Meet 4 execs who are shaping the insurance industry of the future

CATEGORY: MARKET INNOVATION
RON ALEXANDER
Senior vice president, growth and business improvement
Crump Life Insurance Services

Ron Alexander has been with Crump Life Insurance Services for eight years. He now serves as vice president of growth and business development. Early in his career, the producer saw a need for more personalization for agents in the industry. Prior to joining Crump in 2008, Ron held a number of high-tech business leadership roles at a major insurance company, a global financial services company, and a start-up that was eventually acquired by Crump. He also serves as chief innovator with the creation of Crump’s new technology.

As Crump’s online brokerage and direct-to-consumer platform, InsureNOW Direct’s mission is to enable the future of life insurance distribution by making it as easy as possible for producers to sell and consumers to buy the products that Crump supports.

In minutes, producers can enter orders (aka “drop-tickets”) for InsureNOW Direct to make sales or take applications on their behalf for any product Crump distributes (life, LTC, DI and annuities). InsureNOW also offers private labeled websites and quoters that can be available within 48 hours for use directly with consumers.The leads from these sites can route back to Crump’s producers or call centers where we call the leads and potentially make sales within minutes of receipt.

These new services give Crump the ability to offer support for any-to-every step in the distribution process, which helps existing producers compete more effectively and opens the door for enabling emerging channels such as robo-advice, social media and online retail.

“We surveyed our producers and found that the majority of them wanted us to provide online tools for consumers and the ability to rapidly request direct-to consumer services for tasks they’d prefer to outsource — such as taking applications and selling unfamiliar products,” says Alexander. “So, we built InsureNOW Direct to do just that.”

Whether it’s offering direct-to-consumer services, consumer websites, mobile apps, consumer marketing services or one-stop advisor portals, Alexander believes that market innovation can make it significantly easier for producers to sell — and consumers to buy — the products Crump supports … and perhaps start to redefine how life insurance is distributed.

“Ron has spearheaded our company’s growth in the direct-to-consumer market- ing space, while enabling us to stay true to our value proposition of providing industry leading client experience and services to independent producers and institutions,” says Sherri Lindenberg, senior vice president at Crump.

HONORABLE MENTION

JERRY AND MIKE MAINARDI, president and vice president, Selling Technologies, Inc.

Brothers Jerry and Mike Mainardi are transforming the way advisors can interact with existing clients and prospects with the launch of a proprietary system for targeted marketing called AMANDA (accelerated marketing for agencies, networks, distributors and associates).

BEST RISING STAR:
DAVID SIMKOWITZ
President
SimkowtizCo

David Simkowitz, a 38-year-old industry professional based in Brooklyn, New York, serves as president of SimkowitzCo, a financial services firm catering to high net worth individuals. Since 1999 Simkowitz has helped hundreds of clients with estate planning, life insur- ance coverage, wealth creation and many more aspects of holistic financial planning.

Known for his action-oriented, get-it-done approach, Simkowitz has earned a stellar reputation for applying creative strategies unconsidered by the everyday financial firm. Simkowitz has earned the trust and respect of high net worth attorneys, accountants and other professionals, as evidenced by a steady stream of client recommendations.

“I greatly respect David’s service to others,” says Kurt Shallow, senior vice presi- dent and head of agency distribution for Guardian Life. “He is relentless in his pursuit to do the right thing. Clients sense his desire to help, and they quickly trust him with the things that matter most.”

And whether or not he realizes it, Simkowitz also plays an important mentoring role to his staff.

“As someone who has benefitted from David’s mentorship for the past 12 years, I can tell you firsthand that David achieves more than most because he cares so deeply,” says Levi Landau, associate at SimkowitzCo. “He truly steps into each client’s shoes, listens to what is spoken and unspoken, and leaves no stone unturned in his quest to create and execute a thorough plan that performs as intended.”

Clients, colleagues and carriers have taken notice. Guardian Life recognized Sim- kowitz with its Life Quality Business Award in both 2013 and 2012, for generating the largest volume of persisting, proprietary individual annual premium business over the past five calendar years.

In 2012, David was honored as an outstanding advisor by NAIFA’s magazine, Advisor Today and was one of four professionals selected for the magazine’s “Four under Forty” award. In addition, he was invited to join the NAIFA Member Benefits Committee, and to serve as a “Four under Forty” judge in 2014.

In 2010-2011, David served as the president of the Executive Committee of Guardian’s Leader’s Club, acting as the senior appointed representative for Guardian’s 3,200-member national sales force. In addition, he consistently earns recognition as a top-ranked leader and innovator on Guardian’s team of financial representatives. Remarkably, David is self-taught, having learned far more from personal experience than many ever learn in a classroom.

“David’s approach to the business is very unique,” says Mark Murphy, president of the AALU. “His personal commitment, attention to detail and comprehensive 360-degree package of financial services stands out in our industry.”

HONORABLE MENTION

JERRY MANNING, founder & president, J. Manning & Associates

As the founder and president of a national independent insurance brokerage and consulting firm specializing in LTCI, Manning has marshaled the implementation of more than 300 employer-sponsored LTC programs and has also received numerous AALTCI sales achievement awards. At only 35, Manning is one of the largest producers of LTCI.