2011 Leadership Awards

The Voluntary Benefits Association (VBA), in conjunction with the Voluntary Benefits Magazine (VBM), recognize a select group of individuals each year whose achievements have enhanced and brought innovation to the voluntary benefits industry. Award recipients are dynamic individuals that have helped launch the industry forward in a positive direction. The Voluntary Benefits Leadership Award will be presented to these individuals as part of the VBA and VBM Annual Meeting held October 26-28th, 2011.
This award recognizes a leader in the Voluntary Benefits industry for providing an exemplary program or innovation consistent with the vision of the Voluntary Benefits Association’s goals; to advance Voluntary Benefits, initiate improvement and education by engaging plan members, and promote proven strategies. The award also honors an individual whose professional accomplishments embody such qualities that drives the voluntary benefits industry forward. Voluntary Benefits Magazine will be featuring our stellar leadership awardees throughout the year to recognize their invaluable commitment to the industry.

The Voluntary Benefits Leadership Award Ceremony took place on October 26, 2011 at the annual Employer Healthcare Congress and the Voluntary Benefits Conference.  The ceremony was flowing with supporters there to honor the winners of this prestigious award.  This month our featured 2011 Leadership Awards Recipient is Hunter Whittington, Division 3 President of Benefits Technologies.
Hunter has been in the voluntary benefit and enrollment business since 1988, and has provided enrollment and communication solutions for employer groups ever since.  He works exclusively through the Broker and Consultant channel and works with groups ranging in size from several hundred to many thousands. His cases are across the spectrum of industry ranging from manufacturing to public sector.  

In 2008 his firm was acquired by Benefits Technologies, and he was made a Divisional President for them. Benefits Technologies is a national enrollment firm with 14 offices across the country.  They maintain a proprietary enrollment platform, two separate Call Centers, and offer services ranging from Dependent Eligibility Audits, Total Compensation and Benefit Statements, and wellness initiatives.  All of their operations are funded solely through revenue derived from voluntary benefit sales. Last year they wrote approximately $45 million in voluntary benefit premium.

Hunter resides in Boca Raton, FL with his wife of 23 years and their twin boys.

Voluntary Benefits Magazine recently had the opportunity to sit down with the industry forerunner to discuss his motivations, keys to success, and advice for up and coming industry professionals.

Voluntary Benefits Magazine: What is your take on the trends and advancements with Voluntary Benefits? What are your predictions for the future of the industry?

Hunter Whittington: I feel that the voluntary industry is poised to have its greatest 5 years in the history of these types of products.  Between Healthcare Reform looming large and broker comp getting reduced on the core programs, everyone is looking for a secure revenue stream.  Voluntary Benefits is the only sector of the benefits arena that is experiencing growth – double digit growth.  Understanding and acceptance of these products from some in the broker community has been slow, but the corner has been turned and new opportunities are opening up to us all.

VBM: What continues to motivate and drive you in the industry?

HW: This is an industry where we really get to see the value of the benefits we sell.  Unlike medical insurance, which does a good job of taking care of the doctors and hospitals, there is nothing better for an employee who is injured or sick than to receive a check from a policy that they purchased from us.

VBM: What have you learned to be keys to success in voluntary benefits and enrollment?

HW: What are tools to become a leader in the industry? The key to being successful in this business actually has little to do with the actual business of selling insurance.  It seems that our industry has morphed from a pure delivery of insurance policies to a business that provides services to assist Human Resources that is funded through the sale of the voluntary products.  For example, HR departments may not necessarily care about offering an accident plan or a critical illness policy to their employees, but they see great value in having us create a communication campaigns, benefit guides, total comp statements, native language benefit counselors, dependent eligibility audits, wellness initiatives, core enrollment software systems – all of which are paid for through the revenues from the voluntary programs.

VBM:  What advice do you have for up and coming professionals in the market?

HW: While I continue to hear about the great untapped market out there, I haven’t really seen it.  It seems that most everyone either has voluntary programs today or did have them at one time or another.  The challenges that we face as an industry seem to center mostly around the backend - administration and servicing of the programs that were enrolled.  The opportunities are huge to bring “the better mouse trap” to a client.  Many employers are happy to offer these employee paid additions to a core benefit program – but only if it doesn’t create additional work for HR or the payroll department.  In order to be successful in this marketplace, you need to navigate the landmines that others have set due to poor service and aggressive selling tactics.  Get up and go to work.  A very successful agent once said to me, “ our business is a part-time job, pick any twelve hours you want to work.” The future is brighter than ever for all of us.  Employers know what we are selling today versus a decade ago, so the awareness is already there.  You just have to make sure that your carrier partner is easy to do business with and knows how to service, service, service your block of business.

Juel Grange

Associate Editor