Benefit pros on the move: OneDigital, Prudential, AIG, Alera

October 28, 2019 2:00 AM

With a few months left in 2019, benefit professionals continue to change jobs. This month’s career moves included advancements at OneDigital, Prudential Financial and Alera Group. Below we’ve highlighted these and a few other promotions and new hires in the industry.

Do you have a new hire or promotion you would like to share? Is a key executive stepping down after years of service? Contact caroline.hroncich@sourcemedia.com and let me know.

Please provide a high-resolution headshot along with the new job details.

Follow us on twitter (@EBAadvisernews) and use the hashtag #OnTheMove.

Carew tapped for chief operating officer role

OneDigital Health and Benefits promoted Bill Carew, formerly executive vice president of sales and operations, to chief operating officer. Carew joined OneDigital through the acquisition of Ovation Benefits in Farmington, Connecticut in 2013 and shortly thereafter joined the corporate leadership team as executive vice president of sales and operations. Leveraging his experience as an entrepreneurial leader, Carew has driven the company's sales, marketing and regional operations across OneDigital’s expanding national footprint. With his promotion to COO, he will continue to lead the company's organic performance and the integration of acquired businesses into the OneDigital operating platform.

Chrane selected as chief people officer at OneDigital

Elizabeth Chrane, formerly executive vice president of corporate culture and development, was promoted to chief people officer at OneDigital. The leadership team’s growth strengthens the company’s position as it continues to service its expanding customer and employee base. Chrane joined OneDigital in 2008. During her tenure, she’s overseen organizational growth as the workforce has increased to nearly 1,700 employees in more than 80 offices across the country.

John Farrell 2015

Delaney selected for B&A role at Willis Towers Watson

Willis Towers Watson, a global advisory and insurance brokerage company, appointed Karen Delaney as brokerage and advisory (B&A) market leader for Orange County and San Diego. In this role, Delaney will work with regional and national leadership to support the growth of the B&A business, which serves middle market clients across the full spectrum of health and group benefit programs. Prior to this appointment, Delaney was vice president and account executive of employee benefits at Alliant Insurance Services. She also held leadership roles at Woodruff-Sawyer & Co, and Lockton Companies.

Devine joins Alight as head of strategic channels and partnerships

Julie Devine has joined as executive vice president of strategic channels and partnerships. Devine will lead a team responsible for building stronger commercial relationships and new go-to-market alliances with the broker and carrier communities. She will also work to cultivate partners such as Workday, Cornerstone, Wipro, retirement advisers, third party evaluators, industry analysts and the firms in Alight’s Partner Network. Devine brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across experience across sales, consulting, operations and delivery. Most recently she served as head of client success and strategic partnerships at Maxwell Health/Sun Life Financial Services.

Jeff Yardis JE

Domingos tapped for head of sales and strategic relationships at Prudential Retirement

Prudential Retirement will promote Michael Domingos, vice president of national distribution markets, to senior vice president and head of sales and strategic relationships, Prudential Retirement. The appointment will be effective in December. Domingos is succeeding Scott Gaul, current senior vice president and head of sales and strategic relationships, Prudential Retirement. Prudential announced in August Gaul will become head of Prudential Retirement’s Investment & Pension Solutions businesses.

Eskalera appoints former Goldman Sachs executive as CEO

Eskalera, an employee experience platform, has tapped Dane Holmes as the company's CEO. Holmes will join the company in early 2020 after nearly 19 years at Goldman Sachs, where he served as head of human capital management and was a member of the firm’s management and partnership committees. While at Goldman Sachs, Holmes worked in four different divisions over the last 19 years – from human capital management and the executive office to investment banking and finance.

Lester to succeed Martin as CEO of Ameritas

Bill Lester will become president and CEO of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company and Ameritas Holding Company. He currently serves as president and chief operating officer of AMHC and AHC, president and CEO of ALIC and president and CEO of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York. Lester will succeed JoAnn Martin, who is retiring early next year. Lester began his career with Ameritas in 1983 as a securities analyst with Ameritas Investment Advisors.

Purchasing Power appoints Joseph Loughran as new CEO

Purchasing Power, a voluntary benefit company, has appointed Joseph Loughran as the company’s CEO. Loughran succeeds Richard Carrano, who has served as a senior executive of the company for 18 years and CEO since 2011. Carrano will continue to serve as a member of the board of directors and as an adviser to the company. Loughran will be based in Atlanta and report directly to the Purchasing Power board of directors.

Loughran comes to Purchasing Power having held multiple senior executive roles spanning financial services and technology, digital marketing and data analytics across both business-to-business and business-to-consumer platforms. He joins the company most recently from Red Ventures, where he was president of Bankrate.com, an online provider of banking services to consumers via one of the largest digital domains in financial services.

Steve Lubetkin

AIG names new CEO of First Principles Capital Management

AIG has selected John Panagakis for the role of CEO, first principles capital management, a unit of AIG Investments that serves institutional clients with expertise across the global fixed income securities and derivatives markets. He will be based in New York and report to Douglas Dachille, executive vice president and chief investment officer of AIG. Panagakis joins FPCM from TIAA Nuveen, where he spent more than 30 years in a variety of asset management, operational and advisory leadership roles, most recently as executive vice president, head of international advisory services.

Alera Group appoints Prather as employee benefits practice leader

Alera Group, a national employee benefits, property and casualty, risk management and wealth management firm, has selected Sally Prather as its national employee benefits practice leader. Prather’s responsibilities will include the continued development of the organization’s employee benefits practice, including platform expansion and resource coordination. Prior to joining Alera Group, Prather served as vice president of Paychex Insurance Agency. She brings more than 25 years of experience to her role with Alera Group.

Tebben selected to oversee partnerships at Collective Health

Haleigh Tebben was selected to oversee partnerships across Collective Health’s business — a key area for growth and one of the company’s biggest investment areas. After joining Mercer in 2014, Tebben led Mercer’s large client relationships in San Francisco in addition to being the market sales leader for Mercer’s Western region across all three of its business lines. In 2016, she was accelerated into her role as Health and Benefits Practice Leader in Northern California. In 2018, her role was expanded to co-lead the West Market. In these roles, Tebben helped build partnerships with leading regional and national carriers to drive network strategies on behalf of the firm’s large employer clients. Prior to Mercer, Tebben held leadership roles at Gallup and Central States Indemnity, a Berkshire Hathaway company.