The Guardian - guardianservicemagazine.com

Transcription

FALL 2013 | TH E F I E L D P UB L I C AT I ON O F T H E G U A R D IA N L IF E IN S U R A N C E C O M PA N Y O F A MERI CA
Featured Inside...
In Brief...
Guardian Promotes Gender Balance
2013 Women Producers’ Summit
Inside the 2013 LBS Sales Forum
2013 Presidential Citation Awards
Guardian Golf Tournament a Success
2013 GAMA Awards
Marketing Master Class
Launch of PAS OneView
Guardian Proposal System
and more...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .
Michele Lee Fine Sets
New Company Record
Q&A with Dr. Eric Studley
Marguerite Rangel
Maximizes Her Success
Inside the 2013 Leaders Club
Contents
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4
5
6
7
8
9
11
12
FALL 2013
Message from Don Sullivan
IN BRIEF
Deanna Mulligan Featured on CNN International
Recognizing Heroic Effort in FR Recruiting
Guardian Moves Up the Fortune 500
Howard Elias Becomes GAMA’s 64th President
Guardian Annuities Named to Barron’s Top 50
Life Insurance Awareness Month Resources
New Website Helps You Plan for Retirement
Guardian Congratulates 2013 GAMA Award Winners
Enhance the Look of Your Exhibit Booth
Guardian’s Marketing Master Class
14
16
17
19
21
22
BUILD YOUR BUSINESS
Guardian Proposal System Increases Sales Efficiency
Guardian Launches Enhanced Retirement Solutions Website
Flexible Alternative to Traditional Long Term Care
Launch of PAS “One View” for Client Data
Leverage MarketEDGE for Business Prospecting
Maximize Your Success with Guardian’s Cross-Sell and Elite
Insights Programs
FEATURES
25
29
32
34
36
38
41
43
45
Guardian Promotes the Benefits of Gender Balance
2013 Leaders Club
New York RHB’s Michele Lee Fine Sets New Company Record
Inside the 2013 LBS Sales Forum
Q&A with Dr. Eric Studley, President of Field
Executive Committee
2013 Women Producers’ Summit
Marguerite Rangel Maximizes Success as a Career Changer
Guardian-Sponsored Golf Tournament a Success
2013 Presidential Citation Award Conference
Service is an online magazine published by Corporate Communications for all Field associates. We welcome your
input and comments, as well as your story suggestions. Correspondence can be sent by inter-office mail to Ralph
Chaump at 7 Hanover Square, 23rd Fl., or via e-mail to [email protected].
FALL 2013 | 2
Executive Editor: Carl W. Rosst, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
Managing Editor: Ralph Chaump, Jr., Senior Internal Communications Specialist
The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, 7 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004-4025
Pub. 4480 10/13
Opening Notes
If we’re going to maintain these outstanding results,
Guardian will need to continue to prosper. Growing our
distribution and building the next generation is another
key aspect to our continued success – and that’s an
area where you play a critical role. As valued members
of our Field force, you are our best source of new
Despite the volatile financial climate, Guardian
continues to grow and prosper. One of the main reasons talent – successful men and women who exhibit an
unwavering commitment to helping others and ensure
for this success is the extremely impressive Life sales
we remain relevant with our customers.
results you’ve achieved during the first six months of
2013 – up 18 percent versus last year – during a time
As our nation’s demographics continue to change, we
when many in the industry are still feeling the effects
must change with them. This is why Guardian recently
of an unstable economy. I know this takes commitment
embarked on a formal gender balance strategic
and a lot of hard work, and I thank you for your tenacity
imperative designed to attract, develop, and advance
and your results.
women for sales and sales leadership positions. At
In addition to increased Life sales, the first half of 2013 the heart of this effort is a desire to diversify the
saw individual and fixed annuities sales ahead of plan, strength of our agency sales team, leverage the often
Park Avenue Securities up versus plan, and our persis- untapped potential women can provide our industry,
tency very strong at 95 percent. We’ve also made great and turn it into yet another competitive advantage for
strides in the sale of our new Long Term Care Rider, and our company. You can read more about this important
effort on page 25 of this issue of Service.
have strong momentum in the 401(k) marketplace.
Welcome to the Fall 2013 issue of
Service. I could not be more pleased with
what we accomplished so far this year,
and I thank you for your contributions to
our continued success.
Don Sullivan
Senior Vice President
Agency Distribution and
Park Avenue Securities
We also take a look at the key objectives and takeaways
from the 2013 Women Producers’ Summit, this
year’s LBS Sales Forum, and the 2013 Marketing
Master Class, and underscore how all of these events
are designed to help you achieve your full potential.
Turning to recognition, we celebrate the accomplishments of New York RHB’s Michele Lee Fine, who was
our leading producer in total financial planning for
2012; highlight our top award winners from this year’s
Presidential Citation Award Workshop and Leaders
Club meetings; and congratulate our 2013 GAMA Award
recipients for another year of fantastic performance.
And, in a featured Q&A, Dr. Eric Studley of NY Mazzei
shares what his priorities are in the year ahead as
President of the Field Executive Committee.
As we move into the final months of the 2013, I’m
confident we can finish the year with outstanding
results. And I know that by working together, we can
take the company to new heights in the years to come.
Thank you for your ongoing support and success.
Don Sullivan
FALL 2013 | 3
Deanna Mulligan Featured
on CNN International
CNN
International recently aired a profile of President and CEO Deanna
Mulligan as part of its monthly “Leading Women” series, which spotlights women who have reached the top of their industries. The profile
was done in two segments, which were posted on the CNN International
website and broadcast on its cable channel as part of the Leading Women
show. To watch these videos, click on the images to the right.
Each month, the Leading Women series introduces two women, exploring
their careers, lives, and ideas. During August, they focused on Deanna
Mulligan, as well as Denise Morrison, President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Campbell Soup Company.
PART I
FALL 2013 | 4
PART II
ing
Recognizing Heroic
Effort in FR Recruiting
Guardian proudly recognized those
Financial Representatives who helped
make our company’s Field team the
best that it could be in 2012 at this
year’s Leaders Club meeting in Orlando
(see image at right). They are:
First Place: Arun Misra, Alpharetta
Second Place: John Chlada, Ridgewood
Third Place: David Suckey, Toms River
FALL 2013 | 5
Guardian Moves Up the Fortune 500
Congratulations to everyone who
participated in the “Be a Guardian
Hero” program and helped to grow
our company. Remember, you can
still make a difference and refer
someone who you think will be a
strong addition to our team. For more
information and to submit a referral,
visit www.beaguardianhero.com.
We are proud to announce that
Guardian is ranked 238 on Fortune
magazine’s annual Fortune 500 list
of America’s largest corporations.
The list evaluates companies by
their 2012 gross revenue, and we
increased our position from 250 last
year, earning more than $11.3 billion
in revenue for 2012.
In addition to Guardian’s corporate
listing, President and CEO Deanna
Mulligan is ranked number 11 among
the 20 female CEOs on the list.
A gallery showcasing the women
can be found by t CLICKING HERE .
Both of these prestigious honors
reflect Guardian’s continued strong
performance in a challenging
financial environment, and are
an affirmation of our company’s
steadfast commitment to managing
the organization to meet our
policyholders’ long-term needs.
Howard Elias Becomes
GAMA International’s
64th President
Howard J. Elias, General Agent of Guardian’s NY Elias
Agency, has been named the new president of GAMA
International. He assumed office on June 1, 2013.
“Howard brings passion, creativity, and a critical
eye to detail to his role as GAMA’s president,” says
GAMA CEO Jeff Hughes. “He has been a champion
for our new development program for frontline
managers, Leading From the Front, and a continued
advocate for the importance of professional
development as the cornerstone of Field leader
performance excellence.”
FALL 2013 | 6
Guardian Annuities
Named to Barron’s
Top 50 List
Howard, who has
been with Guardian 29
years, is CEO of Wealth
Advisory Group, a New
York City-based agency whose long history
of success dates back
to 1929. The firm now
has more than 70 associates and has recently
expanded its operations in Albany, NY.
“Guardian prides itself on the high caliber of its
general agents and their unwavering commitment to
their customers,” says President and CEO Deanna
Mulligan. “Howard Elias is a true professional and
we are proud that GAMA has recognized the influence, leadership, and experience he will lend to
the organization as its president.”
t CLICK HERE to read more.
The cover story in the May 27 issue of Barron’s
magazine features “The Top 50 Annuities,” and
two Guardian products were chosen among the
best of an “all-new crop of retirement investments.” The story also features a quote from
Doug Dubitsky, Vice President, Product Management & Development, Retirement Solutions.
Barron’s reviewed hundreds of products to
identify the 50 best picks in a wide range of
annuities offered by numerous insurers. The
Guardian “Best in Class” products were chosen
in the Immediate “10-Year Certain” Annuity
and Immediate “Cash Refund”
Annuity categories.
The Time is Always
Right to Help
Clients Make Smart
Insurance Decisions
Even though September may be over, the need to
get people in your community to take stock of their
life insurance needs is timeless. According to LIFE,
95 million adult Americans have no life insurance
and most people with coverage need more than
they have. The following resources available from
Guardian and LIFE should help to address these
needs you in your practice:
CLICK HERE to access a special PSA video1 fea-
turing Boomer Esiason, which is available through
Guardian’s public website and Guardian’s Agency
Website program. In the video, Boomer opens up
about how, when he was just seven, his mother,
Each September, the nonprofit LIFE Foundation
Irene, who was 37, died of cancer. That left Boomer,
coordinates Life Insurance Awareness Month to make
his father, and his two teenage sisters to create a life
sure Americans are reminded of the need to include
for themselves. A three-hour daily commute to work
life insurance in their financial plans. Hundreds of
in New York City left Boomer’s father, Norman, with
leading industry groups and thousands of Financial
little free time, but he always made sure he supRepresentatives, including those at Guardian,
ported Boomer, both on and off the field. The family
participate in this educational campaign to help
was also forced to rely on friends and relatives, as
consumers make smart insurance decisions and
Boomer’s mother died without life insurance and
protect their loved ones through proper planning.
there was little money left each month to pay for
FALL 2013 | 7
any extra help. “I was handed a life lesson early,
growing up with one parent,” says Boomer, “It
wasn’t the easiest life, my dad sacrificed a lot.”
Other LIAM Resources
t CLICK HERE to access a handy list of other
resources that you can use to continue the
conversation about the importance of life
insurance.
Questions/Comments?
Contact [email protected]
for more ideas on how you can continue promoting Life Insurance Awareness Month or to give
constructive feedback for next year’s offering.
1
This video posted with permission from the nonprofit LIFE Foundation. © LIFE 2013. All rights reserved.
hours a day, seven days a week, from anywhere
with Internet access.
New Website Helps
Associates Plan for
Retirement
If you’re thinking about what to expect from your
retirement income sources, you’re not alone. That’s
why Guardian has introduced MyGuardianRetirement, a new self-service website designed to help
you better understand your Guardian pension benefit
and to assist you in planning for retirement.
With MyGuardianRetirement, associates can create
their own pension estimates, model retirement
income, and explore a wide range of retirement and
financial planning information, tools, and links. The
site offers safe, secure access to these resources 24
FALL 2013 | 8
Key features of MyGuardianRetirement:
• new modeling tool that provides you with the
ability to estimate your own Field Clerical/Field
Representative pension benefits
• An enhanced total retirement planning tool, with
functionality that will allow you to include all of
your sources of retirement income and plan your
retirement expenses
• A wealth of retirement planning information,
education, and links to useful websites
t CLICK HERE to log on to MyGuardianRetirement.
t CLICK HERE to access the MyGuardian
Retirement Quick Start Guide.
If you have questions about the MyGuardian
Retirement website or your retirement benefits,
please contact: MyHR at [email protected] or
1-877-870-MyHR(6947).
MASTER AGENCY AND INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT DIAMOND PLUS AWARD
Sanford M. Aderson
Guardian Congratulates
Its 2013 GAMA Award
Recipients
JD
Cincinnatti, OH
FALL 2013 | 9
LUTCF
Rye Brook, NY
Andy Brincefield
CLU ®, ChFC®, CFP ®
Charlotte, NC
Thomas A. Ciardella, Sr.
Stewart W. Davis, Jr.
Paramus, NJ
CLU ®
Tampa, FL
Dennis R. Eckels
CLU ®, ChFC®
Sparks, MD
FIRST IN CL ASS AWARD WINNERS
Jerry Harnik
B. Lee Harrison,
Jr.
CLU ®
Rye Brook, NY
Ronald Rosbruch
CLU ® ChFC®
It’s with great pleasure and continuing pride that
Guardian recognizes another fantastic year of
performance for its General Agents and Frontline
Leaders. These dedicated professionals, tasked with
protecting Guardian’s core values and furthering our
company’s commitment to policyholders’ changing
needs, continue to demonstrate a level of excellence
in management that merits the prestige of the 2013
GAMA Awards. We commend our General Agents
for their achievements and thank them for the
exceptional work they do to continue to enhance
Guardian’s impressive presence within the industry.
Josh L. Becker
Jerry Harnik
CLU ®
Earl J. Luttner
CLU ® CLTC LUTCF
Tallahasee, FL
CLU ®
Pittsburgh, PA
Andrea
Perlmutter
Rego Park, NY
Michael C. Savino
Nathan M. Perlmutter Ronald S. Rosbruch
CLU ®, ChFC®
Rego Park, NY
CLU ®, CFP ®
Paramus, NJ
CLU ®, ChFC®
Rye Brook, NY
MASTER AGENCY AND INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT DIAMOND AWARD
Josh Becker
LUTCF
BRIAN EARLY AWARD WINNER
Walter M. Cardinet
CLU ®
Claremont, CA
Darrell L. Dawes
CLU ®, ChFC®
Brentwood, TN
Robert J. Fashano
MSFS, CLU ®, ChFC®
Buffalo, NY
Abraham S. Ekstein
Brooklyn, NY
Steven A. Ferrara
CLU ®
Cranford, NJ
John Earl Hill
JD, LL.M.
Atlanta, GA
Joel Stein
Kelly G. Kidwell
CLU ®, ChFC®, LUTCF
Claremont, CA
Robert E. Mathis
CLU ®
Atlanta, GA
Anthony T. Mazzei, Sr.
MSM, CLU ®, ChFC®
New York, NY
Seth Medalie
CLU ®, ChFC®
Needham, MA
Andrew J. Meehan
Barbara O’ Neill
CLU ®, ChFC®
Birmingham, AL
Buffalo, NY
t CLICK HERE
David J. Parsels
Shrage Posen
CLU ®, ChFC®
Cranford, NJ
Brooklyn, NY
Kevin S. Schneider
CLU ®
Needham, MA
Neil A. Willner
Claremont, CA
to view all 2013
GAMA award
winners.
INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT AWARD
FRONTLINE LEADER AWARD
DIAMOND Plus
DIAMOND Plus
Vasil W. Allabashi, Kevin L. Bell, Lyle
Domenitz,
John M. Driscoll, Douglas J. Gribin,
Adam S. Kaufman
Daniel J. Linehan, Daniel T. Melka
Richard L. Poitras, Mark A. Smith,
William J. Traum,
Edwin Ayala
Adam Katzman, MBA CPA CLU ® CFP ®
PL ATINUM Plus
Richard F. Clark CLU
David Perlmutter
®
DIAMOND
David R. Alter, CLU ®
Gerald J. Clericuzio, CLU ® ChFC®
Frank J. Congilose CLU ® ChFC® CFP ®
Howard J. Elias
Robert Fine
Richard P. Gribinas, ChFC® CFP ®
H. Chris Hunken, III
Scott B. Hunken, LUTCF
V. Thomas Purcell, Jr., CLU ® ChFC®
Richard Lee Ray, MSFS BCE CSA
James A. Schepis, CLU ®
Nash Subotic, MBA
Robert N. Worgaftik
CLU ® ChFC® CFP ®
PL ATINUM Plus
David Boykin, CLTC LUTCF
George H. Moore, Jr. CLU ® ChFC®
Jeffrey E. Newman, CLU ® ChFC®
Richard H. Villavaso, CLU ® ChFC®
Mark C Pietsch, MBA CLU ® LUTCF
GOLD Plus
Fred N. Huff
Anthony Iuffredo
David A. MacMillan
Kevin C. Winder, CLU ®
GOLD
Aleksandar Jakovljevic, MBA
Gedalia D. Miller, LUTCF
James D. Murphy, CLU ® ChFC®
SILVER Plus
Kim Alan Weaver, CLU ® ChFC® CFP ®
Marko Mijuskovic, MBA
SILVER
Jessica J. Ciccarelli, CLU
Samantha Clark, CLF CLTC
Jason D. Huggins
Benjamin Thomas
®
GOLD Plus
David B. Allen, CLU ® ChFC®
Gary L. Brockett, CLU ® ChFC® CFP ®
D. John Ruffa
Jeffrey M. Stern
Michael J. Ghioto
Milton A. Hill, CLU ® ChFC®
PL ATINUM
Stephen A. DiGirolamo, LUTCF
Richard Woody, CLU ® ChFC® CFP ®
BRONZE Plus
Mark A. Badami, CFP
Jim Boyd, CFP ®
GOLD
®
ChFC® CFP ® AEP
BRONZE
SILVER Plus
Don C. Hawes
William E. Counts, IV, CLF, CLTC
Gary K. Gragson
SILVER
Derrick P. Morton, CLU ® ChFC®
Joseph M. Sciabica
CLTC
Paul Adams
Michael Rhee
Carl Barling
Anthony Campanile
Sungjun Cho
Steven Cucinelli, LUTCF
Mihwa Ha
Teresita S. Martin
Alberto A. Regueira
Todd A. Shanholtzer
RECRUITING SPECIALIST AWARD
SILVER Plus
BRONZE Plus
Paul Bullara, III, CLTC
Stephen A. DiGirolamo, LUTCF
BRONZE
BRONZE
Anthony L. Rogers, JD
FALL 2013 | 10
Joel Stein
Christine E. Guessford
Bertrand R. Hudnall, III
t CLICK HERE
to view all 2013
GAMA award
winners.
Enhance the Look of
Your Exhibit Booth
with Guardian’s
Display Banners
Are you looking to enhance the professional look
of your next exhibit space or increase traffic to your
conference booth? Guardian makes a selection of
pull up banners and a portable booth that work
well in various professional settings for different
audiences available to our Field associates.
Perfect for indoor and outdoor use at fairs, trade
shows, exhibitions, seminars, and conferences, the
systems feature a number of different designs for
FALL 2013 | 11
various audiences and products, including General
Marketing, Recruiting, and The Living Balance
Sheet®, as well as Individual Disability Insurance
and Business Products.
This handy guide includes photos of each banner,
reservation information and request form, and
information on how to create your own banner.
There is no charge to reserve a Guardian display
system; however, agencies/agents are responsible
for all shipping and handling charges.
For more information on our line of pull up banners
or portable booth, simply click on the following link:
t CLICK HERE to download the Guide to
Guardian’s Display & Exhibit Solutions.
For more information please contact Agency Marketing at 800-871-7780, Option 5, Choice 2.
Guardian’s Marketing Master
Class Strengthens Ties
between Field Marketers and
Support Specialists
The Marketing Master Class is an annual forum for
General Agents, Career Development Managers,
Agency Marketing Directors, Recruiting Directors,
and Sales Managers responsible for marketing and
marketing training functions within their agencies.
Guardian’s Agency Marketing team develops a new
program each year to provide agencies with actionable marketing insight and cutting-edge tools that
drive quantifiable results, add value, and impact the
bottom line.
FALL 2013 | 12
In this year’s Marketing Master Class business
sessions and workshops, which were held from
August 12-14 in Chicago, attendees heard from
marketing professionals from the Home Office and
their peer group. They also took part in a series of
interactive workshops and other activities designed
to help them “Build Capacity. Increase Productivity.
Enhance Visibility.” Highlights included:
Tommy Smoot, Vice President, Life Product
Strategy & Marketing, welcomed all attendees
to the 2013 Marketing Master Class and shared
insights on how the changing industry landscape,
which puts a high emphasis on whole life insurance,
places Guardian in a position of strength – since this
product has always been our core offering. He also
discussed how Guardian is executing against the
priorities set forth by the Field Advisory Board’s
Marketing Committee by developing and launching
strategic marketing campaigns that can be
implemented at the agency level to drive success.
Kelley Biondi, Director of Marketing at New York
RHB, and Gail Kelman, Regional Director, Agency
Leadership and Management Development, addressed how attracting and retaining the best FRs
requires continuous review of the talent pipeline and
the processes used to meet high-quality candidates
in their discussion on how to “Start Something
Meaningful.” The duo also presented an overview of
Guardian’s gender balance strategic imperative and
provided an overview of how agencies can order customized “Start Something Meaningful” brochures
for use in their recruiting efforts. t CLICK HERE for
easy-to-follow ordering instructions.
Brittany Frey, Director of Marketing at the Upstate
New York Agency, hosted a session called “Build
Capacity: Ambassador Select Program.” During this
presentation, attendees learned about a newly
created program that provides tools and coaching
to select FRs and associates who are helping the
(Continued on page 13)
(Continued from page 12)
agency grow through identifying and attracting
potential candidates to the career.
Christine Guessford, Recruiting and Marketing
Director of Guardian’s St. Louis Agency, Lacey
Zumberge, Director of Marketing at the Dallas-South
Texas Agency, and Tara Meehan, Marketing Specialist, Digital Marketing, discussed recruiting and
marketing best practices for social media. As part of
this presentation, Christine shared her process for
making connections with recruiters outside of the
industry to leverage an increased talent pool; Lacey
explained how she forms alliances within her agency
to develop and implement social strategies; and Tara
illustrated ways that LinkedIn and social media can
help FRs and recruiters bolster their social business
efforts. She also introduced a series of helpful onepagers which are now available on GOL by going to
GOL > Marketing > Social Media and scrolling down to
Helpful One Sheets.
FALL 2013 | 13
An Open Forum session, which provided attendees
with the opportunity to share ideas, leverage best
practices, discuss solutions for challenges, and interact with their peers, was perhaps one of the most
popular features of the three-day meeting. This free
flowing discussion also allowed for exploration of
how agencies can take the strategic campaigns
developed by the Home Office and make them their
own. Based on feedback received on this Q&A, there
are now plans to expand this session at next year’s
Marketing Master Class.
Beth Wood, Second Vice President, Agency
Marketing, closed out the Master Class by conducting a wrap-up session to synthesize all of the best
practices shared during the meeting to ensure that
attendees could take what they learned back to their
agencies and implement strategies to build capacity,
increase productivity, and enhance visibility.
At the conclusion of the meeting, attendees were
asked to complete a short survey about the Master
Class and reviews have been highly positive. In
addition, several attendees offered words of praise
during the event.
At the conclusion of the meeting, attendees were
asked to complete a short survey about the Master
Class and reviews have been highly positive. In
addition, several attendees offered words of praise
during the event. Scroll over images below to read
individual quotes.
For more information about the Marketing Master
Class, please contact Maureen Charles.
BUILD
YO U R
BUSINESS
Guardian Proposal
System Is a Leap
Forward in Sales
Efficiency
You’ll be pleased to know that GPS, a state-of-theart illustration system, is now available on Guardian Online. Whether you’re a fan of FDP/XL’s performance or the presentations and solves in Navigator
Online, you’ll be impressed with the leap forward
we’re making with GPS. You can download the
desktop version or access the web version, which
can run on your iPad*, too.
The most popular feature is “Add Plan” where you
can view the results of multiple scenarios at one
FALL 2013 | 14
time. Also, GPS is the only system where the new
Long Term Care rider can be illustrated.
“Technology-wise, it’s the best on the street by
far,”says General Agent John Driscoll of Guardian’s
Southwest Agency. “It’s a great platform and will
allow Guardian to continue to expand its capability
in terms of deliverables. As FRs and General Agents
become familiar with it, it will become a cornerstone and a great companion to The Living Balance
Sheet®. It’s already being used heavily and the
response has been incredibly positive. This is a
truly magnificent system.”
Overview
t CLICK HERE to view a brief Brainshark presentation
that provides an overview of the features and
products available.
Accessing GPS
You can choose between downloading GPS Desktop
from Software Download or accessing the online
system through your computer or your iPad. Go
to Guardian Online / Product / Life Insurance /
Illustrations / GPS. Be sure to copy the Install Group
Password, which you’ll need while installing the
desktop system. Many of the resources listed below
are included on the same page.
Information for pilot users
If you currently use the desktop system, you will
receive an automatic update the next time you open
GPS. Be sure to check out the new policy comparisons and custom reports as well as the Long Term
Care rider.
BUILD
YO U R
BUSINESS
Training and Documentation
You’ll be up and running with GPS in just a few minutes. To get the most out of it, we recommend that you
take advantage of the documentation and training available:
Documents on the Illustration page on
Guardian Online
The “GPS Highlights” document outlines the
features of the new system.
The “Getting Started Guide” provides details
about which products and features are available in GPS and includes tips for making a
smooth transition from Navigator Online and
FDP/XL. Be sure to review the Frequently
Asked Questions section.
Several Advance Markets manuals walk you
through how to run different concepts
Over 30 Brainshark training modules are
now available in Guardian Virtual University
with topics ranging from “Getting Started” to
sophisticated Advanced Markets concepts.
Contact Information
• General information on system navigation,
functionality and products – Contact Life
Product Services at 800-871-7780, Option 2 or
[email protected]
• Advanced Markets concepts and Policy
Review – Contact the Business Resource Center
for Advanced Sales, 800-871-7780 Option 3 or
[email protected]
•Technical support – Contact the Help Desk at
800-499-8820
*GPS Online illustration system is browser based and therefore can be accessed
via Apple iOS devices (e.g., iPAD). To help ensure the protection of client data, it is
important that the system only be accessed with a properly configured iPad with
the approved Guardian Airwatch software. For more information on setting up your
iPad, go to the ggg.glic.com site or click the Guardian Going Google link in the bottom right corner of Guardian Online and select Mobile Setup.
FALL 2013 | 15
BUILD
YO U R
BUSINESS
Guardian Launches
Enhanced Retirement
Solutions Website
Guardian has launched an enhanced plan participant
website (401k.guardianlife.com) and enrollment
magazine to help people better prepare for retirement.
The website provides access to a wide array of educational resources to help participants plan, save,
and invest for their future, including: educational
articles, retirement planning tutorials, online saving
and retirement calculators, videos, and infographics.
The entire site is iPad-friendly and accessible via
mobile devices.
FALL 2013 | 16
“We know that Americans are habitually unprepared
for retirement,” says Jason Frain, Vice President,
401(k) Product Management and Development,
Guardian Retirement Solutions. “The website is part
of our ongoing commitment to educate and motivate
people to start the planning process early and to
begin saving for post-career living. As the go-to
provider for the small-plan 401(k) market, Guardian
continues to invest in new resources that help
empower participants to prepare for retirement.”
The enrollment magazine offers guidance and insights to three basic retirement planning questions:
> How do I plan for retirement?
> Why do I need to save?
> Where do I invest?
The magazine and website are the latest additions to
Guardian’s library of tools designed to help people
start the planning process, maintain their engage-
ment, and retire according to their own plans and
schedules. Educational resources are a priority for
business owners when selecting a retirement plan
provider, and the enrollment magazine and website
are two of the top items on their checklist.
“Not only have we enhanced the website’s overall
design look and feel, we’ve also added significant
resources for plan participants,” says Matt Bryan,
Director, Retirement Marketing, Guardian Retirement
Solutions. “The resources are built based on the way
that people like to learn.”
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Custom Coverage
to Preserve a Legacy
Guardian’s LTC Rider: Solutions
Protecting Life’s Next Steps
At a time when Americans are living longer and
increasing their likelihood of needing long term care
(LTC) services during their later years, Guardian is
introducing a new longevity solution: life insurance
coverage that can be used to cover LTC needs.
Anyone who purchases Guardian core whole life
insurance policy products – including L95, L99,
and L121 – will now have the option of including
Guardian’s new Long Term Care Services Rider to
their life insurance coverage.*
FALL 2013 | 17
For an additional cost, the rider allows the policy
owner to accelerate a portion of the policy’s death
benefit during the insured individual’s lifetime if
he or she is chronically ill and receiving qualified
LTC services. Designed as “qualified long term care
insurance,” the LTC Rider is a versatile solution to
help address clients’ protection needs.
Recognizing a Strong Need
“We saw a need in the marketplace for a more economical option that could easily integrate into most
families’ financial portfolios,” says Michael Ferik,
Senior Vice President, Individual Life. “Since the
foundation of a family’s long-term security is life
insurance, it seemed appropriate to integrate protection against the financial impact of a provider’s
premature death with protection against the costs
of a chronic illness. With this LTC Rider, Guardian is
able to offer a simplified and cost-effective solution
that addresses two critical financial needs with a
single product.”
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LTC RIDER
1 GOL: Home > Products > Life Insurance > Product Portfolio > Whole Life
> Long Term Care Rider
Ensuring
Your Pat
s Protec
h
ting Life’s
2 View Product Documentation: [Circular Memo], [Transition Program],
[LTC Rider Manual]
Solut ion
Aging in America – Planning Ahead
Recent statistics indicate that people are living longer .
Health care for the aging population is a special concern
for many as a larger number of people will require health
care services now and in the future, including services for
long-term care (LTC) needs . No one is certain of what the
future will bring, but preparing now is important . Consider
the following statistics regarding LTC needs .3,4
3 Listen to a Promotional Sales Idea Brianshark.
4 View a list of Marketing Materials. A bundled LTC Rider Marketing Kit
is available from the Marketing Fulfillment Center under Pub5889KIT
(please note there are other state variations of this kit – refer to
Approval Grid, Pub6028)
• About 70% of people over age 65 will require some
type of long-term care services during their lifetime .
• Approximately 44% of people reaching age 65 are
expected to enter a nursing home at least once in
their lifetime .
• Of those who do enter a nursing home, about 53%
will stay for a year or more .
6 MarketEDGE prospecting material, including a client postcard and
HTML, is available on that platform.
7 CLICK HERE for more information on licensing. As announced, in order
to offer this innovative rider, you must be appropriately licensed in any
state where you plan to sell it. In addition, many states require mandatory LTC training in order to sell the LTC Rider.
8 View an Underwriting Prequalification Questionnaire found on ipipeline
(form 13-LTC Personal Worksheet).
Do You Still Have Questions? Contact your Regional Life External or
Internal Wholesaler; Life Product Services at 1-800-871-7780, Option 2
(or via email at [email protected]); or Licensing and LTC
Credentialing at (610) 807-7299.
FALL 2013 | 18
ce
3
• Personal resources, such as pensions, 401(k)s, IRAs,
annuities, bank accounts, etc .
— $21 per hour for a home health aide
• Medicare (or Medicaid), although these programs
were not designed to cover long-term care expenses
(and LTC benefits are extremely limited)
Building a Longevity Plan –
Having a longevity plan can help you make
the most of your later years and help you
achieve your goals, such as:
1. I want to maintain my independence.
2. I want to protect my standard of living.
3. I want to retire at the time of my choosing.
A LON
4. I want to leave an inheritance to my family.
G TERM
CARE GU
FOR5.CO
I want
toIDE
have care options available to me.
NSUMER
S
National Clearinghouse for Long Term Care Information, www.longtermcare.gov – based on 2010 government statistics.
4
“Shoppers Guide to Long Term Care Insurance.” 2010 National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
2
Funding for long-term care expenses may come from a
variety of sources, including:
— $67 per day for services in an adult day health
care center
3) Can you pay for your long-term care needs with
your own savings?
No Surprises
If you or a loved one has experienced a long-term care
event, you are aware of the financial impact to you – and
your family . There are many situations where nursing home
care is not necessary, but daily assistance is needed due to
an accident or illness . Often, family members sacrifice their
time andThe
resources
Guardto help care for a family member . So
ian Life
Insuran
what areCom
the pan
costsy of
of professional
care?
3
5 CLICK HERE to view the state approval chart for rider availability as
well as the marketing material (Pub6028).
— $3,293 per month for care in an assisted living
facility (for a one-bedroom unit)
2) Will your family take care of you?
• It will help you to be better prepared financially .
What Long Term Care Can Cost
According to the government website,
www .longtermcare .gov, it costs $229 on average,
per day, for a private room in a nursing home in
the United States (in 2010) . That’s:
• Nursing homes vs . assisted living facilities vs .
at-home care:
• Traditional long term care insurance policies
• Combination of life/long term care insurance products
Many individuals prepare for contingencies in later years
by relying on the potential growth of current earnings and
assets . However, it is difficult to know how much of an
asset to earmark for care, while many of your assets
may already be earmarked for other purposes (such
as retirement) .
no need to accelerate the death benefit under the
LTC Rider during the insured individual’s lifetime,
the entire $1 million will go to the designated
beneficiary. When working with your clients to
explain these benefits, the addition of the rider
can create an opportunity for a larger case.
Medicare and Medicaid are not designed to cover longterm care expenses and will only pay for certain aspects of
care – with complicated rules, limits and restrictions . There
is also continued uncertainty surrounding the benefits of
both of these programs in the future .
Traditional long term care insurance is purposed to
help fund long-term care costs, and is a reliable way to
supplement other sources . However, there are fewer and
fewer choices in this marketplace and individual policies
can be costly . Plus, the return on the dollars spent for these
premiums cannot be measured unless you need care .
There is another option that integrates easily into most
families’ financial portfolios, and provides an economical
alternative to purchasing long term care insurance . More
and more consumers are turning to other arrangements to
fulfill their long-term care planning requirements .
1) Will you need long-term care?
• You can select the setting and circumstances
that you choose .
a
Having a strategy for protecting against
the costs associated with long-term care
is a critical consideration to factor into
your longevity plan.
In addition, costs can vary greatly by the type of care
received and geographical location.
Key Questions to Ask Yourself and Discuss with
Your Family:
• It will help you determine the quality and type
of care you want .
Americ
Meeting Your Long Term Care (LTC) Needs
• $6,965 per month, or
• $83,585 per year
As the general population ages and people are living longer,
these costs will continue to rise . Additionally, by 2050, the
number of individuals using paid long-term care services
or skilled nursing facilities will likely double from
13 million to 27 million .4
• People use at-home or facility long-term care for
an average of three years .
Planning Ahead
Often people think it’s premature to start planning
for LTC if they are actively working . But there are
advantages to planning early:
Pub5889
(5/13 )
2013 —14
38
Next St
eps
Guardian’s Long Term Care Rider – a Different Option5
Guardian offers a Long Term Care Rider with a selection of
its premier whole life policies . Available for an additional
premium, this rider allows you to accelerate a portion of
the policy’s death benefit to help cover the cost of long-term
care services during your lifetime .
The rider provides a flexible, economical alternative or
supplement to other sources of funding . It can help relieve
the financial strain many families experience when the
need for long-term care occurs .
Having the Long Term Care Rider in place can help:
• Eliminate unplanned financial surprises related to care
• Lift the burden of responsibility from family
and friends
• Maintain the lifestyle your spouse or partner now enjoys
• Conserve wealth, allowing you to leave the legacy
you intended
This rider may be issued with other accelerated benefit
riders that cover terminal illness . The Terminal Illness
Rider (TABR) is automatically issued with the Long Term
Care Rider for additional coverage contingent on future
events – giving you more flexibility .6, 7
• Put you in control of the type of care you receive and
where you receive it
The rider is available for an additional premium.
6
Offered on new issues of L95 - 2011, L99, and L121 policies with base face amounts of at least $100,000.
5
7
Once the TABR has been used, the Long Term Care Rider will be terminated.
3
“That sense of control – being able to choose the
In addition to addressing the financial level of LTC protection, as well as knowing that, if
it’s not needed, one’s financial legacy to loved ones
and physical burdens that long term
care places on family and friends, the won’t be diminished – is very important to people,”
says Michael. “We understand how stressful it can
Guardian LTC Rider gives the owner
the freedom to choose what portion of be to deal with LTC-related issues, so our new rider
the life insurance policy face amount includes a number of stress-reducing features,
to make available toward covering LTC including an indemnity-style benefit that eliminates
the need to submit monthly receipts and access to
expenses. For example, the owner of
an additional benefit pool that can lengthen the
a $1 million Guardian core whole life
duration of your LTC benefit, if necessary.”
policy can earmark $500,000 of the
*The Accelerated Death Benefit for Long Term Care Services Rider is marketed as Guardian’s Long Term Care Rider in
death benefit toward potential LTC
approved jurisdictions and is not available in all states. Rider provisions and features may vary by state. Guardian
Core Whole Life Products are issued on Policy Forms 06-WL. Guardian’s Long Term Care Rider is issued on Policy Form
expenses. If it turns out that there’s
13-LTCR. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents, or employees do not give tax or legal advice. Your clients should seek
their own tax and legal advice.
For producer use only. Not for use with the general public.
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Investment Account
Information Now
Available in GOL
Book of Business
Park Avenue Securities (PAS) is helping Registered Representatives and Investment Advisory Representatives
manage their investment business more efficiently with
the addition of investment account information through
the Guardian Online (GOL) Book of Business Dashboard.
Investment, Life, DI, and LTC Accounts
Together in a Single Location
Since May 2013, investment account information for
brokerage, direct subscription, and proprietary RIA
accounts (Quantitative Innovations, Foundations, Park
FALL 2013 | 19
Avenue Portfolio Select, Park Avenue Fund Select, and
Park Avenue Strategist Select) has been available on
the GOL Dashboard. FRs with investment business no
longer have to visit multiple sources to access client
information or, in some cases, manually calculate
client information, now that those investment accounts
are available in a single place with Life, DI, and LTC.
OneView Provides Flexible Access to
Investment Account Details
As part of this enhancement to the GOL Book of
Business Dashboard, PAS has also launched OneView,
a consolidated look at detailed investment account
information. This resource includes client positions,
holdings, and 30 days of activity, including trades,
redemptions, and systematic transactions. OneView
offers users an array of features that allow FRs to view
the data in a way that works for them – whether they
need to access an entire book of business, an individual client’s entire account, or a client’s account detail.
This includes:
> A dashboard view of investment business
> New reporting functionality
> Ability to identify for clients with idle cash in
their accounts for investment opportunities
> Custom group creation, such as a local university
or golf club, to be used for one-time research or
saved for future use
> A single source for a client’s investment profile,
contact, personal, and financial information
t CLICK HERE to access a short video about OneView.
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thing is in one place,” she says. “With just one click,
Don can be on his way to the review meeting with all of
the relevant information.”
In addition to preparing for client meetings, Patricia
OneView Garners
says that OneView helps improve communications
Positive Feedback
between all members of her team and enhances the
from the Field
ease of doing business. She’s now eager to leverage
Financial Representatives and their teams are already some of the other features of the new resource,
recognizing the benefits of OneView and are providing including the ability to build custom groups and track
positive reviews. Don Sestrich, an Investment Advisory metrics. “We want to build connections between clients
Representative and Financial Representative in
to see the true value of each client relationship and
Guardian’s Pittsburgh Agency, believes that OneView also use client metrics to help grow our business.”
“is a key driver for improving full-service brokerage
To ensure that FRs can easily access their investment
services and client satisfaction.”
business through the GOL Dashboard and OneView,
Patricia Kovacic, Registered Representative and
PAS offers several training tools and resources, includAssistant to Don Sestrich, calls OneView “a guidebook ing quick reference cards, frequently asked questions,
for each client” and sees it adding value for clients and and step-by-step instructions for the most common
her agency. “When Don meets with clients, they want to tasks. To learn more, please visit the Training page on
see everything all at once. With OneView, we don’t have the Park Avenue Securities Resource Center, accessible
to print all these different accounts statements, every- through GOL.
FALL 2013 | 20
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CHECK OUT THESE PAST ISSUES
Download Issue #1
Increasing Referrals with Professionals by
Matthew A. Fine of the Worcester Agency
Download Issue #2
Seminar Marketing by Dean Rothman,
AAMS of NY Mazzei
Download Issue #3
Building Broker Activity by Greg Kreiner,
Brokerage Manager at the Detroit Agency
Download Issue #4
Business Prospecting Using MarketEDGE
by Marko Mijuskovic, MBA, MDRT of the Aloha
State Agency
Download Issue #5
Managing Birthdays and Annual Reviews
Using MarketEDGE by The Partners Group
(Jeff Foster, Tim Foster, and David Foster)
FALL 2013 | 21
Leverage the
Business Builders
Newsletter
from
The MarketEDGE Team has partnered with key
influencers across Guardian’s Field Force to develop
Business Builders – a monthly series of actionable
ideas and insights that you can leverage to grow your
business.
t CLICK HERE to learn how you can receive these
newsletters
How You Can Best Leverage These Ideas
Here are a few reminders to keep in mind after
reading each issue of Business Builders to help
you achieve greater success:
Take Action! Use these insights to formulate a
similar approach to increasing referrals with
professionals
Get Help! Work with your Agency Leader or
Marketing Director to develop your marketing
strategy
Learn more about MarketEDGE:
By Email: [email protected]
By phone: 1-877-734-5321
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Demonstrate Your
Value with Guardian’s
Cross-Sell Programs
Do your clients consider you to be a valuable Financial
Representative? According to a survey conducted by
Fidelity Investments, many clients feel that their
advisor could have done more. When asked if their
financial professional demonstrated enough value in
2012, 43% of investors surveyed did not believe their
advisor proved their worth.
So what makes a Financial Representative valuable?
It’s all in the FR’s ability to help their clients reach their
goals and achieve financial independence. Guardian’s
cross-sell programs provide more than just an opportunity for you to increase life sales with your current
FALL 2013 | 22
client base and new prospects alike. They also offer you
an opportunity to become a more valued FR. Typically,
clients with two or more policies have much higher
persistency rates and are more likely to provide referrals.
A Holistic Approach
Guardian’s leadership understands the benefits that
can be derived from utilizing cross-sell programs to
increase client loyalty and, ultimately, sales.
“The practice of cross-selling supports Guardian’s goal
of increasing revenue and profitability of our customer
base through targeted customer marketing,” says
Michael Ferik, Senior Vice President, Individual Life.
“It also allows Guardian to support our Financial
Representatives in their efforts to provide clients with
additional financial solutions and trusted advice and
meet more of their needs. As our customers progress
through life, they enter different stages triggered by
certain events. Our cross-sell programs enable us to
help Financial Representatives respond to customer
needs by providing different products to fulfill their
holistic financial needs.”
In addition to helping our customers, Michael adds
that Guardian’s cross-sell programs offer significant
advantages from a corporate standpoint. “The
programs are very cost effective to manage and deliver
a significant return on investment (ROI),” he says,
“They are an important component in achieving
profitable growth by generating increased revenues
that add to Guardian’s bottom line.”
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Calling Guardian’s cross-sell program both an “art and
a science,” Tommy Smoot, Vice President, Product
Strategy and Marketing – Individual Life, encourages
all Financial Representatives to take advantage of this
powerful customer profitability initiative. “Guardian’s
cross-sell programs are designed with the Financial
Representative in mind. In fact, our programs are built
in a manner that puts them in control,” he says. “Our
role in the Home Office is to provide all of the necessary
tools to enhance production – targeted customer lists,
unique offers, customized mailings, lead distribution,
and tracking. We’re here to make it easy for the Field
to utilize the leads that we generate, reach out to their
clients, and explore increased opportunities. At the end
of the day, our goal is to help them build on synergies
in their business and reach new levels of success.”
Cross-Sell Programs At-A-Glance
Each of Guardian’s cross-sell programs – Take Advantage with Rapid App, Term Conversion, and Disability
FALL 2013 | 23
Income Insurance to Life Insurance – were designed
to help you readily seek out eligible clients and offer
them a chance to purchase products without the hassle
of medical underwriting, ultimately giving them the
chance to meet increased financial and security goals.
t CLICK HERE for a detailed overview of each.
Guardian producers that incorporate cross-sell
strategies into their practices tend to have more longterm relationships (14 years plus) with their clients
and larger books of business. Many of these FRs also
reach Leaders Club based on their outstanding results
year after year.
Some additional benefits of the programs include:
Elite Insights
•Increased persistency rates as clients with two or
more policies usually stay with a provider longer
•Excellent up-sell opportunity for your life policyholders
•An appealing cross-sell opportunity for your
Guardian disability income insurance policyholders
•A competitive advantage to open doors to clients
with life insurance coverage from other companies
•The opportunity to build longer-term relationships
and increase referrals
To further assist its top producers focus on cross-sell
opportunities, Guardian developed the Elite Insights
Program. This customized, turnkey initiative is
designed to provide users with a deeper analysis of
their Guardian client book across all individual lines
of business, and actionable ideas to help them follow
through on cross-sell opportunities within active Life,
Individual DI, Multi-Life DI, as well as 401(k) Plan and
Advanced Sales opportunities – all delivered by our
wholesalers so opportunities can be acted upon
immediately. The program was originally introduced
to Elite producers in 2011 and has far surpassed
expectations as it relates to primary life sales.
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Service recently spoke with several
of Guardian’s top producers to see
how they were using cross-sell
strategies and the Elite Insights
program to increase their value with
clients. Scroll over images to read
individual quotes or t CLICK HERE
to read them all.
•OPTION 1: Stay alert and review your lead lists from the Take
Advantage, Term Conversion, and DI to Life email mailboxes.
Review each lead list and start contacting your clients.
View a sample of lead lists.
•OPTION 2: Generate your own lead list (available 24/7) on
MarketEDGE and make a phone call and/or send out a Take
Advantage or Term Conversion communication. Follow up
with a call to drive further consideration. t CLICK HERE for
instructions on how to build a list of eligible clients for Take
Advantage and Term Conversion.
•OPTION 3: During your Annual Review Assessment, review
gaps in your client’s coverage and use the Cross-Sell lead
lists to see if those clients have an opportunity to increase
their coverage.
•OPTION 4: Start a social conversation with your LinkedIn con-
Getting Started is Easy
There are many ways to identify eligible clients and
start a conversation about their options to purchase
additional life Insurance without medical underwriting.
FALL 2013 | 24
nections about the value of Life Insurance so that you create
value and establish yourself as an influencer/’go-to person’
when prospects and clients are ready to discuss their needs.
t CLICK HERE for more information about Guardian’s SocialWare and how to proceed.
Need Help Implementing One or More
Cross-Sell Options?
•For Marketing Assistance with any of Guardian’s
Cross-Sell Programs:
Dial: 1-877-860-5600
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
•For Life Product Questions: 1-800-871-7780, option 2, and
choice 1
•For underwriting inquiries: 1-800-441-6455, option 3, and
then option 3
•For Term Conversion: Term Conversion Unit in Bethlehem
at 610-807-6479 or 1-800-441-6455, extension 6479.
•For SocialWare visit the Social Media Web Page (Located
on GOL Homepage)
•For Online Resources visit the Cross-Sell Marketing Web
Page (Located on GOL Homepage)
Guardian Embarks on Journey
to Attract, Develop, and Advance
Women in Our Field Force
“Our focus on gender balance is about having the
best talent onboard to build long-term relationships
and align with the wants and needs of the individuals and business owners we serve. It’s also about
For more than 150 years, Guardian’s pledge has been to help people
demonstrating unparalleled knowledge and deliverachieve greater financial security; that means doing the right thing for
ing the best customer experience,” says President
our customers, with the right team and the right approach. Women have
and CEO Deanna Mulligan. “As our nation’s demoalways been a part of this equation, but today more than ever, they
graphics continue to change, women are on the
play a pivotal role in making sure that we remain relevant to all of our
verge of outnumbering men in the workforce. They
customers. That’s why Guardian has recently embarked on a formal
also make up half of all small business owners, and
gender balance strategic imperative to attract, develop, and advance
women for sales and sales leadership positions. At the heart of this effort are increasingly moving toward 50 percent of the customer base. If we’re
not recruiting enough women to our Field force, then we’re missing out
is a desire to diversify the strength of our agency sales team, leverage
on our share of the best talent that’s out there and opportunities to
the often untapped potential women can provide our industry, and turn
serve our customers the way they want to be served.”
it into yet another competitive advantage for our company.
FALL 2013 | 25
With respect to our customers’ needs, Deanna
points to recent research conducted by Guardian
which indicates that most people feel they are
underinsured, with many reporting they do not
have adequate access to a financial advisor. She
sees this as a great opportunity for Guardian.
“We have a responsibility to engage the segments
of the market that feel they are not being served,”
she says. “Women can play a big role in that, helping us to expand our presence in the marketplace
and meet additional needs of the population.”
New Opportunities to Succeed
“Ever since the earliest days in our company’s
history, female Financial Representatives have
made important contributions to our continued
success,” says Emily Viner, Vice President, Agency
Management and Leadership Development.
“When the first Leaders Club of the then Germania Life Insurance Company was held back
in 1917, two women took their place among the
company’s best – Clara D. Knight of Fargo, ND
FALL 2013 | 26
and Emma Beckmann of St.
Louis, MO laid out the path
that women have followed
over the course of nearly 100
years. Women today are not
that different than Emma
and Clara in their pursuit of a
career that offers the flexibility to meet both career and
life goals on their own terms.
An entrepreneurial career in
insurance and financial services can offer them all
of this, while simultaneously empowering them
to make a significant impact on the world around
them.”
Providing more women with the opportunity
to build a career in our industry is a win-win for
everyone concerned according to Emily. She
points to the potential benefits to companies
which employ a gender balance strategy.
“According to findings from the U.S. Senate Joint
Economic Committee’s 2010 report, Invest in
WOMEN
BY THE
NUMBERS:
> Women make up almost half of all American workers1
> They will inherit 70% of the $41 trillion in intergenera tional wealth transfer expected over the next 40 years2
> There are nearly 10.6 million women-owned businesses,
up from 6.4 million 20 years ago3
> Women today control $20 trillion of consumer spending
globally per year4
> Over 70% of female investors say they prefer to work
with a female advisor5
> Companies with 30% gender diversity on their boards
outperform those with no women by a wide margin6
Women, Invest in America, organizations committed to gender balance foster an environment
that encourages collaborative thinking, which
leads to increased innovation, stronger financial
performance, and better decision making. In fact,
teams with gender diversity double their chance of
exceeding performance expectations compared to
all male or all female teams,” she says. “It’s in the
financial services industry’s best interest not only
to hire more women, but to promote qualified candidates to sales leadership positions.”
Top Talent Knows No Gender
Kelly Kidwell, CLU, ChFC, CFP, LUTCF, Co-General
Agent of Guardian’s California Pacific Agency,
concurs with the findings of the Invest in Women,
Invest in America report and highlights the competitive advantage his firm enjoys thanks to its
commitment to hiring women as producers and
agency leaders.
“Historically, half of our top producers each year
are women and we also have five women in our
FALL 2013 | 27
sales management track.
While this is a noteworthy
accomplishment, we did not
deliberately set out to build
a diverse workforce. What
we did do is set out to build
a culture that’s focused on
attracting the best quality
people – no matter if they
are men or women,” he says.
“We never just assume that our only choices are
men. Successful tendencies and best practices
are present for men and women equally.”
Kelly notes that the first step in changing the
dynamics of a sales agency is reinventing the
recruiting process, most importantly, starting
with referrals.
“Agencies looking to attract the best candidates
need to change the way they generate referrals.
When talking with current clients and associates
in the firm, agency management should seek out
successful, capable men and women who exhibit
an unwavering commitment to helping others. If
by chance they do not know any women directly,
they should ask others in their network about
the women they know. My advice to colleagues
is if you’re not looking for
women, you’re missing some
really great candidates.”
General Agent Lloyd Polmateer of Guardian’s Washington, DC Agency is another
advocate for attracting and
retaining “A-list” professionals who are willing to
do whatever it takes to be
successful. Like Kelly, his firm has a significant
number of female FRs as well as several women
in leadership positions – a fact that speaks to the
organization’s commitment to leveraging the full
potential of a diverse talent pool.
“Having people on your team that come from
diverse backgrounds gives your business a
broader appeal and provides a great opportunity
to capture more business and help the community
in new ways,” he says. “For example, there are
segments of the community we serve – female
business owners and women who have inherited
money – that prefer to work with a female advisor.
The reasons for this are that they feel they speak
a common language and have the ability to
listen and understand each other better. Our firm
is uniquely positioned to answer this call and
build strong connections with this lucrative and
growing demographic.”
What Does the Field Think?
Guardian recently conducted a short Field survey
to gain clarity into the potential differences and
similarities between male and female FRs’ perceptions and experiences in their profession as well
as how women view their career as an FR. These
insights are now being used to help inform our
company’s gender balance strategic imperative.
t CLICK HERE to read a summary of the key findings.
FALL 2013 | 28
The Time is Now
Having reviewed the survey
findings and understanding
how they connect to the
changing marketplace demographics, Chief Operating
Officer Scott Dolfi is confident
that we have a great opportunity ahead of us. He strongly
encourages all of Guardian’s
agency leaders to make a commitment to change –
and change for the better.
“If you visit Guardian’s operations centers across
the country, we have a majority of female leaders
who generate outstanding results year in and year
out,” he says. “However, when you go into the
Field, we’re not where we need to be. Having a
team that truly reflects our marketplace is critical
to our future. It will lead to increased innovation,
improved financial performance, and better
decision making for Guardian overall and, most
importantly, for our policyholders/customers.
There are few professions today where you can
wake up and know you have the ability to help
others and do something great for society. We can
do this because we feel good about the products
we provide and the value we deliver. Having more
women as FRs will further strengthen our ability to
build meaningful connections, ultimately helping
us grow. The time is now to make this a reality.”
Sources:
1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012
2 Newsweek, July 2010, Boston College Center on Wealth and Philanthropy, 2009
3 Center for Women’s Business Research, “Key Facts about Women-Owned Businesses, 2008-2009”
4 Financial Categories Where Untapped Sales to Women Are Worth Trillions, Harvard Business Review
5 Spectrem Group, Study of Wealthy Women Investors, June 2011
6 The 30% Solution: Growing Your Business by Winning and Keeping Women
Advisors, 2013
Guardian’s Leaders
Club Recognizes
Field Excellence
The 2013 Leaders Club conference held in
Orlando in May showcased the accomplishments
of the top performers in Guardian’s Field force.
Qualifying for Leaders Club is a challenging
task; attendees must meet stringent production
goals as well as be in good compliance
standing in order to earn an invitation. This
year, 618 members of the Field force qualified
to attend the Leaders Club meeting. Once
there, conference attendees benefited from
motivational presentations and the sharing
of best practices from fellow Field leaders and
Home Office associates. They also celebrated the
successes of 2012 and gained a clear focus on
how our company plans to build on our proven
strengths to attain even greater success in the
future. The following presents highlights of this
year’s meeting.
FALL 2013 | 29
Aligned for Success
President and CEO Deanna Mulligan kicked off
the meeting by congratulating Guardian’s Leaders
Club qualifiers for the role they played in making
2012 a great year for our company. She celebrated
the group’s legacy of lasting achievements, dating
back to 1917 when our company first held this annual event, and underscored what it truly means to
be a Guardian leader in today’s environment. With
an eye to the future, Deanna affirmed why Guardian’s FRs are uniquely positioned to redefine how
Americans think about and use insurance and
other financial products, and she envisioned how a
more gender and ethnically diverse Field force will
help our company transform elusive markets into
powerful revenue streams – while also helping
Guardian more closely represent the communities
we serve. She concluded her remarks by reminding
attendees how we at Guardian are the sum of our
values, and how “Right Here, Right Now” we are
aligned for another year of growth and success.
Additional Home Office presentations included
Chief Operating Officer Scott Dolfi explaining
why Guardian is in a unique position as a company
to thrive in a time of uncertainty; Michael Ferik,
Senior Vice President, Individual Life, outlining
the pieces that are strategically falling into place to
build on success; Don Sullivan, Senior Vice President, Agency Distribution and PAS, discussing
what it means to have a spirit of “generous excellence” and the importance of being the best you
can possibly be; and Bob Broatch, EVP and Chief
Financial Officer, and Tom Sorell, EVP and Chief
Investment Officer sharing an overview of Guardian’s financial performance and investment results.
Learning from Guardian’s Field Leaders
One of the most important components of Guardian’s annual Leaders Club meeting is the presence
of Field leaders who share valuable insights about
the marketplace and the building blocks of their
long-term success. It’s this commitment to the
exchange of best practices and lifelong learning
that continues to strengthen Guardian’s Career
Agency system and our value proposition to our
policyholders. t CLICK HERE for a summary of
this year’s Field presentations.
Recognizing Outstanding Performance
In addition to hearing about important initiatives
from Field leaders and Home Office associates,
Leaders Club attendees received well-deserved
recognition for their outstanding performance.
(Continued 0n page 30)
Life & Qualifying Members have qualified for at
least five consecutive years. They are:
Centurion Club Qualifiers
This year, the following individuals who were in
attendance at Leaders Club were recognized as
First-Time Centurion Club Qualifiers:
James Desrocher
Michael Schwartz
Worcester
Short Hills
Qualifying Members are those who have not only
achieved Centurion level, but have also maintained it over multiple years. In attendance at
Leaders Club were:
Elie Engel
Matt Fine
Mark Crites
Brooklyn
Worcester
Dallas-South Texas
FALL 2013 | 30
2 Years
3 Years
8 Years
Mike Oates
William Katz
Eric Studley
Randy Fine
Southeast-Atlanta MHR
NY Mazzei
NY Mazzei
Worcester
9 Years
11 Years
12 Years
20 Years
Praetorian Club Qualifiers
Financial Representatives who produce 200 or
more paid cases within a given calendar year, of
which a minimum of 150 are Life, Pension Trust,
Specialty Life, DI, or Berkshire Term cases, earn
the honor of being called Praetorian Club members. This year, two Financial Representatives in
attendance at Leaders Club were recognized with
this elite award:
Mark Crites
Eric Studley
Dallas-South Texas
NY Mazzei
1 Year
9 Years
Brian H. Early Frontline Excellence Award
This award recognizes sales managers who have
shown exemplary performance in their current
position and who have direct responsibility for a
portion of an agency or firm, including recruiting,
launching, and supervising new agents or advisors. Nominees must demonstrate outstanding
success in contributing to their firm or agency’s
growth through the leadership of their sales
organizations. This year’s winner, Joel Stein from
the Brooklyn Agency, recruited nine FRs in 2012,
increased the number of APR qualifiers by eight,
and had six Client Builder Award winners and 15
Leaders Club qualifiers. With a total of $3.2 million
in commission credits produced by his team, Joel
surpassed all of his sales management colleagues
at Guardian as our company’s top sales manager.
Leadership Awards
These awards recognize the top producer in each
specific line of business.
Equity Sales Award
This award was presented to Nick Liapunov of
New York RHB in recognition of being the top
producer in proprietary annuity and mutual fund
sales with $11.8 million in production.
Combined Group Sales Award
Muzzy Bass from the Dallas-South Texas Agency
earned this award with $1.8 million in combined
Group premium during 2012.
National Retirement Plans Award
This recognition was presented to Ambrose Carr
from New York RHB for producing $7.6 million of
Guardian Advantage and Guardian Choice sales.
Individual DI Premium Award
The winner of this year’s Individual DI Premium
Award, Eric Studley from NY Mazzei, led the Field
with $528,000 in individual DI premium.
Leadership Award for Lives Production
Presented for the ninth year in a row to Eric
Studley from NY Mazzei, this award recognized
him for leading the company with 364 lives.
Leadership Award for Life Premium
This year’s winner, Eric Bouskila from NY Mazzei,
produced $3.8 million in Life premiums.
Passing of the Medallion
After recognizing the outstanding job that John
Lentz of the North/Central Florida Agency did in
helping to grow the company for years to come
FALL 2013 | 31
during his tenure as the 2012-2013 President of the
Executive Committee, President and CEO Deanna
Mulligan presented him with a gavel plaque to
commemorate his distinguished term. With John
and his wife Maria on stage, Deanna introduced
the next President of the Executive Committee,
Eric Studley from Guardian’s NY Mazzei Agency,
and shared highlights of his career with Guardian.
Upon reaching the stage, Eric accepted the responsibility of serving as 2013-2014 President and
vowed to do his absolute best to live up to the
high standards that Guardian is well known for.
“Oftentimes in this business, people pay us for
something they don’t want to use; but with me,
that’s not true. My clients get so much more,” he
says. “They get someone with compassion, someone who cares about them as individuals, and the
knowledge that they are working with a professional they can trust and depend on in the good
times and the bad. And now with more than 5,000
clients, I have built that long-lasting practice
based on the highest level of ethics and professionalism.”
t CLICK HERE to watch a video introduction to
Eric Studley.
Looking Ahead to Next Year
With the books closed on this year’s meeting,
now’s the time to set your sights on qualifying to
attend the 2014 Leaders Club in New Orleans.
t CLICK HERE for full qualification guidelines.
Setting a
New Record
Michele Lee Fine of New York RHB Named
Guardian’s Top Producer for 2012
Working hard and putting her clients’ needs
first have helped Financial Representative
Michele Lee Fine of Guardian’s New York RHB
Agency consistently achieve outstanding results during her 14-year career in our industry.
While her colleagues are used to seeing her
name listed on the company roster as a
perennial Chairman’s Council qualifier, this
year Michele achieved an even higher honor,
earning recognition as the number one overall
producer for 2012. Making this accomplishment all the more notable is the fact that she
is the first woman in Guardian’s 153-year history to place at the top of this leader board.
FALL 2013 | 32
Service spoke to Michele to get insights into
her successful philosophy for working with
her clients, how she manages change, and
the effect of the emerging role of women in
the financial world. She also discusses her
appreciation for diversity, defines what she
feels is the most important element of longterm success, and shares her positive outlook
on the current financial environment.
Service: How have you managed change over
the course of your career?
Michele: I always make sure that I am increasing and improving my knowledge of
what’s current. This includes experience
with new tax laws, regulations, and what’s
relevant in the economy. It’s also important
to understand what issues are timeless, and
having these anchor my philosophy and the
planning that I do to ensure that I’m leading
my clients and advising them on the
right strategies that can create valuable
opportunities to protect, preserve, and
grow their assets.
S: Who is your target client group?
M: I work with various markets, including business owners and high net worth
individuals. There is also a third group I
like to call motivated people. This group
may not be business owners or may not
be high net worth right now. However,
if they are motivated to be proactive
and make a difference, and they are
appreciative, I’m motivated to help them
take their planning to the next level.
S: What are your thoughts on the
emerging role of women in the financial
landscape?
M: Over the past three to four years, I
have started working with more women.
This is due in part to the fact that today,
there are a lot more women in positions
of power and control of money… whether through death or divorce or from
FALL 2013 | 33
owning a very successful business. I
want to empower these women and
provide really exceptional results, and
I want to be their advocate. My work in
the women’s market has grown because
I‘ve developed great relationships.
I’m always looking to connect great
people together, so that’s led to a great
energy and synergy in the markets that
I work with.
concerns and
show them that I
respect who they
are – no matter
their gender,
race, or culture.
It’s important to
me to get to know
them not just
as numbers and
assets, but as
people first. This includes their personal
and cultural backgrounds; there should
be no barriers.
S: How do you manage the changing
face of the client?
I understand what it’s like to have a rich
cultural background full of substance
and depth. This heritage gives me a
tremendous amount of appreciation for
diversity for all different types of people.
I appreciate who they are, celebrate who
they are, and then give it my all to provide them the right type of protection
and help give them a better life.
M: When working with my clients, I look
to really understand their goals and
S: What is your strategy for achieving
success for your clients?
M: I look to build a strong financial
foundation and structure for my clients
that will stand the test of time and
yield exceptional results. My goal is
to create wealth for my clients in the
short term, mid range, and long-term
horizons. We work together to allocate
dollars, savings, and assets that will
achieve all of these targets.
When investing, especially in today’s
market, I advise clients to spread their
wealth across six major asset classes
and position their portfolio in a way to
protect against market downturns.
Michele Lee Fine is a Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance
Company of America, New York, NY and a
Registered Representative and Financial
Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC
(PAS). Securities products/services and
advisory services are offered by PAS, 800
Westchester Avenue, Rye Brook, NY 10573
(914) 288-8800. PAS is a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer.
PAS is a member FINRA/ SIPC.
During the week of July 8,
2013, Guardian held its
seventh annual Living
Balance Sheet® (LBS) Sales
Forum in Denver, Colorado.
Nearly 600 attendees
from over 65 Guardian General Agencies
attended the three-and-a-half-day event.
The event was led by Robert Ball, former General Agent and
architect of The Living Balance Sheet® (LBS). Bob laid the
groundwork for this exciting event by defining the LBS core
philosophy and explaining how it challenges traditional
financial thinking and many of the pitfalls that come with
it. Presentations were given to provide attendees with a
thorough grounding in the LBS philosophy and sales
process, which included a training session on LBS
calculators led by members of the LBS Faculty (which
consists of Guardian Sales Managers and FRs who offer
their time and expertise to teach others about LBS).
Forum attendees also had the opportunity to hear from
and interact with special guest speakers, including
Michael Ferik, Senior Vice President & PCO Individual Life,
Tommy Smoot, Vice President, Product Strategy & Marketing - Individual Life, Jim Lake, GIAC Annuity National
Sales Manager, and Rico Nelson, Associate General Agent,
Denver Agency. And, for the first time, the meeting featured
a Women’s Networking Session, which provided an
opportunity for Guardian’s female FRs to connect with other
Guardian women who share the same joys and challenges
experienced in their day-to-day business life.
One of the highlights of the event was a live demonstration
featuring clients of Financial Representative Neill Turner
of Guardian’s Denver Agency. Main Forum speaker Bob
Ball led a married couple through the process of using LBS,
illustrating the opportunities to build and protect their
wealth and achieve financial balance.
t CLICK HERE to watch a short video containing highlights
of this year’s Forum.
FALL 2013 | 34
(Continued fom page 34)
LBS Forum was a great event
containing a tremendous amount of
information. As a new agent, it pulled
the concepts and tools together
This was indeed one of the best invest- all
for me. I absolutely loved the live
ments of time and resources. I look
client case!
forward with great anticipation to
next year’s Forum and, in the interim, This was my first LBS Forum in my
utilizing this tool to its fullest in
six years at Guardian. It was very
growing my practice.
enlightening! If there is a way to
make this mandatory for every new
This was the best training session
rep, I feel that this would make a
that I have ever been to in my life.
huge impact on any new FR’s career.
I’ll never miss another.
Reaction to The Living Balance Sheet® Forum from
Guardian’s Field force was exceptionally positive, as
demonstrated by the following feedback received:
FALL 2013 | 35
The 2013 Forum was awesome. It
gave me an adrenaline-like shot
of confidence to emotionally convey
to my clients and prospects that we
will be the best financial resource
in their life.
For more information on LBS, visit
www.thelivingbalancesheet.com.
The Living Balance Sheet® and The Living Balance Sheet® logo are registered service marks of The
Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), New York, NY. The graphics and text used herein
are the exclusive property of Guardian and protected under U.S. and international copyright laws.
© Copyright 2005-2013, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America
Five Questions with Dr. Eric Studley,
2013-2014 President of the Field
Executive Committee
Being elected president of Guardian’s
Field Executive Committee is an honor
reserved for a select few Financial
Representatives who possess a deep
commitment to grow and protect our
company, while also taking their own
personal practice to new heights.
For Financial Representative Dr. Eric
Studley of Guardian’s NY Mazzei
Agency, the opportunity to serve in
this role for the company he’s called
home for the past 12 years is the
chance of a lifetime.
Service spoke to Eric to get insights
into why he’s so passionate about
his new role, what his priorities are
in the year ahead, and what type of
mindset is required to be successful
in our industry.
Congratulations on being elected President of the
Field Executive Committee for 2013-2014. What are your top
priorities for the year ahead?
Eric: There are several areas I am interested in focusing on.
The first is to continue the exceptional work my predecessors in
this role accomplished in regard to collaborating with the Field
Advisory Board (FAB). It’s critical that we maintain this momentum so that the Field has a strong voice at Guardian. Second,
I am passionate about increasing disability awareness out in
the agencies, since this is a product that’s near and dear to me
personally. My third priority is to contribute to the growth of our
Field force by focusing on college students and grooming them
for a career in the financial services arena. I believe that we
should advise them on the type of courses they should be taking
to get them involved in our industry early and help make them
more marketable. Finally, I am eager to explore how we can
develop a mentorship program for those FRs who joined our
company through the “Be a Guardian Hero” program. The aim
would be to pair these new recruits with seasoned veterans who
could provide individualized coaching.
FALL 2012 | 36
The importance of honesty and integrity in our business
has often been something you have championed. What is
their value in your eyes?
E: I am a strong believer that maintaining the highest level of
ethics should be one’s paramount mission in order to ensure
endless longevity in this profession. Often times, our clients do
not know how great our products and plans are until they need to
use them many years in the future. What they are actually buying
is a promise from an FR and a relationship based on trust. If you
start your career with honesty and integrity and always keep these
beliefs at the forefront of everything you do, you will have a much
greater end result.
Another important consideration is diversity. New FRs should
focus on exploring different niches to gauge which ones work for
them and gives them accessibility to the right types of clients.
They should also actively seek out opportunities to work with
experts in their firm to learn best practices, particularly about
closing the sale.
As a career changer, you have unique insights into the
process and benefits of exchanging a previous job for a lifetime of service as a Guardian FR. What would attract someone
in another industry to this vocation? How can we let them
know about this great opportunity?
You spoke at Leaders Club about doing your best to live
up to the high standards that Guardian is well known for. Can
you talk a little bit about what skills/mindset are required to
be successful in this career?
E: Building a career in financial services offers many, many
benefits. Chief among them is independence, the ability to be
an individual entrepreneur, the chance to be creative, and
continual opportunities to learn and grow. We are also fortunate
to get to be what I like to refer to as our own CLO – Chief Life
Officer – by taking charge of our own destiny.
E: Initially, you need to come into this profession knowing that
it is a long-term investment; success does not often occur overnight. You also need to focus on developing relationships, not
looking for sales. Sales will follow once you have cemented
positive relationships. Longevity is the key.
Those of us in the Field are the best source of advertising about
the benefits of working in our industry. Every day, as we talk to
people and build relationships, we are in a prime position to
share the many positives of the career and help recruit new feet
on the street. This is an important shared responsibility.
FALL 2013 | 37
In your opinion, why is this a great time to build a
career in the insurance and financial services industry in
general and at Guardian specifically?
E: The time is right for talented professionals to enter the
insurance and financial services industry, build a successful
practice, and never hit a plateau. I believe there are several
reasons for this. One is that the media is constantly discussing
that it is now more important than ever that individuals and
business owners work with a financial advisor. In addition,
they report that many baby boomers will not be able to rely on
social security and therefore will be in need of sound financial
guidance. Another is the steady influx of women professionals
in the workforce, including in our industry. This opens doors to
new potential clients and allows companies like ours to meet
increased needs by better reflecting society at large.
With regard to Guardian, our company’s vision of growth over
the next decade truly is innovative. We are not looking to stand
still; instead, our organization will be progressing into the next
century. Our continued success lies in our willingness to take
chances, try new things, and successfully meet the ever-changing needs of clients and prospective clients. From my vantage
point, we are well positioned to achieve whatever goals we set
for ourselves. It is a very exciting time to be part of Guardian.
Educated and Inspired
to Build Something
Meaningful
Attendees at the 2013 Women Producers’
Summit Receive Knowledge and Inspiration
Guardian’s 2013 Women Producers’
Summit was held from August 27
to 29 at the Sheraton Lincoln
Harbor Hotel in Weehauken, NJ.
The annual event, organized by the
company’s Agency Management
and Leadership Development and
Agency Marketing teams, gives
female Financial Representatives
the opportunity to expand their
knowledge, gather best practices,
and make meaningful connections
with their peers and industry
professionals.
More than 100 women attended this
year’s Summit, many of them for the
FALL 2013 | 38
first time. Attendees came from
agencies across the country, with
one thing in common – a desire to
better themselves and the lives of
their clients.
Emily Viner, Vice President, Agency
Management and Leadership Development, challenged attendees to
capitalize on their roles as FRs to
engage female clients and to start
meaningful conversations with other
women about pursuing impactful
careers as FRs. “An article in The
Economist recently cited women’s
economic empowerment as arguably the biggest social change of our
time,” she said. “I didn’t know when
I started out in this business it would
be something so meaningful… It’s
been such a rewarding career. The
opportunities available to you are
simply amazing.”
Jill Cooley, President, Park Avenue
Securities, also reflected on her life
before and after arriving at Guardian.
“I got the opportunity to come to Park
Avenue Securities and I said, ‘yes,’
knowing I was taking a sizeable risk
in my career,” she said. “Two years
in at Guardian, I have no regrets, no
looking back, and I’ve loved every
minute of it.”
Click on the image above, right to view
the “Meaningful Connections” video
which was debuted at the Women
Producers’ Summit.
In addition to informative and motivational speeches from key Guardian
FALL 2013 | 39
leaders, the Summit also featured
several workshops led by some of
the company’s most prominent FRs.
Topics included:
• Understanding the 401(k)
retirement plan marketplace
• Attracting women clients
• Adding investments to deepen
client relationships
• Understanding executive benefits
• Managing one’s practice
• Communicating via social media
• Using social media to recruit
clients and new hires
• Estate planning
In between sessions, several attendees expressed gratitude at having
the rare opportunity to connect with
other women in the industry. Firsttime attendee Frances Figueroa Fizzano, a Financial Advisor for Park
Avenue Securities at Independence
Planning Group (Philadelphia),
especially appreciated meeting so
many successful female FRs. Prior to
joining Guardian, Francis spent 20
years working in the pharmaceutical
industry.
“To really make it in this world,
you’re driving and creating your
entire business. This is something
I have never experienced before,”
she said. “To see women who have
done this successfully for so many
years is the primary reason why I
came here. I also attended to get
ideas, establish relationships, and
increase my level of knowledge of
the process.”
Financial Representative Crystal
Gordon was a dental hygienist for
seven years before starting her
current career at Certified Financial
Services (Ridgewood Agency) in
Paramus, NJ. Her interest in finance
began when she started planning
her own financial future, and she
grew to appreciate Guardian and
her firm’s focus on people, not just
dollars and cents.
“CFS has more of a family feel,”
she said. “We’re not just product
driven, not sales driven. We’re
more focused on helping our
clients achieve full financial balance. I feel very comfortable and
confident that we’re giving them
the tools they need to be happy
and successful in retirement.”
Kim Cohen, who works at National
Planning Corporation in Miami,
FALL 2013 | 40
started her FR career because she
appreciated the financial freedom
and flexible schedule that the role
allows. She expressed confidence
in Guardian’s commitment to attract
more female clients and recruit more
female FRs, and sees this as a step in
the right direction for the company.
gathering, which is scheduled to take
place on April 22-24 at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota in Florida.
“It’s rewarding to know that
through our combined efforts we
were able to inspire this year’s
group of attendees and help reinforce that they made the right
“Guardian’s focus on gender
decision to build a career in the
balance positions our company as insurance and financial services
a forward-thinking organization
industry,” concludes Emily Viner.
with regard to the ever-increasing “Our hope is that we continue
role of female professionals,”
to see the number of attendees
she said. “I think this strategic
grow, as evidence of a larger
imperative will help us achieve
proportion of female FRs entering
new levels of success.”
the business and building
thriving practices.”
Looking Ahead with Excitement
Women Producers’ Summit organizers could not have been more pleased
with the results of this year’s meeting and look forward to continuing
the positive momentum at next year’s
To learn more about the event,
contact Maureen Charles or
Digna Figueroa.
Raising the
Curtain on Act II
FR Marguerite Rangel
Maximizes Her Success as
a Guardian Career Changer
Leaving a thriving law practice behind
helped Marguerite Rangel, CLU, ChFC
embark on what she describes as the
most rewarding work of her life – building
relationships and improving lives as a
Financial Representative in Guardian’s
California Pacific Agency. Having run her
own business for 12 years, Marguerite feels
she’s uniquely positioned to understand
the mindset of today’s busy professionals
and the concerns that matter most to
them. She’s now taking her experience and
insights and channeling them into her work
FALL 2013 | 41
at Guardian – deriving personal fulfillment
and achieving professional success at the
same time.
“Becoming a financial advisor as a career
changer offered me the advantage of
having had a professional background
outside of financial services, which helps
me to understand what my clients are going
through. I can draw on the experience of
owning my own practice and provide a different perspective,” she says. “Analyzing
a client’s finances is very personal and
requires a high level of trust. Our clients want to
connect with someone who understands them, and
know that the person helping them has their best
interests in mind in crafting the right solutions to
fit their specific needs.”
An Approach that Works
Being focused on solutions is nothing new to
Marguerite, a 15-year veteran of the insurance
industry and perennial Guardian President’s
Council qualifier. She credits her longevity and
success in the business to her continual quest to
expand her knowledge base and her unwavering
commitment to honesty and sincerity.
FALL 2013 | 42
“No matter where I have been in my
career, learning new things has always
been a priority. This pursuit of knowledge
has helped me to speak with confidence
and build credibility, ensuring I remain
relevant and relatable,” she says. “As
a Guardian Financial Representative, I
avail myself of every educational opportunity the company offers. Whether it’s
participating in study groups with other
successful agents, conducting joint work
with my colleagues, attending industry
conferences, or working with the Business
Resource Center (BRC), I try to soak it all
up and expand my mind.”
And, while Marguerite is always open to acquiring
new skills and best practices, she never changes
what’s at the heart of how she treats people.
“The most important factor to building a successful practice is to have integrity, and that includes
being true to who you are. You cannot be someone
you are not,” she says. “People respond to
sincerity and transparency, and they are looking
to financial professionals to help them have
emotional peace of mind. It’s profoundly satisfying
to work with clients and witness what I like to refer
to as their moment to exhale – the realization that
our work together is successful, that what we have
been leading them to do is producing the results
they desire and they are well positioned for the
future.”
Guardian-Sponsored
LPGA Golf Tournament
a Huge Success
Guardian’s Retirement Solutions business area
recently participated in the first-ever companysponsored LPGA Golf tournament, the Guardian
Retirement Championship. The event took place
at the Sara Bay Country Club in Sarasota, FL.
Retirement Solutions sponsored the tournament
to support local charitable causes, promote the
Guardian brand, and reward some of their top
producers of 2012 for their great successes
last year.
In attendance were a group of top Field producers
from throughout Guardian’s agency network, as
well as Mike Cefole, Senior Vice President & PCO,
Retirement Solutions; Jill Cooley, President, Park
Avenue Securities (PAS); Doug Dubitsky, VP,
FALL 2013 | 43
Product Management, Individual Annuity; Jim
Lake, Vice President, National Sales Manager Annuity; Stephen Davis, Vice President, National
Sales Manager – 401(k); Kim Flemm, VP, Operations; and Robert Chamerda, AVP, Competitive
Intelligence & Key Account Management.
t CLICK HERE to view photos from the
tournament.
Professionals and Amateurs
Guardian’s top producers arrived on April 23 and
kicked off the week-long event by volunteering
their time at the All Faiths Food Bank, a local charity. Dalton Sheffield from Guardian’s Tallahassee
Agency was one of the participants. He could not
have been more pleased by the opportunity to bond
with his peers and give back to the community.
Southwest Agency, was paired up with golf pro
Sara Brown during the Pro-Am event.
“Our first day at the LPGA event was filled with
great surprise. We all took a journey to a local food
bank and worked alongside various LPGA pros
sorting food and packing boxes,” he says. “We
had such a large group of Guardian Financial Representatives and Home Office associates that we
packed an abundance of boxes that were ready to
ship out to the local shelters for distribution. What
a refreshing way to start off a recognition event, by
giving back to people in need.”
“She was amazing,” says Pete. “Sara was a true
ambassador of golf and gave wonderful golfing tips
that made it a memorable experience.”
For the next two days, Guardian attendees split
into groups, paired up, and teed off with LPGA
golfers for the tournament’s Pro-Am golf outing.
Producer Peter Arndt, who works for Guardian’s
FALL 2013 | 44
On April 28, Jill Cooley presented the championship cup to tournament winner Christine Song
from Burbank, CA. “Christine put on a phenomenal
performance this weekend,” said Jill. “Guardian is
proud to sponsor this year’s event here in Sarasota
and we’re just as proud to present her with our
first-ever Retirement Championship trophy.”
Always Time for Education
During the week, many of Guardian’s Field
producers took part in a few Retirement Solutions
seminars, which featured informative discussions
led by senior leaders like Doug Dubitsky.
“The educational session on how Guardian stacks
up to the competition was really beneficial,” says
Monte Sperling of New York RHB. “After the event,
I immediately identified clients who could benefit
from having guaranteed income for life. I’m really
glad I attended.”
The session included a few top women producers
such as Joleen Mainz from the Northern States
Agency who shared that “it was wonderful to be
amongst an intimate group of advisors, it gave me
the chance to get to know and interact with others
more deeply. I appreciated the tailored education
session and hearing from the different speakers.”
Guardian’s Presidential Citation Award Conference
Motivates Sales Managers to Excel
At Guardian, a key focus of our General Agency system
is attracting and building relationships with the right
people with the right capabilities that will contribute to the
success of the business. Guardian’s Sales Managers play
a critical role in this process by recruiting, training, and
developing the future Leaders, Executive, President’s, and
Chairman’s Club producers – who in turn are the lifeblood
that fuels Guardian’s continued growth and productivity.
FALL 2013 | 45
As a means to recognize outstanding achievements and
motivate future success, Guardian hosts the prestigious
Presidential Citation Award (PCA) Conference annually for
qualifying Sale Managers who excel in recruiting and developing quality Financial Representatives – two key activities
that form the basis of this agency leadership role. There
are four levels of qualification – Platinum, Gold, Silver, and
Bronze – each with its own corresponding point requirements and rewards. The PCA Conference provides a forum
where attendees can get together in a premier destination
to celebrate their achievements and share best practices.
For 2013, 65 of 83 PCA qualifiers gathered in sunny
Bermuda in early June to:
BE INSPIRED BY DYNAMIC SPEAKERS
ATTEND LEADING PRACTICES SESSIONS ON TOPICS
SUCH AS RECRUITING, SOCIAL MEDIA, GENDER
BALANCE, AND PRACTICE DEVELOPMENT
CELEBRATE WITH PEERS AT THE AWARDS
RECOGNITION DINNER
ENJOY CAMARADERIE, NETWORK, AND RECONNECT
WITH COLLEAGUES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
t CLICK HERE to see the list of 2013 PCA Qualifiers.
Emily Viner, Vice President, Agency Management and
Leadership Development, is proud of what this year’s
PCA qualifiers have accomplished and truly appreciates
the group’s continued commitment to excellence. “My
congratulations go out to Guardian’s Sales Managers for
another year of outstanding results in recruiting, retaining,
FALL 2013 | 46
and developing Financial Representatives for profitable
growth,” she says. “I want to personally thank everyone
who contributed to these notable recruiting efforts. As we
move ahead through the remainder of 2013, I encourage all
Sales Managers to continue to raise the bar on recruiting
talented FRs, so we can set a new record of achievement
and increase our presence in the marketplace. I am
confident in our ability to succeed.”
For information on how you can qualify to attend next
year’s meeting at the Ritz in Naples, FL, please contact
any of the following individuals:
Emily Viner (212) 598-8050 Digna Figueroa (212) 598-8828
Gail Kelman (212) 919-7058 Chris Panell (646) 465-2764
Shane Shinn (646) 841-2496 Ike de Guzman (212) 598-8017
“I always make sure that I am increasing and improving my knowledge of what’s current. This includes experience with new tax laws,
regulations, and what’s relevant in the economy. It’s also important
to understand what issues are timeless, and having these anchor
my philosophy and the planning that I do to ensure that I’m leading
my clients and advising them on the right strategies that can create
valuable opportunities to protect, preserve, and grow their assets.”
— MICHELE LEE FINE
FINANCIAL REPRESENTATIVE
NEW YORK RHB
KUDOS TO...
...The Bulfinch Group (Boston Agency) for donating
$40,000 to support The Riverside Trauma Center’s
work with anti-bullying and teen suicide prevention, and the Boston Marathon bombing victims. The
money was raised through corporate sponsorships,
donations, and silent auctions as part of the firm’s sixth annual charity
golf tournament.
HEARD AROUND THE FIELD...
“The most important factor to building a successful
practice is to have integrity, and that includes
being true to who you are. You cannot be someone
you are not. People respond to sincerity and
transparency, and they are looking to financial
professionals to help them have emotional peace
of mind. It’s profoundly satisfying to work with
clients and witness what I like to refer to as their
moment to exhale – the realization that our work
together is successful, that what we have been
leading them to do is producing the results they
desire and they are well positioned for the future.”
— MARGUERITE RANGEL
FINANCIAL REPRESENTATIVE
CALIFORNIA PACIFIC AGENCY
FALL 2013 | 47

The Guardian - guardianservicemagazine.com

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