SUMMER 2011 | ThE FiEld PUblicaTion oF ThE GUaRdian...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside the 2011 Leaders Club

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Q&A with FR Paul Vecchione

Featured Inside...Be a Guardian Hero 2011What’s New in TrainingGuardian Insight Forum2011 LBS Sales ForumSafeguarding Data, Protecting Clients

In Brief...2012 Recognition Meetings2011 GAMA Award Recipients2010 PAS Top ProducersAtlanta Recruiting Forumand more ...

SUMMER 2011 | ThE FiEld PUblicaTion oF ThE GUaRdian liFE inSURancE coMPany oF aMERica

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MarketEDGE is Here

Contents

Service is an online magazine published by Corporate Communications for all Field associates. We welcome your input and comments, as well as your story suggestions. Correspondence can be sent by inter-office mail to Ralph Chaump at 7 Hanover Square, 23rd Fl., or via e-mail to [email protected].

Executive Editor: Carl W. Rosst, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications Managing Editor: Ralph Chaump, Jr., Senior Internal Communications Specialist

The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, 7 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004-4025 Pub. 4480 8/11

FEATURES

17 Be a Guardian Hero 201119 2011 Leaders Club23 Q&A with FR Paul Vecchione25 2011 LBS Sales Forum27 Safeguarding Data, Protecting Clients

SUMMER 2011 | 2

SUMMER 20113 Message from Meg Skinner 4 Message from Don Sullivan IN BRIEF4 2010 PAS Top Producers 5 2012 Presidential Citation Award Workshop 6 Service Magazine Wins Award 6 2012 Recognition Meetings 7 2011 GAMA Award Recipients9 November Recruiting Forum BUIld YoUR BUSINESS10 MarketEDGE is Here13 What’s New in Training?14 New Recruitment Website Nears Launch15 Guardian Insight Forum

Welcome to the summer 2011 issue of Service. It’s an exciting time to be at Guardian as we have a lot of great things going on.

Despite the volatile financial climate, Guardian continues to grow and prosper. One of the main reasons for this success are the ex-tremely impressive Life sales results you’ve achieved year to date, during a time when many in the industry are still feeling the effects of an unstable economy. I know this takes commitment and a lot of hard work, and I thank you for your tenacity and your results.

In addition to increased Life sales, the first half of 2011 was the best six months of mutual funds sales in Guardian’s history. We’ve also made great strides in the sales of our Multi-Life DI product, and have strong momentum in the 401(k) marketplace.

If we’re going to maintain these outstanding results going forward, Guardian will need to grow our distribution and build the next generation of sales agents – and that’s an area where you play a critical role. As valued members of our Field force, you are the best source of new talent. In fact, our research shows that our compa-ny’s highest-quality FRs are referred by other FRs.

You can help us find qualified candidates by actively participating in the “Be a Guardian Hero” program. Now’s the time to step up to the plate by sharing the Guardian value proposition with your friends and family, and encouraging them to explore what a career at our company can mean to their financial security and profes-

sional growth. In addition to being good for Guardian and the peo-ple you know, there are also financial incentives and other special recognition for our top “heroes.”

Another key aspect of maintaining our success is providing you with the tools and resources you need to grow your business. That’s why we continue to move forward with more technology-driv-en initiatives, like the launch of MarketEDGE, our new lead genera-tion platform that’s designed to help you reach current clients and new prospects like never before. This cutting-edge tool, as well as the regular enhancements we make to The Living Balance Sheet®, are strong examples of the innovations we’re applying to position us for the future.

Times have changed, and the young clients, producers, and brokers of today have different expectations than previous generations. As someone said to me, baby boomers go online, but Gen Y lives on-line. We’re addressing this change by putting a much bigger em-phasis on technology. You’ll continue to hear more about our initia-tives in the months ahead.

As we move into the final months of 2011, I’m confident we can fin-ish the year with outstanding results. And I know that by working together, we can take the company to new heights in the years to come. Thank you for your ongoing support and success.

Opening Notes

A MESSAgE FRoM MEg SkINNER,ExEcUTIvE vIcE PRESIdENT ANdchIEF dISTRIBUTIoN oFFIcER

SUMMER 2011 | 3

Park Avenue Securities’ Top Producers for 2010

Congratulations to the following 10 Financial Representatives who were Park Avenue Securi-ties’ top producers in 2010:

1 Mark Murphy of Short Hills2 Thomas Ferrara of New York RHB3 Leonard Raskin of Central Atlantic4 William Katz of NY Mazzei5 Anthony Domino, Jr. of New York RHB6 Robert Votruba of NY Mazzei7 Annette Hammortree of Great Lakes8 Jeffrey Howard of Charlotte9 William Mumpower of Atlanta P10 Gwendolyn Chatham of California Pacific

t clIck hERE to access the full listing of the top 100 PAS producers for 2010.

SUMMER 2011 | 4

A Message from Don Sullivan

doN SUllIvAN, JR.SENIoR vIcE PRESIdENTAgENcY dISTRIBUTIoN ANd PARk AvENUE SEcURITIES

While the business world often slows down during the summer months, that’s not the case here at Guardian. No matter what the season, you continue to help us achieve great things through your commitment to building relationships, expanding distribution, and further differentiating Guardian in the mar-ketplace. This issue of Service pays tribute to some of the ways you and your Field col-leagues are making a difference each and every day.

As part of our ongoing commitment to build-ing our distribution at Guardian, we high-light the enhanced recognition you can earn by participating in “Be a Guardian Hero.” We also examine the unique value proposition of MarketEDGE, Guardian’s new lead generation platform designed to give you the winning edge in the marketplace, which was devel-oped with the help of a special Field Advisory Council.

Additionally, we highlight some of the impor-tant advances that Guardian’s Agency Train-ing & Development department has rolled

out, and preview our new recruitment web-site, which touts the benefits of building a career as a Guardian FR. We also take a look at the key objectives and takeaways from the 2011 LBS Sales Forum and celebrate our top award winners from this year’s extremely suc-cessful Leaders Club meeting. And, in a fea-tured Q&A, Paul Vecchione shares what his priorities are in the year ahead as President of the Field Executive Committee.

My thanks to all our associates featured in these stories for their outstanding accom-plishments, and to all of you in the Field for everything you’ve done to help us grow. I would also like to acknowledge that Service magazine was recently recognized by the In-surance Marketing Communications Associa-tion with a Showcase Award of Excellence in the organization’s annual awards competi-tion. This is gratifying evidence to us that we continue to provide our valued Field force with cutting-edge communications and tools.

Best wishes on a successful year end.

SUMMER 2011 | 5

• Beinspiredbydynamicspeakers• Attendleadingpracticessessions featuringyoursuccessfulpeers presentingtopicssuchasrecruiting, marketing,andpracticedevelopment• Celebratewithyourpeersattheawards recognitiondinner• Networkandreconnectwithpeersfrom aroundthecountry• Enjoythecamaraderieatfun-filled sponsoredevents

Forinformationonhowyoucanqualifytoattend,pleasecontactanyofthefollowingindividuals:

Emily Viner(212)598-8050Digna Figueroa(212)598-8828Chris Panell(646)465-2764Shane Shinn(646)841-2496Ike de Guzman(212)598-8017

Qualify Now to Attend the 2012 Presidential Citation Award Workshop in BostonGuardian’sannualPresidentialCitationAwardworkshopisourpremierSalesManagerrecognitionevent.Platinum,gold,silver,andbronzequalifiersgatherto:

Set Your Sights on Recognition in 2012Service Magazine

Recognized with Award of Excellence

ServicemagazinewasrecentlyrecognizedbytheInsurance Marketing Communications Association (IMCA)withaShowcaseAwardofExcellenceintheorganization’sannualawardscompetition.IMCA,whichisaninternationalorganizationofinsurancecommunicationsprofessionalswhospecializeinmarketing,marketingcommunications,advertising,salespromotion,andpublicrelations,acknowledgedServicefor“outstandingachievementininsuranceadvertising/marketing/communications”intheareaofemployeeelectroniccommunications.

SUMMER 2011 | 6

President’s CouncilHotel HermitageMonaco,MonteCarloApril1–5,2012March31(Chairman’sCouncilarrival)

Leaders ClubSan Francisco Marriott MarquisSanFrancisco,CaliforniaMay6–9,2012May5(ExecutiveClubarrival)t clIck hEREforfullqualificationrulesandguidelines.

SUMMER 2011 | 7

DarrellDawes,Brentwood,TN

RobertMathis,CLU,Atlanta,GA

C.RichardDobson,CLU,Charlotte,NC

AnthonyMazzei,Sr,CLU,ChFC,NewYork,NY

SanfordM.Aderson,JDCincinatti,OH

JerryHarnik,CLU,Ryebrook,NY

AndrewJ.Meehan,CLU,ChFC,Atlanta,GA

JoshL.Becker,Ryebrook,NY

B.LeeHarrison,Jr,CLU,ChFC,LUTCF

Tampa,FL

AlfredP.RobertsonCLU,ChFC,

Brentwood,TN

AndrewBrincefield,CLU,ChFC,CFP,Charlotte,NC

JohnHill,J.D.,LLM,Atlanta,GA

RonaldS.Rosbruch,CLU,ChFC,

Ryebrook,NY

WalterCardinet,CLU,Claremont,CA

KellyKidwell,Claremont,CA

JamesASchepis,CLU,Pittsburgh,PA

StewartDavisTampa,FL

EarlJ.Luttner,Jr.,CLU,Louisville,KY

T.PatrickWilson,J.D.,Cincinatti,OH

Master Agency Award & International Management Award

Guardian Congratulates Its 2011 GAMA Award Recipients

It’swithgreatpleasureandcontinuingpridethatGuardianrecognizesanotherfantasticyearofperformanceforitsGeneralAgentsandFrontlineLeaders.Thesededicatedprofessionals,taskedwithprotectingGuardian’scorevaluesandfurtheringourcompany’scommitmenttopolicy-holders’changingneeds,continuetodemonstratealevelofexcellenceinmanagementthatmeritstheprestigeofthe2011GAMAAwards.WecommendourGeneralAgentsfortheirachievementsandthankthemfortheexceptionalworktheydotocontinuetoenhanceGuardian’simpressivepresencewithintheindustry.t clIck hEREtoviewall2011GAMAAwards.

First in Class Award Winners Brian Early Award Winner

DIAMOND

RonaldS.Rosbruch,CLU,ChFC

Hall of Fame Inductee

JoelStein(fromleft)JamesA.Schepis,CLU;MatthewW.Roddy;T.PatrickWilson,JD;EarlJ.Luttner;CLUMaryLouRodgers;andSanfordM.Aderson,JD

(continued on page 8)

SUMMER 2011 | 8

International Management Award

Guardian Congratulates Its 2011 GAMA Award Recipients (continued from page 7)

VasilW.Allabashi,CLU

DavidR.Alter,CLU

KevinL.Bell,J.D.,CLU,ChFC

JoelCherande

ThomasA.Ciardella,Sr.

GeraldJ.ClericuzioCLU,ChFC

FrankCongilose

LyleDomenitz,LUTCF

JohnM.Driscoll,CLU

DennisR.Eckels,CLU,ChFC

AbrahamS.Ekstein

HowardElias

RobertJ.FashanoM.S.F.S.,CLU,ChFC

RandyS.Fine,LUTCF

RobertFine

RichardP.GribinasChFC,CFP

AdamS.Kaufman

ErikG.V.Liljenwall,II

JosephA.Lucido

SethMedalie,CLU,ChFC

DanielT.Melka

MichaelG.Morris,CLU

JeffreyE.Newman,CLU,ChFC

AndreaPerlmutter

NathanM.PerlmutterCLU,ChFC

ShragePosen

V.ThomasPurcell,Jr.CLU,ChFC

RichardLeeRay,M.S.F.S.

MichaelC.Savino,CLU,CFP

MarkA.Smith,CFP

WilliamJ.Traum,CLU,ChFC

RobertN.Worgaftik,CLU,ChFC,CFP

DIAMOND PLATINUM SILVER

DavidBoykin,CLTC,LUTCF

H.ChrisHunken,III

ScottB.Hunken,LUTCF

RichardL.Poitras,CLU,ChFC

RichardH.Villavaso,CLU,ChFC

KimAlanWeaver,CLU.ChFC,CFP

GOLD

DavidB.AllenCLU,ChFC

MichaelE.Geary,LUTCF

NashSubotic,M.B.A.

PaulJ.VineisCLU,CFP,LUTCF

RichardW.WoodyCLU,ChFC,CFP

GaryL.BrockettCLU,ChFC,CFP

WilliamE.Counts,IV,CLF,CLTC

StephenA.DiGirolamo,LUTCF

DonC.Hawe

GaryL.Brockett,CLU,ChFC,CFP

WilliamE.Counts,IV,CLFCLTC

StephenA.DiGirolamo,LUTCF

DonC.Hawes

DerrickP.Morton,CLU,ChFC

BRONZE

GaryS.DeStefano,CLTC,LUTCF

RichardE.Nolan,Jr.,ChFC,CFP

JefferyJ.O’Connell,LUTCF

Frontline Leader Award

DIAMOND SILVER

EdwinAyala

JeffreyM.Neeck,CLU

JoelStein

PLATINUM

AnthonyBeltran,CPACFP

AdamKatzman,LUTCF

GOLD

KeithDykes

FredN.Huff

RobertB.Newman

PaulAdams

CraigL.Feinberg,CLTC

MichaelJ.Ghioto

JasonD.Huggins

AnthonyIuffredo

MarkoMijuskovic,M.B.A.

GedaliaD.Miller,LUTCF

ChristopherRoussel

BRONZE

KarkA.Ashworth

JaimeA.Chavez

JessicaCiccarelli

JerryHemmer

JoniB.Redick-Yundt

Leadership Team Award

ThomasA.Ciardella,Sr.

HowardJ.Elias

SusanD.Glusica

AdamGreenstein

B.LeeHarrison,Jr.,CLU,CLTC,LUTCF

TimothyP.Hendrix

RobertMills,CLTC

AlanPress,CLU,LUTCF

AmySalo

MichaelC.Savino,CLU,CFP

JosephM.Sciabica,ChFC,CFP,AEP

JeffreySlevin

2011 Atlanta Recruiting ForumGuardian’s 2011 Atlanta Recruiting Forum should be a “must” attend for anyone interested in taking their agency’s recruiting process to new heights.

Plan to join us at:

JW Marriott BuckheadAtlanta, GANovember 1-3, 2011

Theprogramisdesignedtohelpenhanceyourrecruitingandselectionskillsetswithanagendafeaturingavarietyofprovenfieldrecruitingpractitioners.Ourgoalistogiveyouaseriesofbestprac-ticeideasandstrategiesthatcanimpact

yourrecruitingresultsandgiveyoutheabilitytoattractgreaternumbersofFRhiresinthecomingyear.

Overtwodays,youwillexperienceaseriesofpresentations,roleplays,andinteractive,content-richsessionsthatwillmakeyoubetteratsourcingqualitycandidates.Youwillalsohavetheop-portunitytonetworkwithyourrecruitingpeersandgettoseethelatestresourcesfromourRecruitingTeam.

t clIck hEREforfulldetailsabouthowtosignuptoday.

“Joinusforwhatwilldefinitelybeaveryworthwhileinvestmentofyourtime,”saysScottRich,FieldVicePresident,Fi-nancialRepresentativeRecruiting,AgencyGrowthandDevelopment.“It’sagreatopportunitytosetthestagetohelpjumpstartyour2012FRrecruitingresultsandassistyouinyourannualrecruitingplan-ningfornextyear.Weurgeyoutoattend

thismeetingwithyourentirerecruitingteam,asthiswillhelpyouinimplement-ingnewstrategiesintoyouragencyre-cruitingplans.”

Note:Wearelimitedto85attendeesduetohotellogistics,soyouneedtoregisterassoonaspossibletobeguaranteedaspot.

FormoreinformationontheRecruitingForum,contactScott RichorDaudley Fanfan.

SUMMER 2011 | 9

GIvE YouR BuSINESS ThE EdGE IT dESERvESLet MarketEDGE Help You Reach Clients and Prospects Like Never Before

Giving your business the winning edge in the market-place just got easier with the launch of Guardian’s new MarketEDGE lead generation platform. This tech-nology – which was designed and built in collabora-tion between the Field and the Home Office – enables you to grow your business by delivering insights on your current clients to help you grow and retain these relationships. It also helps you generate quali-fied leads and create new recruitment opportunities “on-demand.” Not only does MarketEDGE provide you with targeted lists, but it will also include pre-approved materials, such as e-mail messages, letters, and postcards (focused on products, financial topics, and relationship management) that can be sent out at a nominal cost.

TheinnovativebusinessbuildingcapacityofMarketEDGEwillallowyoutocross-sellandup-sellexistingclients,acquirenewclients,andenableyouragencytorecruitnewsalesprofessionalstojoinyourteam.YourstaffcanalsoleverageMarket-EDGEtoconductmarketingcampaignsanddeepentheirexistingagencyandFinancialRepresentativerelationships.

“WeintheHomeOfficeunderstandthatassistingyoutogenerateactivitywithcurrentandprospectiveclientsisparamounttoyoursuccess,”saysSteveHolstein,Guardian’sChiefMarketingOfficer.“It’swiththismindsetthatweworkedcloselywithsomeofyourFieldcolleaguestocreateMarketEDGE,atoolthatenablesyoutobemoresuccessfulinidentify-ingleadsandretainingandgrowingyourbusiness.BecausetheplatformisaccessiblefromtheMarket-ingtabonGuardian Online,youcanquicklydeter-

minewhatyouwanttodo,identifywhoyouwanttotarget,anddecidewhatyouwishtosay.Whethertheneedistotakeyourpracticetothenextlevel,optimizeyourcurrentclientbase,getanewFRgo-ing,orrecruitnewones,MarketEDGEcanhelp.”

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Providing Value to Every UserUsingtheMarketEDGEplatformcanprovideyouwithawiderangeofbusinessdevelopmentopportunitiesnomatterwhereyouareinyourcareer.Examplesinclude:

3Marketing Directors and Sales Managers can

•AssistFinancialRepresentativeswiththeexecu-tionofcampaignsanddownloadingoflistswiththeirpermission

•LeverageMarketEDGEasanentrypointfor newdiscussionstodeepenandcreatemutuallybeneficialrelationships

•PurchaselistsofprospectiveFRsinyourarea•Uploadyourownlistsandcreatee-mailordirectmailcampaigns

•WorkwithGeneralAgentstosendoutnominatore-mailsordirectmail

2New Financial Representatives can

•ProspecttospecificmarketsusingMarketEDGEdataandmaterials

•Purchaselistsforfollow-upcampaigns•Uploadyourownlistsandreachouttocentersofinfluence,acquaintances,andreferrals

•Easilyidentifyopportunitieswithinyourpolicy-holderandclientbase

•Leverageconsumerandbusinessprospectdatatogetyourpracticegoing

1Experienced Financial Representatives can

•Uploadclientlistsandcommunicatetothem usingMarketEDGE’spre-approveddirectmailande-mailmaterials

•Prospectfornewclients•UtilizeMarketEDGE’sclientandpolicyleveldatatohoneinonnewopportunities(e.g.,target

clientsthatownlifebutnotdisability)•Stayintouchwithexistingclientsbyutilizing“relationship-based”communications,suchasthankyou,annualreview,andcongratulatory

correspondence

SUMMER 2011 | 11 (continued on page 12)

“MarketEDGE enables FRs to focus their efforts: reaching targeted prospects based on real-time selling oppor-tunities, resulting in greater revenue and improved sales productivity.”—CarolineBonnar,DirectorofMarketingTheBulfinchGroup,Boston,MA“MarketEDGE is all about

getting people to think and expand their possibilities”—KelleyBiondi,DirectorofMarketingNewYorkRHB

“MarketEDGE provides a nice way for the FR to research the new market ... and have the confidence necessary to achieve success.”—JennyCaruso,R.P.,DirectorofMarketingSouthwestAgency

Built By the Field for the FieldPerhapsoneofthemostcriticalbuildingblocksinthecreationofMarketEDGEistheongoingparticipa-tionofaspecialFieldAdvisoryCommitteewhichhasbeeninvolvedindevelopingthenewplatformsincedayone.Here,intheirownwords,severalmembersoftheteamsharewhatMarketEDGEwillmeantotheField,howtheyplanonusingitintheiragencies,andhowtheplatformcanpositionGuardian’sFRsforfuturesuccess.

Toreadcompletequotesfromeach,scrollovertheindividual’sphotoort clIck hEREtoreadthemall.

Want to Learn More?FinancialRepresentativesshouldfirstcontacttheiragency’sMarketingDirectorwithanyquestionsabouttheplatform.Ifmoreassistanceisneeded,theMarketEDGEHelpLinecanbeavaluableresource.TheHelpLinecanbereachedbyphoneat1-877-734-5321orbye-mailatmarketedge@glic.com.

t clIck hEREtoaccesstheMarketEDGEQuickStartguide.

t clIck hEREtoaccessasetofFrequentlyAskedQuestionsabouttheMarketEDGEplatform.

SUMMER 2011 | 12

Guardian’sAgencyTraining&Developmentdepart-mentsupportsagencymanagersatalllevelsinthedevelopmentoftheirproducers.Supportbeginsasearlyasthepre-contractphaseoftheproducer’shir-ingcycleandcontinueswithprograms,schools,andresourcesthroughouttheagent’sGuardiancareer.

AlthoughbestknownforCareerKickoffSchoolandTheCenterforLearning&ProfessionalDevelopment,Agen-cyTraining&DevelopmentalsomaintainsprogramsforLife&Healthlicensing,professionaldesignationsanddevelopment,MDRTmentoring,andtraininganal-ysisconsultations.

Thissummer,thegroupbegantointroduceseveralprogramsandinitiativesdesignedtohelpmanagerswiththeonboardingprocess.Herearethehighlights:

• The Guardian FR Training Blueprintprovidesacon-sistentandstructuredprocessthatGeneralAgents,

What’s New in Training?

CDMs,andsalesmanag-erscanusetoproperlyorientnewproducerstotheindividualagencyaswellasGuardian’s

systemsandprocesses.Whenfullydeployedthisfall,theBlueprintwilladdresstheproducer’sfirst90daysofdevelopment.Eventually,itwilladdressthefirstyearoftheproducer’sdevelopment.

• The Center for Learning & Professional Develop-ment wasrecentlyreintroducedwithamoreintuitiveinterfaceandnewfeatures,includingquizzesthatcanbeassociatedwithacourseorusedonastand-alonebasis.Othernewfeaturesincludefunctionalitythatletsproducersmarkanycourseasa“favorite”sotheycanreturntoitquicklyinthefuture.Everycoursenow

includesafunctionthatletsusersrateitsvalue,similartotheprocessNetflixuses.

• The Career Kickoff School hasalsobeenrefreshed.Manynewcomponentswereaddedasaresultofsug-gestionsfrompriorschoolevaluationforms.Newcontentincludesarestructuredcontentflowthatalignswiththesalescycle,plusavideotapedroleplayofeveryattendee’sopentalk.October’sschoolisbasedonprospecting,in-cludingphoneskills,opentalk,referraltalk,overcomingobjections,buildingyourcenterofinfluence,plusotherdynamicprospectingskills.StaytunedforfurtherCareerKickoffSchoolenhancementsnextyear.

AgencyTraining&Developmentisreadytoassistyouragency’sproducersinbecomingstrongcontributorstowardsyourfirm’sgrowth.Contactanyteammemberforassistance:

Abram Gibbons,VicePresident;Jeff Mines,ProjectManager;Tim Nootz,SalesTrainingSpecialist;andBasil Thompson,ProgramDeveloper.

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Expand Your Professional opportunities

SUMMER 2011 | 13

B u i l d Yo u r

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SUMMER 2011 | 14

New Recruitment Website Nears LaunchTouts the Benefits of Building a Career as a Guardian FR through Real-Life Testimonials

Lookingtogetaninsider’sviewonwhatit’sreallyliketoworkforacompanyandwhatthebenefitsofbuildingacareerthereare?Godirectlytothesource:themenandwomenwhoalreadyworkthere.

ThisisthepremiseofGuardian’snewrecruitmentweb-site,whichisscheduledtolaunchthisfallandwillbeanoteworthypartofGuardian’snewpublicwebsite.Thesite,whichisbeingdescribedasa“virtualexperience,”givesvisitorsbackstageaccesstolearnabouttheben-efitsofbuildingacareeratGuardian,andfeaturesreal-lifestoriesofactualGuardianFinancialRepresentatives

whoexplainthereasonsbehindwhytheywereattractedtojoinourorganization.

TheFRs,whosharetheirviewsonthesiteintheformofshortandengagingvideoclips,representaseriesof“personas,”whichasleadingresearchindicates,areastrongengagementtooldesignedtocapturetheatten-tionofpotentialrecruits.InadditiontoinsightsfromseasonedFRswhomadethetransitiontoGuardian,thewebsitealsofeaturesthestoriesofcareerchangerswhoexplainhowtheyeasilymadethemovefromotherprofessionssuchasCPAsandsmallbusinessowners.

Theinterviewees(picturedbelow)sharetheirthoughtsonavarietyofquestionssuchasthefollowing:

•WhydidyoucometoGuardian?•Whatarethebestthingsaboutthecareerinyouragency?

•Howsatisfyingisittobeanentrepreneurrunningyourownpractice?

And,toensurethatthesite’scontentcanbeaccessedbymostpeople,allofitsvideoswillbepostedinmp4format,makingthemuserfriendlyforbothPCsandiPads.

Have a Story to Share? We Want to Hear from YouIfyouhaveagoodstorytoshareaboutwhyyouwereattractedtojoinGuardian,theMarketingteamwouldlovetohearfromyou.DropalinetoBeth Wood todayandperhapsyourstorywillbefeaturedinafutureupdatetothesite.

RobertJaffe,Ridgewood Agency

TerrellDinkins,Southeast Agency

AmySalo,New York Elias Agency

SUMMER 2011 | 15

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The Guardian Insight Forum Leverages Leaders Club Best Practices

Haveyoueverbeeninneedofinformationandbestpracticesonhowtoworkwithsmallbusinessownersandnotbeensurewheretoaccessit?Ifyouransweris“yes,”there’sgoodnewstoreport:Youwillsoonbeabletorelyonanewresourcedesignedtomakeiteasierforyoutogetwhatyouneed.And,thebestpartofthisnewtoolisthatitwasdeveloped100%fromtheinputofGuardian’sLeadersClubqualifiers.

Overthecourseofsevenweeksduringthespringof2011,412LeadersClubproducerstookpartinanonlinestudycalledtheGuardian Insight Forum.Duringthistime,participantsreceivedtwoopen-endedbestpracticesquestionstoanswereachweekontopicssuchas:

•Howdoyoufindprospectivebusinessownerstoengagewithinyourcommunity?

•Howdoyougetreferrals?

•Whatfactfinderdoyouuse?

Theanswerssubmittedwerecollectedandorganizedintocommoncategories,withthepurposeoffinding

outwhattopicsmattermosttoGuardian’sFieldleaders.AllofthisdiscoveryandresearchwasspearheadedbyperennialChair-man’sCouncilqualifierMark Murphy, CLU, ChFCoftheShort Hills Agency,whohaslongbeenpassionateabouthelpinghiscol-

leaguesbuildsuccessfulbusinesseslikehis.

“Manyofusbelongtolocalstudygroupswherewegettoshareandlearnfromourpeers.Whilethisisgood,italsooftenmeansthatwedonotgettheben-


efitofinteractingwithcolleaguesacrossthecountry.ThankstotheGuardianInsightForum,allofthisischanging,”saysMark.“Forumparticipantssharedbestpracticesoneachstepinbuildingtheclientrelationship,fromtargetingandunderstandingyourmarkettomaximizingclientinteraction–ideasthatwecanalllearnfrom.Ourfocuswasonqualityoverquantity.Wewillnowusetheinformationgatheredtocreatenewresourcesthatwillserveupinforma-tioninawaythat’seasytouse,thereforehelpingyougetbacktodoingwhatyoudobest–meetingtheneedsofyourclients.”

Using What We learnedGuardianwillusethebestpracticesandideasgath-eredduringtheseven-weekInsightForumprocesstodevelopanonlineresourcecalled“DrawingonExperience,aBestPracticeSeries.”TheBestPracticeSerieswillbelocatedinanewresourcecenteronGuardianOnlinecalledthePracticeBlueprint.ThePracticeBlueprintwillbecomeanintegralpartofarevampedGuardianOnline,andisdesignedtohelpsiteusersquicklyfindtheinformationtheyneedtohelpthemworkwithsmallbusinessowners.Itwillbeimplementedinthreephases:

1 AlibraryofbestpracticetipsheetsinPDFformatwillbeavailableinlatesummer2011.

2 Amoredynamicsystem,whichorganizeskeyre-sourcesbasedonyourGuardianOnlinesign-in,willbeavailableinearly2012.

3 ThefullBlueprint,whichallowsuserstotypeinaquestionandfindtheanswertheyneed,willberolledoutinlate2012.

drawing on ExperienceClickonthelinksbelowtoviewanddownloadcop-iesofthefirsttwobestpracticestipsheets.

• How your peers prospect in the Business Market•How your peers train for success in the Business Market

A Rising Tide Raises All BoatsLookingahead,Markisenthusiasticabouttheben-efitsthatallofhiscolleaguesandGuardianwillenjoyasaresultofthisproject.

“Whenwemakeacommitmenttocontributeourbestthinkingandprovensuccessstories,allofusbenefitfromtheoutcome,”hesays.“Guardianisagreatcompanyanddeservesourverybest.Now,thankstotheInsightForumandthePracticeBlue-print,ourFieldforcewillbeabletopositionitselfforevengreatersuccessinthebusinessownermar-ketplaceasweleverageourcollectivestrengths.”

WatchavideoofMarkMurphysharingsomeofhispersonalbestpracticesonworkingwithbusinessowners.

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The rewards for helping to grow your agency have never been better. In addition to the satisfaction you’ll feel by introducing someone to a great career as a Financial Representative, you can earn special recognition, including a $2,000 bonus, for making qualified FR referrals through the “Be a Guardian Hero” program.

Nowinitssecondyear,“BeaGuardianHero”con-tinuestofocusongrowingourcompanythroughtheexpansionofourcareeragencyFieldforce.Makingareferralisquickandeasy,andallyouneedtodoisvisitwww.beaguardianhero.comtosubmityourreferral.Bonuseswillbepaidaccordingtooneofthefollowingtwoplans:

Grow Your Firm and Build Your FutureBe a Guardian Hero Today and Earn Special Recognition for Your Efforts

PLAN A

Referrals that lead to the hiring of an experienced pro-ducer – those who are currently FRs or have been in the past and have earned $69,000 with 70% coming from Life/DI – will earn the referrer a $2,000 bonus when the FR receives his/her first salary check.

PLAN B

Referrals that lead to hires that do not have any FR expe-rience will also earn you a $2,000 bonus. The difference involves how the payout is made. In this case, you, as the referrer, will receive $1,000 the same day the FR hire receives his or her first salary check and another $1,000 at six months when the FR hire is meeting his or her sales goals set by the agency.

Enhanced Recognition“NothingisasimportanttothecontinuedgrowthandsuccessofGuardiananditsagenciesthantherecruitingofnewprofessionalstojoinouragencies,”saysDonSullivan,SeniorVicePresident,AgencyDistributionandParkAvenueSecurities.“That’swhyourcompanystronglystandsbehindthe‘BeaGuard-ianHero’programandisencouragingeverymemberoftheFieldtoactivelyparticipateinreferringqualityFRcandidates.”

ToillustratejusthowvaluabletheFRreferralsre-ceivedthroughthe“BeaGuardianHero”programaretoGuardian,Donpointstothespecialrecogni-tionthatourcompanyisofferingtothosewhostepupinabigway.


— BE A —

GUARDIAN HERO

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“Lastyear,weofferedspecialrecognitionforthetopthreereferrersofnewFRhires.Thisyear,wehaveen-hancedtheprogram’srewardsbecausewefeelthatthisprogramissoimportanttoourcontinuedgrowthandsuccess,”hesays.“Whileeveryonewhopartici-patesearnsthehonorofbeingcalledahero,thetopfourFieldassociateswhogoastepbeyondwillhavetheireffortscelebratedinaspecialway.”

Scrolloverthenumbersbelowtoseethisyear’sspecialrecognitionor t clIck hEREforalllevels.

Allqualifierswillreceive:• RecognitionadinThe Wall Street Journal• FramedReprintofJournalad• $2,000GuardianHerobonus• Recognitionat2012LeadersClub

t clIck hEREtoreadfullqualificationrulesforthe“BeaGuardianHero”program.

t clIck hEREtoviewtheadthatappearedinThe Wall Street Journaltorecognizethe316heroeswhotookpartin“BeaGuardianHero”in2010.

hearing from our heroesLookingforanotherreasonwhyyoushouldtakepartinreferringsomeonetojoinaGuardianagency?Perhapsyou’llbeinspiredbywhatthetopthree

“BeaGuardianHero”winnersfrom2010havetosay.Here,intheirownwords,theysharewhatmotivatedthemtogetinvolvedandwhygrowingGuardiananditsagenciesissoimportanttothem.

Scrollovernamestoreadquotesort clIck hEREtoreadthemall.

Ryan Clark,FinancialRepresentativeandGuardianHero,SaltLakeCity

Charles Jackson,FinancialRepresentativeandGuardianHero,Dallas-SouthTexas

Thomas Sherman,FinancialRepresentativeandGuardianHero,NewYorkRHB

ThIRd PlAcEToP hoNoR FoURTh PlAcESEcoNd PlAcE

Ryan Clark,SaltLakeCity Charles Jackson,Dallas-SouthTexas Thomas Sherman,NewYorkRHB

The Living Balance Sheet®andThe Living Balance Sheet®logoareregisteredservicemarksofTheGuardianLifeInsuranceCompanyofAmerica(Guardian),NewYork,NY.ThegraphicsandtextusedhereinaretheexclusivepropertyofGuardianandprotectedunderU.S.andInternationalcopyrightlaws.

©Copyright2005-2011,TheGuardianLifeInsuranceCompanyofAmerica

SUMMER 2011 | 19

TheLeadersClubconferenceheldinMiami,FLinMayshow-casedtheaccomplishmentsofthetopperformersinGuard-ian’sFieldforce.QualifyingforLeadersClubisachallengingtask;attendeesmustsatisfyasetofdemandingrequirementsinordertoearnaninvitation.Whilemeetingpre-determinedLifesalesisclearlyimportant,FinancialRepresentativesmustalsobeingoodcompliancestandinginordertomakethecut.

Thisyear, 614 membersoftheFieldforcequalifiedtoattendtheLeadersClubmeeting.Oncethere,conferenceattendeesbenefitedfrommotivationalpresentationsandthesharingofbestpracticesfromfellowFieldleadersandHomeOfficeasso-ciates.Theyalsocelebratedthesuccessesof2010andgainedaclearfocusonhowourcompanyplanstobuildonourprov-enstrengthstoattainevengreatersuccessinthefuture.Thefollowingpresentshighlightsofthisyear’smeeting.

Recognizing guaRdian’s commitment to excellence at the 2011 leadeRs club


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learning from guardian’s Field leadersOneofthemostimportantcomponentsofGuardian’sannualLeadersClubmeetingisthepresenceofFieldleaderswhosharevaluableinsightsaboutthemar-ketplaceandthebuildingblocksoftheirlong-termsuccess.It’sthiscommitmenttotheexchangeofbestpracticesandlifelonglearningthatcontinuesto

strengthenGuardian’sCareerAgencysystemandourvaluepropositiontoourpolicyholders.t clIck hEREforasummaryofthisyear’sFieldpresentations.

celebrating a Special MilestoneAtthestartofthisyear’sawardsbanquet,thenChairmanandCEODennisManningkickedoffthefestivitiesbyrecognizingtheoutstandingcareerac-complishmentsofhisgoodfriendBob Fine,whowascelebratinghis40thyearastheGeneralAgentoftheWorcesterAgency.

“BobbyhasservedasaGuardianGeneralAgentthroughcountlesseconomiccyclesandcrises,andhisagencycontinuestoprosper,”hesaid.“Outsideofwork,Bobbyhasanimpressiverecordofgivingbacktohiscommunity,havingrecentlybeenhonoredbytheJimmyFundwiththeirprestigiousExtraMileAwardforraisingover$1,000,000throughhisan-nualBillCostelloMemorialGolfTournament.Ofthatimpressivetotalraised,$500,000camefromBob’spersonaldonation.It’smygreatpleasuretorepre-sentallofusatGuardianandthankBobbyforhiscontributionstohisagency,thecompany,hiscom-munity,andcertainlynotleast,hisfamily.”

centurion club QualifiersThisyear,thefollowingindividuals,whowereinattendanceatLeadersClub,wererecognizedasFirst-TimeCenturionClubQualifiers:

Berel Bronstein BrooklynAshvin Chheda Dallas-SouthTexasElie Engel WorcesterMatt Fine WorcesterBill Marbit RidgewoodNicholas Munoz AustinBenzion Weinfeld Brooklyn


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QualifyingMembersarethosewhohavenotonlyachievedCenturionlevel,buthavealsomaintaineditovermultipleyears.InattendanceatLeadersClubwere:

Brett Zuckerman SouthFlorida 2YearsBob Jaffe Ridgewood 3YearsCathy Konner Ridgewood 3YearsBarry Rosinger BrooklynE/P 3Years

Life&QualifyingMembershavequalifiedforatleastfiveconsecutiveyears.Theyare:

Mike Oates Southeast-Atlanta 7YearsJeff Benowitz Ridgewood 9YearsWilliam Katz NYMazzei 9YearsAnjali Singh CaliforniaPacific 9YearsEric Studley NYMazzei 10YearsSteve Willis KansasCity 10YearsRandy Fine Worcester 18Years

Praetorian clubThisyear,Eric StudleyfromNY MazzeiwasrecognizedasPraetorianClubQualifier.Thiswashisseventhyearqualifyingforthishonor.

Brian h. Early Frontline Excellence AwardThisawardrecognizessalesmanagerswhohaveshownexemplaryperformanceintheircurrentpositionandwhohavedirectresponsibilityforaportionofanagencyor

firm,includingrecruitingandlaunchingandsupervisingnewagentsoradvisors.Nomineesmustdemonstrateout-standingsuccessincontributingtotheirfirmoragency’sgrowththroughtheleadershipoftheirsalesorganiza-tions.Thisyear’swinner,Joel SteinfromtheBrooklyn Agency,recruitedeightFRsin2010,increasedthenum-berofAPRqualifiersbytwo,andhadnineClientBuilderAwardwinnersand14LeadersClubqualifiers.Witha

totalof$1,702,806incommissioncreditsproducedbyhisteam,Joelsurpassedallofhissalesmanagementcol-leaguesatGuardianasourcompany’stopsalesmanager.

leadership AwardsTheseawardsrecognizethetopproducerineachspe-cificlineofbusiness.

Equity Sales Award ThisawardwaspresentedtoTom FerraraofNew York RHB inrecognitionofbeingthetopproducerinproprietaryannuityandmutualfundsaleswith$8.8millioninproduction.

combined group Sales AwardWith$1.7millionincombinedGrouppremiumduring2010,Muzzy BassfromtheDallas-South TexasAgencyearnedthisaward.

National Retirement Plans AwardThisrecognition,whichwasformerlyknownastheNa-tionalGroupPensionsAward,waspresentedtoAnthony

Domino, Jr. fromNew York RHB forproducing$5.4mil-lionofGuardianAdvantageandGuardianChoicesales.

Individual dI Premium AwardThewinnerofthisyear’sIndividualDIPremiumAward,Eric Studley fromNY Mazzei,ledtheFieldwith$389,000inindividualDIpremium.

leadership Award for long Term careThisawardgoestotheleaderinLongTermCaresales.With$104,000inpremium,thisrecognitiongoestoRob Clarfeld fromNew York RHB.




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other and the home office to present a uni-fied front and triumph in these challenging times facing the life insurance industry.

“over the course of the next year, guardian will face changes and challenges as will each of us and everyone in our industry,” he said. “I’m confident that if we all do our part, and the best arrangements are made, we’ll prove to ourselves that once again we can defend our industry and continue to provide a great

life for our families and great solu-tions for our clients. We may have some tough times, but

it’s those tough times that define all of us and who we are. We have the opportunity to create unfailing hope for what’s next, and we have the resolve and the confidence to prevail and continue to grow guardian.”

leadership Award for lives ProductionPresentedfortheseventhyearinarowtoEric Studleyfrom NY Mazzei,thisawardrecognizedhimforleadingthecompanywith344lives.

leadership Award for life PremiumThisyear’swinner, Jeff NealfromMid-Central,pro-ducedanunprecedented$3.7millioninLifepremiums.

Passing of the MedallionAfter recognizing the outstanding job that david Simkowitz of the Brooklyn Agency did in helping to grow the company for years to come during his tenure as the 2010-2011 President of the Executive committee, then chairman and cEo dennis Manning present-ed him with a gavel plaque to commemorate his distinguished term. With david and his wife, chana, on stage, dennis introduced the next President of the Executive committee, Paul vecchione from the Wayne Agency, and shared highlights of his career with guard-ian. Upon reaching the stage, with his wife, Adrienne, and three children by his side, Paul accepted the responsibility of serving as 2011-2012 President, and encouraged all of his Field partners to work together closely with each


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FIVE Questions with…

BeingelectedpresidentofGuardian’sFieldExecutiveCommitteeisanhonorreservedforaselectfewFinancialRepresentativeswhopossessadeepcommitmenttogrowandpro-tectourcompany,whilealsotakingtheirownpersonalpracticetonewheights.ForFinancialRepresentativePaulVecchioneoftheWayneAgency,theopportunitytoserveinthisroleforthecompanyhe’scalledhomeforthepast17yearsisthechanceofalifetime.

ServicespoketoPaultogetinsightsintowhyhe’ssopassionateabouthisnewrole,whathispriori-tiesareintheyearahead,andwhynooneintheFieldcanaffordtoignorewhat’shappeningintheregulatoryandfinancialmarketplaces.

Service: Congratulations on being elected Presi-dent of the Field Executive Committee for 2011-2012. What are your priorities for the year ahead?

Paul: TherearethreemainareasIamfocusedon:growth,conservation,andindustryinvolvement.GrowthinvolvesallofuscontinuingtorecruitnewFinancialRepresentatives,whointurn,willhelpusreachmoreclients.Conservationistheprocessofensuringthatourexistinglifeinsurancepremiumstaysonthebooks.Thisisespeciallycriticaltodaywherewholelifepoliciesoftenarereplacementtargets.Finally,there’sneverbeenagreaterneedforindustryinvolvement.Duringthenextfewyears,theinsuranceindustrycouldbefacingseriouschallengesinCongresswithregardtotaxlegisla-tionandchangestothewholelifeproduct.AllofusatGuardianneedtostepupourgameandprotecttheproductswesellandusetoprotectindividuals,families,andbusinessesthroughoutthecountry.Thebestwaytodothisisthroughindustryinvolve-mentandsharingtheGuardianstory.

Paul Vecchione, President of the Field Executive Committee


1

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S:You spoke from the heart at Leaders Club about the serious challenges facing the life insurance in-dustry and the role the Field can play in helping to protect Guardian’s strong reputation. Can you talk a little bit about this very important cause?

P: Unlessyouliveunderarock,youknowthatourcountryhasbeenexperiencingaverychallengingeconomyforthepastfewyears.Oneofthemostdisturbingissuesisthecontinuedgrowthofdefi-citsandtheneedtoraiserevenuetocoverthesedebts.Forallofusinthelifeinsuranceandfinan-cialservicesindustry,thishasledtohugeconcernsaboutwhatactionthefederalgovernmentmighttaketoremedythedeficitgap.Onesuggestedac-tioninvolvesthegovernmenttaxinglifeinsuranceandotherproductsthatarecurrentlynottaxed.Thiswoulddramaticallyimpactourbusinessandallofourpolicyholders.

Thisiswhythetimeisnowtotakeaproactiverole.Noneofuscanaffordtoputourheadsinthesandandthinkthatourproductswillbeprotectedwithoutoureffort.GuardianneedsmoreofourFieldleaderstostepuptheirinvolvementwith

Congressandtheirlocalrepresentativestogetthewordoutaboutwhoweareandallofthegoodthatwedo.

OnegreatsourceofhelpforusistheAssociationforAdvancedLifeUnderwiting(AALU),whichisastrongleaderintheareaofprotectingourbusi-ness.Ipresentlychairtwoofitscommitteesandhaveaseatontheorganization’sstrategicplan-ningcommittee.IurgeallofmycolleaguesintheFieldtogetinvolvedwithindustryorganizationsnowsowecanmakearealimpact.Wehavetheopportunitytocreateunfailinghopeforwhat’snext,andIamconfidentthatwehavetheresolveandtheconfidencetoprevailandcontinuetogrowGuardian.

S:Your predecessor, David Simkowitz, was pas-sionate about growing Guardian through the “Be a Guardian Hero” program. What are your plans for keeping the program vital?

P:AsImentionedearlier,growthisanessentialelementofourfuturesuccess.IamcommittedtocontinuetheworkstartedbyDavidlastyear,and

“BeaGuardianHero”willremainacriticalele-mentofourrecruitingstrategy.Whatmakestheprogramsoimpactfulistheunchallengeddatathatprovesourcompany’sbestnewagentsaretypi-callyrecruitedfrompeoplealreadyhereatGuard-ian.What’smore,thisorganicgrowthisthemostcostefficientmethodofrecruiting,andtheoddsof

successforthosebroughtinbyoneofourtenuredagentsareoftensubstantiallyhigherthanthosewhocometousfromacareerfairorotherforums.

t clIck hEREtoreadtherestoftheinterviewwithPaulVecchione.

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During the week of July 11, 2011, Distribution held its fifth annual Living Balance Sheet® Sales Forum in Dallas, TX. Nearly 500 attendees from over 60 Guardian General Agen-cies attended the three-day event, which included a half-day orientation session for new agents and new sub-scribers of The Living Balance Sheet® (LBS). Presentations were given to provide attendees with a thorough grounding in LBS philosophy and topics, including calculators and functionality, as well as an overview of new additions to the system. The event was led by Robert Ball,

former General Agent and architect of LBS. Bob set the foundation for this exciting event by defining the LBS core philosophy and explaining how it challenges traditional financial thinking and many of the pitfalls that come with it.

Forum attendees also had the opportunity to hear from and in-teract with special guest speakers, including Guardian Executive Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer Meg Skinner; Paul Vecchione, 2011-2012 President of the Executive Committee; and LBS faculty mem-

2011 SALES FoRUM SPoTLIGHTS THE BEST oF The Living BaLance SheeT ®


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bers Joe DeLisi of the Mid-South Agency, Robert Kievit of NY Mazzei, James McGovern of the Mid-Central Agency, Pat Moore of the Southeast Agency, and John Shields of the Cen-tral Florida Agency.

One of the highlights of the event was a live demonstration featuring clients of Career Development Man-ager Shawn Arrington of the Fort Worth Agency. Main forum speaker Bob Ball led a married couple through the process of using The Living Balance Sheet®, illustrating the opportunities to build and protect their wealth and achieve financial balance.

On the final day of the Forum, Paul Vecchione presented a compelling en-dorsement of the “Be a Guardian Hero” Program, with the goal of recruiting quality people to strengthen and grow the Guardian family. As a re-sult of his inspirational messaging, nearly 200 potential Financial Rep-resentatives were referred to Guard-ian on that day alone.

Feedback on The Living Balance Sheet® Forum from Guardian’s Field force was exceptionally positive:

“This event greatly increased my confidence, and brought back to me the oft misplaced realization that in spite of all the financial jargon, I help people keep the promises they make to the people they love.”

“I have already begun to have different, more meaningful conversations with my clients and prospects. Bob Ball’s message about Whole Life made it even more apparent that every financial plan works better when Whole Life is at the heart of it.”

“I have more confidence and passion in our unique philosophy andwill ensure I bring a renewed focus every day to helping as manypeople as possible.”

“I am now more confident in my abilities as a user of LBS, and I will remain positive and confident that I am able to change people’s lives through a tool that is not available anywhere else in the world.”

“It’s the best investment that I make every year in my practice. My only wish is that everyone in my agency attends this event next year. This is how strong agency cultures are built at Guardian.”

The Living Balance Sheet® and The Living Balance Sheet® logo are regis-tered service marks of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), New York, NY. The graphics and text used herein are the exclusive property of Guardian and protected under U.S. and International copyright laws.

© Copyright 2005-2011, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America

For more information on LBS, visit www.thelivingbalancesheet.com..

SUMMER 2011 | 27

A Closer Look at Guardian’s Agency Office Security PoliciesIn today’s technologically advanced world, information securi-ty threats increase daily. Criminal activity to steal information or commit fraud is occurring with increasing frequency and speed. At the same time, regulatory obligations and liabilities are growing at an almost exponential rate. As a result, it’s now more important than ever that organizations dealing with cli-ents’ personal and confidential financial information step up their efforts to protect their business and their reputation and maintain the confidence and trust of their customers and poli-cyholders. And this is exactly what our company has done with the creation of “Guardian’s Agency Office Security Policies.”

Putting PRotection FiRSt


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The purpose of Guardian’s Agency Office Security Policies (GAOSP) is to achieve three objectives:• Identifyreasonableandappropriatesafeguards consistent with industry standard practices to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our private, internal assets• EnsurethatGuardian,itsGeneralAgencies,and its producers implement and maintain safeguards and controls consistent with its regulatory require- ments and customer obligations.• Minimizetheimpact,exposure,liability,andcost associated with a privacy data breach.

“Weareinthebusinessofputtingprotectionfirst,”saysSteveGucciardi,VicePresident,AgencyDistributionManagement.“Wehelpourclientstoaccumulateandprotecttheirwealth,toallowthemtofulfillpromisestotheirfamiliesandassureaguaranteedlivingstandardafterretirementandpostdeathtotheirlovedones.Weallhaveapartindeliveringonthatpromise,whichalsoin-cludesprotectingtheirprivacydata.Weneedtoputprotectionfirstnotonlyinhelpingourclientstoselecttherightinsurancecoveragetomeettheirneeds,butalsoinsideouragenciesandagentofficesasweconductday-to-dayoperations.”

Stevestronglyencouragesallagencymembers,includingFRs,FPs,FTAs,andallPAS-registeredbrokers,tobecomefamiliarwiththeGAOSP reference manualthat’spostedonGuardianOnline.Itcanbelocatedthroughthefollowingnavigation[Service&Admin>AgencyOfficeManuals]orby t clIckINg hERE [YouwillneedyourGOLIDandpassword.]

Themanualcontainsvaluableinformationdesignedtohelpyouavoidbecomingavictimofasecuritybreach,includingstandardschecklists,samplethird-partycontractsinvolvingprivacyinfor-mation,aswellasdetailsregardingtheuseofonlineback-upservicesandanti-virussoftwareservices.ItalsoincludesahandylistofHomeOfficeComplianceandTechnicalSupportcontactsthatareavailabletoansweranyofyourquestionsrelatedtothisimportantmatter.

“Sometimeswecangetbusywiththeday-to-dayelementsofourworkandforgetthesmalldetails,includingthinkingaboutse-curity,”saysSteve.“Unfortunately,criminalsandhackersnevertakeadayoff.WeallneedtoputahighpriorityonprotectingGuardian’sprivacy,sowecanstayoutoftheheadlines.Simpleactslikeencryptingalaptoporkeepingyouranti-virusprotec-tionuptodatecanmakeahugedifferenceandrendersomepro-posedsecurityattacksasnon-events.YoucanthinkoftheGAOSPmanualasacookbookforhowtokeepbothyourbusinessandyourclientssafe.”


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Increased ThreatsNot convinced that privacy threats are that serious of an issue? Consider the following statistics: • AccordingtotheFBI,95%ofalldatasecurity breaches could have been prevented by the simple use of antivirus, patch installation, and encryption, and that these breaches are on the rise, especially in the financial services industry because of its monetary involvement.• 38%ofbreachesoccurbecauseoftheuseof malware.• 85%ofprivacyattackswerenotconsideredhighly difficult to execute.

And,whiletheseprivacybreachesmaynotrequireagreatdealoftimeandefforttoimplement,thecoststoanorganizationaffectedbythistypeofcrimecanbestaggering.

“Theresultsofadatabreachorfraudcannotonlycostyouhun-dredsofthousandsofdollarsinregulatoryfines,expenses,andfinanciallosses,butthereputationaldamagecanalsoaffectyourbusinessforyearstocome,”saysMarcSokol,VicePresident,ChiefSecurityOfficer,andHeadofOperationalRiskinGuardian’sCorpo-rateSecurityOffice.“Inordertopreventthistypeofdamage,weallneedtobeunwaveringinoureffortstoprotectsensitiveinforma-

tionbyimplementingreasonableandappropriatemanagementoftheseoperationalrisksthroughtheenactmentofefficientsafe-guards.Guardian’sAgencySecurityPolicyandStandardsprovidesyouwithpracticalandcosteffectivemeasuresandtoolstohelpyouprotectyourbusinesses,whilealsoaffordingourcustomersthecomfortandprotectiontheyneed.”

t clIck hERE forexamplesof“MostCommonRisks”

Protection is Everyone’s ResponsibilityInorderforGuardiantobesuccessfulinprotectingtheprivacyandsecurityofbothourcompanyandourclients,itwillrequirethebuy-inofeverymemberofourFieldforce.Stevebelievesnothingismoreimportanttocreatingapositiveoutcomethanstrongleader-shipandcommunicationontheagencylevel.

“Informationsecurityaffectseveryoneintheagency,fromtheGen-eralAgentsandtheFinancialRepresentativestotheadministra-tivestaffandsomebrokers.ThebestwaytoensurethateveryoneisincompliancewithGAOSPisthroughregularcommunicationontheissue,withtheGeneralAgenttakingastrongleadershiprole,”hesays.“It’scriticalthatourGAswalkthetalkandsetapersonalexamplethatsecurityisahugepriority.Likewise,everymemberoftheagencyteamneedstobevigilantandhelptominimizeGuard-ian’sriskexposure.Ifeveryonedoeshisorherpart,wecancon-tinuetobeknowninthemarketplaceforhonesty,integrity,andputtingourpolicyholdersfirst–justaswehaveforover150years.”

95%38%85%


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SUMMER 2011 | ThE FiEld PUblicaTion oF ThE GUaRdian liFE inSURancE coMPany oF aMERica

“Guardian’s current leadership is very open to hearing what the Field has to say, and we all realize that in order to be successful in today’s challenging environment, we need to be a united front. We do not have to be in a zero sum game, where if one wins the other loses. We can all win, and we will by working together.” — PAUL VECCHIoNE FINANCIAL REPRESENTATIVE WAYNE AGENCY PRESIDENT, FIELD EXECUTIVE CoMMITTEE

“‘Be a Guardian Hero’ allows me to bring people into an organization that I love being a part of. Most insur-ance companies I know of focus almost exclusively on products, but come up short on philosophy. Guardian is different. From our focus on whole life insurance to our use of The Living Balance Sheet®, everything we do conveys a message of conservatism and strength; I believe that this is a message that most Americans want and it’s a message that they need.” — RYAN CLARk FINANCIAL REPRESENTATIVE AND GUARDIAN HERo SALT LAkE CITY

“Guardian’s new MartketEDGE platform offers significant benefits to all Financial Representatives, whether they are seasoned veter-ans or new to the industry.” — kELLEY BIoNDI, DIRECToR oF MARkETING NEW YoRk RHB

hEARd ARoUNd ThE FIEld

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