James H. Nissen
** ******* ***** **** ********, CT 06092
************@*****.***
Summary
Highly successful, results orientated sales and management professional with exceptional relationship building and communication skills. Practical experience with solid understanding of a diverse range of business management, sales and marketing and team building applications. Excellent in recognizing and developing potential of sales professionals. Strong mentoring, coaching and training background.
P rofessional History
BANKERS LIFE & CASUALTY 2015 present
Unit Field Trainer
Field level manager in the Bankers Life Branch Sales Office that is responsible for the recruitment, onboarding and on the job training for sales agents, in addition to maintaining their own personal production standards.
● Train and Mentor agents responsible for a downline of agents and accountable for their performance and compliance to policies and procedures.
● Provides day to day guidance, consultation and mentoring of the development strategies of agent (production oriented) that will help them become successful in their sales careers.
● Maintains personal production to achieve established goals and objectives.
● May also have a role in recruiting efforts as assigned by branch will be instrumental in the onboarding and development of licensed agents will help facilitate the licensing training for other agents.
● Conducts on the job training through joint field work with new agents that includes appointment sharing and commission splits.
● Actively participate in mgmt team meetings and support the Branch Sales Office in meeting stated goals.
COLONIAL Life
Agency Sales Manager 2 013 2015
● Recruits, trains and manages a professional sales force of 7 agents in the greater Hartford area.
● Reps are required to make 50 b2b cold calls per week (phone and premise) to develop relationship with business owners, Human Resource professionals or any decision maker to sell supplemental insurance benefits.
● Recruited to open this market from scratch and develop a new Colonial Life & Accident agency in Connecticut.
● Took market from zero business in 2013 to 85 cases and $725,000 of premium in first year (2014).
● Ranked in the top 10 districts for growth nationwide.
● After one year, the Hartford market is 50% of the premium volume of our largest competitor who has been in the market 20+ years.
● Position includes product, marketing strategies, sales and closing techniques.
● As a hands on sales manager, conducts sales calls with all new agents to model correct sales process until agent is confident in their ability in conducting sales appointments individually from opening to close of case.
LIMRA International The Centre for International Assessment & Development Director of International Training Programs 2 011 2013 E xtensive overseas travel to recruit sales trainers for overseas insurance carriers.
● Recruited by telephone and Skype to contact hundreds of potential recruits overseas.
● Brought 18 trainers on board in the Far East and Europe through the installation of an official certification process.
● My recruits brought in $17,500,000 in premium, exceeding goal of $15,000,000.
● Responsible for achieving the Centre’s top & bottom line revenue/profits goals by supporting the Managing Director in preparing sales proposals and driving sales activities FARMERS LIFE INSURANCE
Life & Financial Services Manager 2009 2011
Gave guidance, communication and assistance to the State Executive Director & Division Marketing Managers to assure that life production and policy in force goals set at Region/District level are met. Provides advice on advanced underwriting issues and assists in training of Life Sales Representatives at the Regional, Division and District level.
● Directs the planning and development of life training courses at the Regional, Division and District level.
● Responsible for helping to recruit up to 30 new agents every quarter.
● Delivered classroom training to new agents and also went on agent appointments to help solidify sales concepts, marketing techniques and opening and closing skills.
● Analyzes and evaluates Regional marketing trends, life penetration and product development needs and makes recommendations to the Life Marketing Department.
● Maintains a close liaison with State Executive Director and Division Marketing Managers to coordinate life training activities, provide life instruction both technical and sales related at the Regional office level and in the field. THE HARTFORD, Hartford, CT
Regional Sales Consultant, N ortheast & Mid Atlantic States 2 004 2009 2
Position supported Regional Vice Presidents with operational, management, administrative and sales functions including business planning, recruiting, budgeting and developing sales goals and strategies on a National/Regional level.
● Advocate for Regional Vice Presidents in Home Office with Senior/ Channel Management, shared feedback on issues and developments that impacted their respective regions.
● Help manage day to day operations and tracked results of key initiatives in regions for Regional Vice Presidents.
● Instrumental in developing new business plans for over 200 Account Executives, 19 Life Sales Offices, and 3 Regional Divisions that better aligned sales goals with strategic planning between company and Channels/firms.
● Personally filled managerial gaps in the B oston, B altimore and Hartford Life Sales Offices. Managed, recruited and coached Account Executives within offices with sales, underwriting, administrative issues. Implemented proper mix of coverage with Account Executives and Focus firms.
● Introduced and tracked expense reduction program that helped trim 25% of travel and expense budget in sales regions.
● Worked with Regional Vice Presidents and Sales Managers in developing talent for
“bench strength” for both sales and management positions within the regions.
● Develop intermediate and advanced training seminars/modules for Account Executives on unique sales concepts/ideas with goal to improve concept/topic presentations. SAFECO Insurance Group
Regional Sales Director, N ortheast 1 998 2004
Promoted to Northeast specifically in 2000 to turn around a troubled region. Managed variable and fixed life and annuity sales in the 10 state Northeast Region. Stabilized and returned profitability to region. Supervised a team of sales professionals located throughout the Northeast. Effectively trained and developed staff representing various ethnic and cultural backgrounds, establishing highly productive relationships that contributed to success of region.
● Successfully increased Individual, Group life and annuity sales by 225% while doubling retirement plan deposits between 2000 2004.
● Direct involvement with advanced business opportunities (key man, split dollar, executive bonus, etc.), group and voluntary life/disability and pension opportunities with independent agency plant.
● Coordinated training and development of sales professionals and marketing representatives knowledge of product portfolio including life, disability, group, 401k, annuity and worksite.
● Responsible for implementing annual sales and marketing business plan for the 13 state Northeast region as well as developing continuing sales and budgeting forecasts.
● Conducted quarterly performance reviews of each field sales & marketing professional, establishing ongoing specific training and development needs on marketing knowledge and sales techniques to increase sales of product portfolio. 3
● Presented life products sales seminars on a wide array of individual and group insurance topics to small and large forums of insurance executives.
E ducation
Bachelor of Science Business Management/Administration University of Illinois A ccreditations
● Fully licensed in Life, Health and Accident
● Completed the Life Underwriting Training Counsel (LUTCF), CSP designation. 4