Director Employee Benefits

David C. Spokowski, SPHR

** ******* ****** 651-***-****

Saratoga Springs NY 12866 *******@***.***

Human Resources Professional

Forward thinking, strategic professional with significant experience in corporate/education settings. Recognized for ability to create efficiencies and cost savings. Operations and program management experience.

Core Competencies

Program Development

Program Evaluation

Process Design

Tactical Administration

Project Management

Resource Management

Vendor Relations

Strategic Planning

Regulatory Compliance

Professional Experience

Jewish Child Care Association, Brooklyn, NY 2014-present

Director Employee Benefit

Initiated process and procedures to make the organization compliant with regulation.

Authored communication materials to announce mid-year 15% increase in health care premiums and to allow participants to make limited election choices

Reconciled vendor invoices resulting in $200k/year saving by terminating health and dental coverage for ineligible members and enrolled over 100 overlooked employees in life and disability insurance benefits

Provided guidance regarding status of pregnant new hire who was unable to perform essential functions of position

Created communications to inform Union officials of health plan changes and to union members during contract ratification process

Identified compliance oversights and took corrective action

Managed DOL audit of health plan

Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY 2010 - 2013

Assistant Director Benefits & Labor Relations

Successfully transitioned Benefits Department from traditional higher educational isolationism to one that recognizes and responds to complexities of today’s current economic environment.

Established Retirement Plan Investment Committee and authored Investment Policy Statement to provide fiduciary oversight and comply with ERISA regulatory changes regarding 403(b) plans.

Evaluated existing benefit programs and identified cost reduction opportunities.

Researched, documented, and proposed solutions to union discipline and contract issues.

Designed and implemented process/procedures to direct Workers’ Compensation cases to College selected provider resulting in lower costs.

Developed, proposed, and implemented comprehensive Faculty Parental Leave Policy.

Negotiated contracts with vendors; 2013 savings in excess of $200k.

Implemented health plan changes required by healthcare reform.

Assured all benefit plans were in compliance with ERISA and other regulations.

The Mosaic Company, Plymouth, MN 2005-2010

Benefits Manager

Oversaw strategic leadership to develop, manage, and administer health and welfare plans following the merger of two mining companies involving 4,500 US union and non-union and 3,500 international employees.

Produced a 10% reduction in health risks per participant by building and implementing a comprehensive wellness program including biometric screening, health risk assessment, health coaching, and incentives.

Managed search, selection, and engagement of a manager of managers to invest $360M in defined benefit pension assets.

Engineered reserve buy-out of legacy retiree life and long term disability plans realized $700k savings.

Reduced premium costs 40% and improved efficiencies by replacing life, disability carriers with a single vendor.

Produced a present value savings in excess of $3M by designing and implementing an LTD program to replace a self-insured plan.

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Produced $400K in cost savings by negotiating a revised service agreement with a third party administrator.

Enhanced 401(k) plan design through creation of active / passive investment tract, which provided a more balanced portfolio of investment options.

Managed benefit information portion of conversion to new HRIS.

Provided strategic benefit design and administrative insight to Benefits and Pension Oversight Committees.

Created comprehensive benefit communication materials.

Nash Finch Company, Edina, MN 2004-2005

Benefits Manager

Created vision to enhance delivery, administration, and acceptance of benefits to employees at 86 retail and 15 distribution centers, encompassing over 10,000 employees.

Designed transition process to enroll 1,200 employees both union and non-union in benefit plans after acquisition of two distribution centers and two retail stores.

Marketed Life and Disability Insurance Plans resulting in a fixed price four-year contract at a $700K savings.

Provided fiduciary oversight as trustee of union pension plan by creating investment policy and instituting outside review of third party administrator performance and investment option selection.

Created and implemented leave of absence process (STD, LTD and FMLA) virtually eliminating undocumented leaves of absence.

Produced DVD to more effectively communicate open enrollment information to 5,000 retail employees.

Phillips Plastics Corporation, Eau Claire, WI 2000-2003

Benefits Manager

Provided leadership, expertise, and guidance to design, develop, propose, implement, administer, and maintain a comprehensive benefits program for 2,400 manufacturing employees.

Managed Workers’ Compensation Claims including setting of reserves and securing insurance policies.

Developed benefits budget and measured cost vs. projections to assure expenditures aligned with forecast.

Managed open enrollment process including form design, timetable, and presentation of new material, data entry and audit, interface with vendors, and confirmation letters.

Set performance standards for key vendors and created relationships to achieve service goals.

Led HR team efforts resulting in a 35% reduction in the number of employees on leave by designing a leave process system including process flowcharts, process documentation, and communication material.

Managed Human Resources Call Center.

Participated on a human resources management team to successfully transition a facility-based Human Resources Department to a centralized call center.

Designed Benefits Branding Program that created an immediate association of department correspondence with benefits programs.

Designed Determination Letter Program that communicated decisions of major importance to multi-location HR Representatives and promoted uniform administration of policies.

Instituted communications system to inform field sales force of benefits related information and procedures.

Fibermark, Inc., Brattleboro, VT 1989-2000

Treasurer / Benefits Risk Manager

Planned, designed, implemented, and administered all health and welfare plans for 2,400 manufacturing employees. Oversaw two Accounts Receivable personnel.

Improved performance by 30% while cutting administrative costs by 50% as a result of restructured plan design for 1,400 participants, $30M, 401K fund.

Redirected investment of $13M defined benefit pension assets to increase return six fold.

Designed and managed comprehensive corporate insurance program including workers’ compensation, property and casualty, cargo, theft and directors and officers’ policies with premiums in excess of $2.5M.

Reduced taxes $750K by collaborating with legal counsel and implementing innovative foreign sales corporation strategy.

Improved annual investment return on $20M short-term portfolio by 19% through active cash management.

Restructured Credit Department and reduced budget 50%; while reducing accounts receivable balance $2M.

Led post-acquisition treasury integration consolidating bank relations, benefit plans, pension plans, insurance programs, and accounts receivables of acquired companies.

Performed benchmarking research and benefits cost analysis for union negotiations.

Negotiated all vendor and third-party pension and benefit contracts and engagements.

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Education

MBA, Finance, New York University, New York, NY

BA, Economics, Lafayette College, Easton, PA

Professional Affiliations

Member, Society of Human Resource Management, SPHR

Member, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Managers

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