Broker World

SBLI

SBLI of Massachusetts has named William R. Izor, CLU, ChFC, CFC, CFP, regional vice president of independent distribution. Before joining SBLI, he was the vice president, national accounts, for Prudential Select Brokerage. Prior to that he was the regional director for Southern California at Penn Mutual Life.

An experienced financial services executive, Izor is a Registered Principal with FINRA, holding series 7, 24, 63 and 65 licenses. He has lectured at national seminars, conducted educational meetings at industry conferences, appeared on financial radio shows and written articles for various trade ­publications. 

Superior Mobile Medics

Superior Mobile Medics has announced the addition of Amy Jeffryes as vice president of marketing for Superior Mobile Insurance Solutions, a nationwide health data collection company.

With more than 15 years of marketing experience, Jeffryes brings an extensive industry insight to her position at Superior. In her new role she is responsible for the strategic development, planning and execution of all marketing initiatives and new product development.

Prior to joining Superior, Jeffryes served as chief operations and chief compliance officer for Elite Marketing Group—Insurance Designers of Houston. She is a member of the professional development committee for NAILBA as well as the life brokerage technology committee for which she chairs two subcommittees. 

National LTC Network

The National LTC Network is underwriting a new project as a gift to the industry and the planning public. The “Makes a Difference” campaign was started in February 2013 as a way to communicate directly to Americans exactly how owning long term care insurance makes a difference when care is needed. The campaign’s videos show real people talking about how they have seen LTCI make a difference—and how LTCI would have made a difference.

The National LTC Network believes that what is missing when it comes to the topic of LTCI is the understanding of exactly what it does at claim time and how it makes a difference! The hope is that agents will link to this site the same way they link to cost of care surveys and/or government sites. If every prospect watches two or three videos before a meeting with an agent, the purchase isn’t just dollars and monthly budgets, it’s a question of what those prospects’ families will experience if they buy or don’t buy coverage. The website is at www.makesadifference.us. 

National Brokerage Agencies, Inc., has appointed Janice Stevens as its new executive director.

Stevens has more than 25 years of experience in leading associations, primarily in the financial services and insurance industry, with 150 to 4,500 members, chapters or companies. While she will work full-time with NBA, her firm, Professional Administrative Services (PAS), an association management company, will continue to support activities of other clients. 

American National

Brooke Malley, CLU, is the newest member for the brokerage channel of The Independent Marketing Group, a division of American National Insurance Company and American National Life Insurance Company of New York, serving as the national sales manager for the Southeast and upper Northeast regions.

Prior to joining American National, Malley was a member of Lincoln Financial Group, where she worked closely with regional sales directors and general agents across the United States.

American General Life

American General Life Companies (American General) has named Jeff Barker, CLU, ChFC, Western divisional vice president. He joins American General from MetLife, where he served as independent channel head for life insurance and managed the organization’s third-party ­business.

Barker brings 35 years of life insurance industry experience to American General. Before his most recent role at MetLife, he served as national sales vice president for Travelers Life & Annuity, where he managed the firm’s independent life insurance business.

North American Company

North American Company has announced that Lance Burke has been named sales vice president. Burke will be working closely with current and potential North American Partner MGAs in the Pacific Northwest region.

During the past 13 years, Burke has worked for such carriers as Minnesota Life, Genworth Financial and West Coast Life. From his career experience, he brings a keen understanding of the independent distribution market to North American Company, and he will focus his time on contributing to the growth of North American’s Partner Program.

Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston

Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston, a Liberty Mutual company, recently added Scott Christie and Tom Geiger to its independent channel sales and marketing team as directors of national accounts. Christie and Geiger will be responsible for business development and account management with key independent distribution partners as Liberty Life expands its distribution of life insurance and annuity products.

Both Christie and Geiger have had long and successful careers in independent life insurance and annuity sales and marketing, each most recently with Protective Life. At Protective, Christie led the multi-channel life insurance marketing team. Geiger served as national sales manager in the company’s institutional distribution group.

The American College

Jamie Hopkins, JD, has joined the faculty at The American College as assistant professor of taxation. In his new role, Hopkins will be responsible for developing curricula associated with The College’s new Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP) designation.

Prior to joining The American College, Hopkins served as a judicial clerk in the superior court of New Jersey—appellate division. Before his clerkship, Hopkins worked as a legal consultant for Ennovance Capital in Philadelphia.

Hopkins earned a bachelor of arts in political science from Davidson College, along with his MBA and JD from Villanova University.

Forethought Financial Group

Forethought Financial Group, Inc., has completed its acquisition of the individual annuity new business capabilities and a broker/dealer from The Hartford. With the acquired broker/dealer (now known as Forethought Distributors, LLC), the company has underwriting and distribution capability for variable products. As a result, Forethought plans to launch its first variable annuity into the marketplace during the first quarter of 2013.

Robert Arena, who previously led The Hartford’s individual annuity business, joins Forethought as president of Forethought Annuity, which is a division of Forethought Life Insurance Company.

The company has opened new offices in Simsbury, CT, and Berwyn, PA, to support the operation for Indiana-based Forethought Life Insurance Company. These capabilities complement the company’s existing nonregistered distribution platform, led by Forethought veteran Paula Nelson, executive vice president.

Forethought Financial Group, Inc., was founded in 1985 and is a privately held, diversified financial services organization based in Houston, TX, with insurance operations throughout the United States.