Guardian appoints head of stop loss

The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) appointed Robert J. Melillo as head of stop loss for Group Insurance. Melillo is responsible for the business strategy and management of Guardian’s Stop-Loss business and will report to Raymond Marra, vice president of Group Products.

Last October, Guardian introduced a Stop Loss insurance product for employers that self-fund their own health plans. Guardian’s Stop Loss insurance, currently approved in 46 states and the District of Columbia.

Melillo joins Guardian from USI Insurance Services, where he served as National Vice President of Risk Financing Solutions. He has nearly 20 years of experience in the Group Insurance Industry, reaching across a variety of group benefit products, including fully insured medical, dental, life and disability, as well as managed care services with more than 15 of those years concentrated in the stop-loss market.  A graduate of Post University, he currently serves as Chairman of the Health Care Committee of the Self-Insurance Institute of America (SIIA) and previously served on its Government Relations Committee.

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Also, Morgan Stanley has included Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company’s The Guardian Advantage and The Guardian Choice funding vehicles in its suite of retirement products. In addition to joining Morgan Stanley’s sales platform, Guardian has been selected to participate in Morgan Stanley’s Sales & Training Provider Program.

The expansion into Morgan Stanley caps off a year of significant enhancements to Guardian’s product, service, and sales platform. Highlights include broadening the investment options available,  increasing the national sales team, earning the J.D. Power Call Center Certification award for the third consecutive year, launching a national series of educational seminars for financial professionals, and developing an enhanced enrollment magazine.

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