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The focus of the sales and service cycle spans a number of functions, from product support through underwriting, issue and compensation. The focus of the seminar will be on the use of the Internet and associated technologies today to reduce improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of communications among the participants involved in these important new business-related functions. Our knowledgeable practitioners will provide a perspective of the current status, a perspective on the near and mid-term term evolutionary changes we are likely to see.

Seminar Topics

8:00 – 8:30: Registration and Coffee

8:30	Welcome: Doug Grant Insurance-Canada.ca
8:40	Leveraging Technology in the Life Insurance Distribution/Supply Chain in Canada Byren Innes, Newlink.
9:10	Improving and Automating Communications with Services Providers Michael Silva, e-Nable.
Companies in all industries are looking to drive both efficiencies and effectiveness through improved electronic linkages in the supply/distribution chain. In the life industry a set of key linkages is with providers of risk assessment information. The value of an electronic link is magnified many times when it is tightly integrated into automated processes - like an automated underwriting, rating and issue system. Based on prior experience with several insurance companies in Canada and the USA who have automated the link to MIB and the processing of the results, Michael will describe: four key reasons for e-Nabling your supplier linkages a case study of the results of one implementation the four main CSF's to a successful implementation, and three keys to deriving real benefit
9:40	break
9:55	Reconfiguration of Business Models- Outsourcing in the Insurance Industry: Michael McGuin, GeniSystems.ca
Currently, the life insurance industry is under a state of flux: consolidation, intense competition, tight margins, onerous fixed costs. Due to these horrific characteristics, a new concept has arisen within the industry- BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) allows for firms to focus on their core-competency while outsourcing the non-core, generic processes to outside specialists. Outsourced functions may include policy administrative, new product development, IT infrastructure etc. This presentation will focus on the benefits of business process outsourcing within the Insurance Industry.
10:25	Straight Through Processing - Myth or Reality? Gail Johnson Morris, Transamerica Life Canada.
What are trends in Canadian Life carriers for managing business and enabling automatic underwriting and issue? Gail provides attendees with a (sometimes irreverent) picture of new business today and trends that will shape the business in the next couple of years. Drawing on her years of implementing business process redesigns with large carriers in US and Canada, Gail fills in the picture of "Once and Done" Life Insurance.
10:55	Centralized Life Company Compensation and Administration Scott Peart, DSPA Software
There is a current initiative to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the distribution chains in the Canadian life insurance industry by establishing an industry centre. Many of the services that could be provided by this centre are on the compensation side. The services cover both front-end functions such as contracting and licensing and back-end functions such as electronic statements and payments. The resulting centre would serve as a central conduit for information being passed through the distribution chain. Common processing elements would move to the centre thereby removing duplication of work. Scott has been deeply involved in defining the functions and processes of this centre and will be presenting the concept to the group.
11:25	break
11:35	LCC - Life Company Central Dennis Craig, RBC Life Insurance.
Life Company Central (LCC) was formed to develop and implement a common information exchange system for the life insurance industry. The system is intended to provide access through a secure multi-company portal enabling suppliers and distributors to process and administer business and exchange data. LCC is focused on an efficient transaction handling mechanism, with standardized technology integration requirements. This way insurance companies, distributors, and vendors will be able to integrate their existing applications, and explore new alternatives, that can connect through LCC in a "plug and play" fashion. LCC has recently hired a Project Manager to develop a complete business case and a working model that the LCC members can endorse on a moving forward basis. Dennis will give an overview of where the initiative is currently at, the main elements of the project, the anticipated timelines and deliverables, and the next steps.
12:05	The Real MGA World Sam Albanese, Albanese Financial Group
With many years of involvement in Life Distribution, and a keen desire to make distribution more efficient and effective, Sam will look at the industry's use of technology from an MGA Perspective: Contracting: Standards have been defined, but not accepted by the industry. What does this mean for the MGA? The current Application /issuance process: Friction points and opportunities for improvement. What the MGA is doing now: Internal process and technology streamlining. What the MGA needs from its suppliers: How can markets and providers serve this important producing segment.
12:20	Close: by Doug Grant Insurance-Canada.ca

Seminar Sponsors:

		GeniSystems.ca Services (GeniSys) is a business process outsourcing company providing specialized administrative services to Canadian life insurance companies. GeniSys internal infrastructure, encompassing best of breed technology applications, experienced personnel and reengineered business processes, provides the life insurance industry with cost-effective and efficient administrative services on an outsourced basis.
	ci   Canadian Insurance Magazine

Speaker Information

Sam Albanese, CFP,CLU,CHFC,FLMI, President, Albanese Financial Group

Sam is president and founder of Albanese Financial Group Inc. (AFG). AFG, headquartered in Markham, Ontario, is licensed in all the provinces and represents 12 insurance companies and two banks. AFG's 28 employees provide Life Insurance, Health Insurance, Critical Illness, Long Term Care as well as Segregated Funds and other financial products to 1200 Independent Advisors across Canada.

Mr. Albanese entered the insurance industry in 1974 and spent 4 years as a career branch manager. In 1979, Sam joined an ING company to develop the brokerage division and held numerous corporate positions with ING. In 1990, he became an MGA with NN financial.

J. Michael McGuin, Research and Business Development Tactician, Genisystems.ca Services Inc.

Michael is responsible for Research and Business Development Initiatives at GeniSystems.ca Services, a policy administration outsourcing firm focused on the life Insurance Industry. Prior to GeniSystems, Michael worked as an associate at a leading Venture Capital firm with responsibility on strategic cultivation of emerging technology firms.

Gail Johnson Morris, BA, Vice President, Underwriting and New Business Transamerica Life Canada.

Gail completed her undergraduate degree at York University, Toronto, Canada. She started in the life insurance industry as an underwriter, achieved the position of Chief Underwriter, and was promoted to successive levels of management within the underwriting, new business and reinsurance administration areas. Gail also has notable achievements in the sales and marketing stream - as Director, Marketing for a Canadian life insurance company and as Vice President, Sales for Osborn Group, Inc. successfully launching several life new business process solutions in major North American companies. She joined Transamerica Canada, as Vice President, Underwriting and New Business, Life Operations in October 2000.

Gail has made many presentations to underwriting and agent groups throughout North America and the Caribbean. She is married, has 2 Westie dogs at home and is addicted to business. For life-long lessons in humility, Gail golfs.

Scott Peart, President, DSPA Software Inc.

Scott is the founder of DSPA Software Inc. a leading provider of sales compensation & distribution management software to the financial services industry. DSPA's clients include Sun Life, Canada Life, Transamerica, Equitable, Empire Financial, RBC Insurance and AIG. Scott has over 20 years of experience in insurance software design and consulting. Prior to establishing DSPA Software Inc., in 1990, Mr. Peart was Senior Vice President, Business Development with CAPSCO Software Canada Ltd. and had worked previously for Crown Life Insurance and IBM.

Michael Silva, Senior Vice President, Business Development, e-Nable.

Michael has spent 13 years working with insurance companies to harness the power of electronic commerce and value chain management. Successes include providing web-centric product distribution and agency management solutions to the largest U.S. affinity group, co-developing straight through processing solutions with IBM, Oracle, Sun, and EMC, and consulting organizations on developing custom applications to enhance their use of legacy systems. Michael has worked both within the insurance industry and for companies providing technology services to the insurance industry including Chubb Life, Chubb & Son, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, Insurance Technology Services of America, and Tenfold Corporation.

Michael has B.A. from Hobart College in Geneva, NY.

e-Nable provides web services solutions to reduce underwriting cost and time, while improving customer experience, increasing revenue opportunities and reducing not-taken rates for the life and health insurance industry. This is achieved through the use of e-Nable’s technology and services to aggregate, analyze and assess underwriting information and requirements to allow underwriting decisions to happen sooner and closer to the point-of-presence.

Dennis Craig, BA, FLMI, Vice President, New Business Services, RBC Insurance.

Dennis has been in the insurance business for 23 years and has held a number of field and Head Office marketing and management positions.

In his current position Dennis is responsible for all of the Underwriting and New Business areas at RBC Life Insurance Company. In addition to this overall responsibility, Dennis spends time reviewing and understanding how technology and process solutions can be implemented to increase efficiencies and change the way that business is done.

Dennis has served on a number of industry committees including the executive Board of the FLMI Assoc. of Toronto and as Chair of the Brokerage Section of the CLHIA. In addition to now serving as the chair of Life Company Central, Dennis now also sits on the Executive Council of the Canadian Reinsurance Conference.

Hosts and Presenters

Patrick Vice, Risk and Insurance Electronic Commerce Consultant

Patrick has over 20 years experience enabling electronic commerce in the risk management and insurance communities. He works with insurance companies, risk managers, insurance brokers, and technology suppliers to successfully define, market, and implement projects and programs to realize the benefits of existing and emerging technologies. For a more extensive biography.

Doug Grant MBA CIP, Consultant, Insurance-Canada.ca

As a keen analyst of computer and networking evolution for more than thirty years, and the opportunity and impact on the insurance industry, frequent industry speaker, columnist, and consultant. Doug is cognizant of the changes that are occurring in the Internet insurance world. As a principal in the Insurance-Canada.ca Web site, he brings a unique perspective to the session. For a more extensive biography.

Patrick and Doug will be host of the seminar and will welcome and set the stage, build the linkages between topics, and then provide conclusions and points to ponder at the end of the session.

(Examples will be used throughout)

Questions? call Doug Grant 416-921-7756 or email at doug.grant@insurance-canada.ca

See a list of our Previous Seminars.

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