BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Symetra Life Insurance Company today announced new appointments within its Benefits Division sales leadership team as it positions the division’s three product sales lines — group life and disability income, medical stop-loss and fixed-payment indemnity insurance — to better serve employee benefits brokers and third party administrators in a new Affordable Care Act era.
Jeff Farmer has been named national sales director, Group Life and Disability Income Insurance. A 26-year employee benefits market veteran, Farmer assumes responsibility for leading the external wholesaling team as the group life and disability income product line adds absence management services and continues to expand through partnerships with key employee benefits brokers and consultants across the United States. Farmer is based in Norcross, Ga., and reports to Craig Raymond, senior vice president, Group Life and Disability Income Insurance.
To better support the self-funded insurance market, Symetra has segmented its medical stop-loss sales distribution channel into two regions. Based in Boston, Regional Vice President Thomas Costello will manage the Eastern region. Chicago- and Bellevue, Wash.-based Regional Vice President Thomas Bittner is responsible for the West/Central region. Bittner and Costello are tasked with identifying new ways to meet employers’ evolving needs as a result of health care reform changes. They report to Michael Fry, executive vice president, Benefits Division.
Focusing on opportunities in the supplemental medical market, Symetra has tapped Bill Edrington to head up distribution of its Select Benefits fixed-payment indemnity insurance. Edrington will drive initiatives to increase awareness of additional coverage options for employer-sponsored health care plans. Based in Norcross, Ga., Edrington reports to Michael Fry.
“Symetra recognizes that today’s evolving employee benefits environment demands the expertise of seasoned sales leaders and an experienced field force who can help benefits brokers successfully navigate regulatory complexities and identify plan opportunities on behalf of their customers,” said Michael Fry. “In their new roles, the Benefits Divison’s sales leadership team will help ensure that Symetra is well-positioned to deliver solutions that meet employer requirements.”
About Symetra
Symetra Life Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Symetra Financial Corporation (NYSE: SYA), a diversified financial services company based in Bellevue, Wash. In business since 1957, Symetra provides employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through a national network of benefit consultants, financial institutions, and independent agents and advisors. For more information, visit www.symetra.com.
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