Top honor selected by UBA, representing more than 36,000 employers and nearly 5 million employees and their families
INDIANAPOLIS, IN [July 2, 2013] ⎯ United Benefit Advisors (UBA), one of the nation’s leading independent employee benefits advisory organizations, named Symetra its ‘Strategic Partner of the Year’ at the firm’s annual Ubbie Awards ceremony. The Strategic Partner of the Year award recognizes a partner that consistently delivers impeccable service, is proactive in understanding issues and opportunities, and provides benefit solutions that better serve employers, employees and their families.
Symetra has been a Strategic Partner to UBA since 2004 and was honored for taking a creative approach to fulfilling clients’ needs and providing outstanding service. Thomas Mangan, CEO of UBA says, “From the outset, Symetra differentiated themselves by asking, ‘What can we do to help you be more successful?’ They backed this up by looking for ways to be flexible in their product and service offering. Winning UBA Partners’ business is extremely competitive, and Symetra demonstrated they will go the extra mile to help UBA Partners provide world-class products and services to their clients.”
“We are truly honored to receive this recognition from UBA,” said Tom Costello, regional vice president in Symetra’s Benefits Division. “We look forward to continuing our productive partnership with UBA and delivering benefit solutions that fulfill the needs of employers and their employees in this evolving marketplace.”
The announcement came at UBA’s 2013 Spring Conference held in Rosemont, Ill., which saw a record attendance of nearly 500 employee benefit and financial advisors and Strategic Partners. UBA’s conferences provide an opportunity for UBA thought leaders to discuss the rapidly changing benefits industry and what is required of successful advisor firms looking to stay ahead of emerging trends. Highlights from the 2013 conference included a keynote address by Joel Wood of CIAB and Janet Trautwein, CEO of NAHU, and discussions on PPACA headlined by Linda Rowings, UBA’s Chief Compliance Officer. Partners took advantage of new information on stop loss coverage, exchanges, recruiting and selling techniques.
UBA and Symetra are working closely as more employers consider self-funding their employee medical plans in light of PPACA implementation. Stop-loss insurance coverage, such as that provided by Symetra, helps employers mitigate the risk associated with catastrophic medical claims. UBA and Symetra also are partnering on group life, disability, leave administration and voluntary benefits business.
About Symetra
Symetra Financial Corporation (NYSE: SYA) is 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 [www.symetra.com].
About United Benefit Advisors
United Benefit Advisors(R) (UBA) is the nation’s leading independent employee benefits advisory organization with more than 200 Partner offices in 46 states, Canada and the United Kingdom. Learn more at www.ubabenefits.com [www.ubabenefits.com]
Carina Sammartino
Fisher Vista
650-477-4839
[email protected]