LIMRA has hired Bryan Hodgens to be head of distribution research and annuities research.
Hodgens was previously a senior vice president at LPL Financial, where he led the company’s retirement plan consultant team.
Earlier in his career, he was the Eastern Division sales manager for life and annuity at AIG.
He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Emory University. He holds the accredited investment fiduciary and certified retirement counselor professional designations.
LIMRA has also hired Keith Golembiewski to be senior director for strategic initiatives.
Golembiewski was director of synthesis and knowledge management at Prudential Financial.
At one point, he was director for annuity product innovation at The Hartford.
He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Connecticut College.
LIMRA is based in Windsor, Connecticut.
EBRI
The Retirement Security Research Center — an arm of the Washington-based Employee Benefit Research Institute — has hired Naomi Fink to be chairperson and Kelly Hahn to be vice chairperson.
Fink is a retirement economist at Capital Group. She has been focusing on institutional retirement.
She has a master’s degree from the University of St. Andrews and a master’s degree in specialized economic analysis from Barcelona GSE. She was nominated to the Japan Society of Monetary Economics in 2014.
Hahn is executive director at J.P. Morgan Asset Management and a defined contribution strategist.
Earlier in her career, she worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs.
She has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree in business from Columbia.
Ethos
Ethos — an Austin, Texas-based term life seller — has hired Nichole Myers to be chief underwriter.
Myers was senior vice president and underwriting innovation lead for the Americas at Swiss Reinsurance.
Earlier, she was director of business development at MIB Solutions.
She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Rhode Island and a master’s degree in behavior economics from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Genworth
Genworth Financial has named Jerome Upton to succeed Matthew Farney as controller.
Farney left to become the chief accounting officer at Prosperity Life.
Upton has been the company’s deputy chief financial officer. He has been working for Genworth and predecessor companies since 1998.
Earlier, Upton was a senior manager at KPMG Peat Marwick.
He has a bachelor’s degree in account from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He holds the certified public accountant professional designation.
Alabama Insurance Department
The Alabama Insurance Department has named Sheila Travis chief examiner.
Travis succeeded Richard Ford, who has retired.
She has been working for the Alabama department as an examiner since 2000.
She has a bachelor´s degree in accounting from Troy University at Montgomery. She holds the certified financial examiner and member of the Society for Financial Examiners professional designations.
Montana Office
The Office of the Montana State Auditor, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance has hired Frank Cote to be government affairs director.
Cote is a former Montana deputy insurance commissioner.
Cote has been working as a lobbyist for two Catholic hospitals.
Earlier, he was an executive with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana.
He has also been an insurance agent at New York Life. While he was at New York Life, he qualified for the Million Dollar Round Table.
Risk Strategies
Risk Strategies — a Boston-based insurance brokerage firm — has hired Matthew Friedson to be managing director and national life insurance practice leader.
Friedson was a principal at Freedman Risk Management. He has also been a senior insurance consultant at Greenberg Wexler & Eigand a financial services professional at MassMutual.
He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland.
HealthPass New York
HealthPass New York — a New York-based benefits exchange and professional employer organization — has hired Davin Laurino to be senior vice president of sales.
Laurino was previously national vice president of sales, marketing and business development at Employers Health Network in Dallas.
He has a bachelor’s degree from Fort Hays State University.
Pictured: Bryan Hodgens (Photo: LIMRA)