was responsible for the EY’s advisory platforms. During the first four years of his career he worked as a financial advisor and an individual tax specialist for high net worth clients. Ugur, born in Turkey, graduated from Istanbul Technical University with a Mechanical Engineering degree. He then received his MBA in Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He later became an Adjunct Professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University where he taught corporate finance classes.
Senior Vice President and Director of Member Benefits Research, LIMRA and LOMA
Alison Salka joined LIMRA in 2012 and is responsible for driving the strategy and direction of its global research program. She oversees a team of more than 85 professionals in LIMRA’s Member Benefits and Research division who conduct benchmark studies, discovery research, and thought leadership designed to help companies better understand industry issues and trends. 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 a Master’s degree from the College of William and Mary and Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University.
Diversifying the life insurance distribution force is a shared challenge for our industry. An organization’s ability to put their best foot forward in recruiting, selection, and onboarding sets the stage for the longevity and productivity of new hires. This session will provide an opportunity to discuss various strategies for meeting your diversity objectives, practices that attract candidates to engage in employment conversations and then follow through by joining and staying with your organization. Join the discussion for actionable ideas to implement or expand inclusive practices that drive results.
Long-established corporate cultures in field and home offices have undeniably been impacted by COVID-19. As companies navigate remote and hybrid work environments, what tactics will be common in successful cultures? What are the financial (and non-financial) costs and benefits of implementing those approaches? Join your peers to discuss how culture has changed — for better and for worse — and how a winning culture can be nurtured and sustained in a changing corporate landscape.
Chief Marketing Officer, Individual Life Insurance, Prudential
The life insurance industry is in the midst of a transformation unprecedented in modern times. The forces of increased demand, innovative technologies and changing ways of working have forced us to hit the accelerator on overhauling every facet of how we do business, including modernizing the solutions we offer to meet the needs of a broader and more diverse population. We now face a choice: Let our rise to relevancy stall out or embrace the momentum of this unique moment to move forward into a new era with purpose and empathy. In this session, Michele shares lessons from Prudential’s experience in recent years and the principles that will shape her approach to capturing growth going forward.
Seventy percent of all major change efforts fail, mostly because of rampant fear, anxiety, and resistance. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Peter Bregman has coached CEOs and senior leaders to execute major change efforts with companies of all sizes, and his experience proves that resistance is optional, an unintended consequence of the way most leaders try to execute change. His key insight: “People don’t resist change. They resist being changed.” In this presentation, Peter teaches a simple mind shift, and a few basic, easily implementable strategies that can completely transform how managers and leaders lead — and how the whole organization perceives ― change. You will come away inspired to shape the future.
In order to maintain momentum in a hybrid sales environment, mindset and resources must be aligned to drive results. Speed to market, digital capabilities, and essential operational alignments are critical components of success. This session will examine the current state of firms and provide a forum to envision the firm of the future, exploring:
The value proposition for an integrated model (GA/Managerial/RIA)
Right-sized real estate footprint and face-to-face interactions
Customer engagement and aligning to consumer preferences
DAN ZBIN, CLU, LUTCF, CLF Regional General Manager, Vice President Liberty Mutual
Social media platforms are where many customers click first to learn about insurance products and how to buy them. Marketing campaigns on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook support field-agents with a lead generation system and communication path many customers now prefer, as well as open doors to purchase directly online and over the phone. This panel discussion will feature veteran field and marketing leaders who will discuss the most effective social selling tactics and strategies for agencies in a digital world.
TOM HARRIS, CLU, ChFC, FLMI President of Life Insurance and Annuities Penn Mutual
MARK WUTT, CLU, ChFC, RICP, RMA Vice President, Sales and Distribution Illinois Mutual
The pandemic has accelerated a radical transformation in the way that insurance is bought, sold, and ultimately delivered —from the very beginning of the process to the very end. Sales agents and carriers have all needed to pivot — and what was originally thought to be futuristic has quickly become the norm. Paper applications and insurance exams are moving toward extinction as carriers are rapidly redefining what “submission to commission” means. In this session, you’ll hear best practices from industry partners, as well as what new and exciting programs could be coming soon to a carrier near you!
CRAIG COLLINS President, Executive Director Insurance Designers of America
BILL SHELOW President and Chief Executive Officer LIBRA Insurance Partners
BRIAN BULAKITES, CLU, ChFC,Moderator National Sales Manager, Life Insurance Broad Market Pacific Life
The second in a series begun in 2019, this session features a panel of IMO heads discussing innovation, effectiveness, and the future of the brokerage distribution channel from their perspectives. As the demographics and economics of both distribution partners and their clients evolve, the brokerage channel is transforming as well. Speakers will discuss strategies for reaching new markets, new ways of attracting production, impact and implications of technology, and relationships with carriers. Learn why, in a period of dynamic change, these channel leaders are, indeed, “bullish on brokerage.”
ASHLIE HUSTON, AIS, ACS, AINS Assistant Vice President, Multiple Line Distribution Programs American National
GREG WINSPER, CLU Vice President, Field Training and Leadership Development National Life
There are major shifts in recruiting today that will benefit our industry by increasing the talent pools of candidates we recruit for tomorrow. Virtual recruiting has helped to streamline the process, and that same technology progression allows financial professionals to market and grow remotely. This has opened up talent pools in a way that’s game changing. In parallel, many organizations are focused on increasing diverse and multicultural talent to represent the communities they are supporting, which in turn positively impacts the growth of our entire industry. This interactive workshop will explore these shifts in recruiting with best practices from other companies. A portion of this workshop will allow attendees to collaboratively sketch out an improvement plan for their own recruiting process.
LUKE COSME Senior Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Mutual Trust
BOBBY JOHNSON Chief Distribution Officer Midland National Life
In this session, we will discuss the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for distribution managers in a post-pandemic environment. How has the model changed? What new methods are available to us and how do they fit with what worked before? We will explore the topic at two levels: managing the sales team and how they manage their territories; and from two perspectives: an MGA model and a PPGA/agent direct model. Please join us for an insightful presentation and interactive discussion of what lies ahead!
DOUGLAS ALLENBAUGH Executive Vice President The Marketing Alliance, Inc.
BRIAN KELLEY Managing Partner Independent Planners Group
SCOTT PERRY Chief Executive Officer AmeriLife
Reflecting on the increase in mergers and acquisitions in the BGA field, this discussion will cover the purpose, impact, and response to the changing distribution structure. What is driving the M&A activity? What are the most effective ways to transition relationships from the original entities? What do the newly combined groups want from carriers and other partners? What services do they want/need, and what are the financial implications of providing them? What are the longer-term tactical implications of condensed distribution?
For well over 100 years our industry has grappled with attracting and retaining new customers. With low interest rates, shifting regulation, margin compression, and new technology among the headwinds facing our industry, what should carriers and distribution companies be thinking about when it comes to attracting new clients? With direct-to-consumer, virtual, AI, and other technological options in play, what else should companies be thinking about in the future? In this roundtable discussion, we will explore what’s working today, the opportunities for success, and what should be top-of-mind for tomorrow. What worked for Baby Boomers and Generation X likely won’t resonate with Millennials, Generation Z, and beyond.
This session will bring attendees together in smaller roundtable discussions to collaborate and share their views on how the pandemic is impacting the value proposition of our industry. Consumer sentiment has improved since the onset of COVID — mainly due to consumer need — but have we seen any change to the appeal of working in this industry? Peers will share their own experiences and best practices being used to attract the best field and corporate talent. Attendees are asked to please come prepared to participate and share a little about their own experiences.
A significant segment of consumers, especially those contemplating retirement, are moving from asset accumulation to asset deployment. What are the most effective strategies for financial advisors to move with them, from building/protecting financial security to managing their financial resources? What expertise, skills, and tools best facilitate expanding from a protection focus to income and wealth management? Join the discussion and come away with ideas to enhance your efforts in 2022.
We are all facing greater obstacles than ever before, including the professional and personal impact from life during COVID. Today, we need to be more resilient than ever to survive and thrive. Steve Welker learned resiliency the hard way, as he worked to overcome the tremendous challenge of losing his sight in the prime of his insurance career. As he shares his gripping personal story, you will learn the key steps to acquiring these important skills. You will leave with actionable take-aways to enhance your personal well-being, help you overcome any challenges you may be facing, and make you happier and more successful at home and at work.
MARISUE FASICK Vice President, Culture and Change Management Northwestern Mutual
SARAH SCHNEIDER, FLMI, ACS, CLU, ChFC, CFP,Moderator President NMIS, Vice President, Distribution Services Northwestern Mutual
If your company is not thinking strategically about how to lead through change, you might just get blindsided. With a kitchen sink full of strategic, regulatory, tax-code, technology, and societal shifts, change is relentless for financial services companies and their advisors. Get insights from two organizations on how they have implemented approaches to achieve strategic outcomes during times of change.
CARLOS BENFEITO Chief Technology Officer Breathe Life
RAHIM RAJPAR Chief Marketing Officer and Co-Founder Plum Life
MARTY SCHAFER Chief Distribution Officer Ethos Life
GLENN ROTHENBERG, Moderator Principal RedMountain Advisors
The way insurers and customers thought of purchasing life insurance pivoted about eight years ago when direct distribution was no longer a niche, but became a viable and necessary distribution method for all companies. Now, we are seeing direct distributors and insurers creating true omni-channel platforms by partnering with agents and creating digital agencies. We also have start-up companies and traditional insurers using digital and technology capabilities to create agent-friendly platforms, but are not direct, causing the definition of direct distribution to evolve as well. In this session, we will hear from direct distributors and insurers along with platform providers to discuss this evolution and highlight the success, failures, and opportunities.
Former Director, Global Diversity & Inclusion, Starbucks
A properly managed diversity and inclusion program can increase engagement, creativity and business performance. By also learning to leverage diversity and inclusion through best practices, organizations can turn D&I into a powerful business advantage that stimulates innovation and drives marketplace growth. In this game-changing keynote, Dr. Tony Byers shows you how to create a multiplier effect of inclusion that can increase utilization of talent and resources — more than doubling the capacity of a team to positively impact products and services, build brand image and increase profits and performance.
Senior Vice President and Director of Member Benefits Research, LIMRA and LOMA
Transformational change is impacting financial services distribution causing advisors to re-evaluate all aspects of their practices. Change can be powerful and those who harness its power for good are better positioned for future growth and success. This session will share early findings of the recurring LIMRA-EY experienced advisor study. This survey across seven insurance, investment and advisory practice models explores the interplay among these forces of change and helps lay the foundation for the future of distribution.
Welcome, we are excited you are here. The Distribution Conference for Financial Services provides the latest information from industry experts, business thought leaders, and top-notch distribution professionals. We will examine the vital role distribution plays among today’s transformative forces and discuss strategies to successfully manage distribution through this extraordinary period of change.
By promoting your company at the Distribution Conference for Financial Services, you are in an ideal position to generate leads with key distribution professionals involved in channel growth, productivity, and reshaping distribution for success. Our sponsorships will assist you in building brand awareness with target audiences that produce opportunities and value well beyond the conference.
Why Participate
The LIMRA Distribution Conference for Financial Services is the perfect venue for any company that provides products and services to the insurance and financial services industry. By taking an active, visible role as a sponsor or exhibitor at the LIMRA Distribution Conference, you’ll have access to the top distribution executives, managers and other professionals who attend the conference.
Sponsors and exhibitors gain high visibility and have extensive opportunities to promote their company’s brand, products and services directly industry stakeholders and decision makers attending this premier event.
Please make sure you register your booth with the booth contact. A separate attendee registration link will be provided to you in your booth confirmation for your staff that will be attending the conference.