RESUME

Employment History:

BARRY J. PLENER CONSULTING  2003-Current

Consultant (Self Employed)

• Was Acting Chief Underwriter and VP of Underwriting for Canada Protection Plan
• Provide expertise in life and health underwriting and new business process with an emphasis on profitability, customer service and creative decision making
• Consulting on product design, underwriting opinions for life and critical illness products
• Developed procedures manuals, training manuals and help negotiate reinsurance treaties
• Underwriting analysis, and underwriting relief for Guardian Life, Trinidad, Sun Life Canada
• Was responsible for the overall company mortality for the following companies, Colonial Life Trinidad, Nassau, Guyana, Faith Life Financial Waterloo, Ontario, Family Guardian Nassau Bahamas
• Developed claims committees, and offered opinions on contestable claims.

THE CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY OF CANADA1997- 2003

Director, Individual Insurance Operations, & Chief Underwriter

• Accountable for the overall profitability of Life Underwriting for Individual Insurance Operation. Direct reports 20 Underwriters, 1 Manager, 1 Business Analyst; Indirect reports: 8 u/w and 2 managers
• Member of Senior Management Team for the development & execution of competitive pricing and market strategies
• Responsible for quality of Reinsurance, MIB Processes & Internal Audits Documented all Underwriting process to compliance standards (OFSI) and privacy issues.
• Project managed the proposed automated underwriting process where the inter-relationships of all key systems were evaluated: Ingenium, NBUW, TAI, Siebel, FASAT, NBUW & MIB
• Negotiated Reinsurance Treaties and Service Level Agreements with third party vendors.
• Designed in conjunction with all areas of the business a Preferred Underwriting program for Top Producers. Combined programs with other marketing initiatives such as Annual conference
• Responsible for attending and presenting to National Accounts, top brokers and MGA’s across Canada
• Accountable to a 15 million dollar New Business budget
• Responsible for implementation of new process in both underwriting and administration
• Responsible for contestable claims, and participating in dispute resolution and mediation

Key Accomplishments:

• Responsible for new business underwriting process enhancements and improvements, Results: 25% staff reduction, while sustaining an increase in new business volumes of 25% and a service time of 4 hours on 70% of our new business and 98% within 8 hours
• Responsible for the successful design & implementation of a Vendor Automated Medical Evidence Program whereby 7,000 pieces /week of manually processed medical evidence are now automatically processed. Results: Cycle time reduced by 2 business days, 40% reduction in error rate, 20% increase in productivity, 50% increase in response time

KEYFACTS CANADA1996- 1997

Director of Underwriting and Customer Service

• Accountable for branch operations including budgeting and staffing
• Drafted a procedure’s manual and implemented policies and procedures.
• Analysed management reports and prepared strategies to improve time service and cost management.
• Developed relations with agents, brokers and insurance personal.
• Travelled throughout Ontario doing branch presentations on customer service and product enhancements.

NORTH AMERICAN LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY1993 –1996

Manager, U.S. Underwriting

• Accountable for all U.S. underwriting.
• Developed, and implemented policies and procedures for NAL’s entry into the U.S. Marketplace
• Rendered underwriting expertise in special products such as Disability, Long Term Care, Major Medical and Out of Country Medical Products.
• Provided underwriting consulting, training and reinsurance underwriting.
• Audited TPA’S for underwriting accuracy, ensuring they comply with NAL’S policies and procedures.
• Liaison between underwriting and distribution on issues such as service standards, grievances or general inquiries.

Key Accomplishments:

• Automated underwriting and issue by providing enhancements to the New Business System investigated expert systems and implemented Tele-underwriting.
• Drafted policy issue and life insurance application forms to satisfy individual State Compliance and Regulatory Insurance Boards.

SUN LIFE OF CANADA1991- 1993

Senior Underwriting Analyst

• Customised and supported an automated underwriting system.
• Completed underwriting research projects using regression analysis and statistical data utilising Focus and Lotus programs.
• Underwrote structured settlements for impaired ratings.

MANULIFE FINANCIAL1987 – 1991

Senior Underwriter

• Effectively and efficiently underwrite life insurance eligibility.
• Evaluated risk with regard to such factors as health, finances, morals, family history, drinking habits, environment and occupation using various sources such as medical and credit reports and existing policies

THE EXCELSIOR LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY (AETNA)1983 – 1987

Senior Underwriter

• Disability and Life Insurance Underwriter (Feb 86 – Oct 87)
• Supervisor of New Business (Jan 85 – Feb 86)
• Claims Processor (July 83 – Dec 84)

Personal Development

• York University – 1982, B.A. Economics.
• LOMA Parts I, II, III, IV, IX, X (selection of Risk)
• Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA)
• Academy of Life Underwriting – Certificate Part I

Memberships/Committees

• Canada Life Global Chief Underwriting Team: The Teams objective is to determine best practices, sharing of information, design of world wide testing policy and Underwriting Standards
• HealthNet Board of Directors
• Sat on various claims committee’s offering opinion on contestable claims
• NAL Corporate Compliance, Audit, Internet and Health Risk Management Teams.
• 2000-2002 CIU Executive, Membership Director

Accomplishments

• 1994 Service Excellence Gold Award, NAL.
• 1996 Inducted to the Toronto Insurance Softball Hall of Fame.
• 1990 Ontario Amateur Baseball Association MVP.

References available upon request.