Finance, Risk Management, Reinsurance, Tax Manager, Entrepreneur

KENNETH JOSEPH-JAMES

**** ******* **** • Baltimore, MD 21239

816-***-**** (Cell) • 816-***-**** (Res.) • Email: *******.***********@*****.***

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SEEKING ASSURANCE ANALYST II OPPORTUNITY

Talented and result-driven professional with excellence at building high-performance teams and leading sophisticated service organizations with P&L responsibility. Experienced managing $1 billion reinsurance claims portfolio. Expert at capitalizing on opportunities to improve cost center profitability, while leading cross-functional teams to ensure the achievement of key objectives. Recognized and respected by upper management. Excel at combining sophisticated quantitative tools with qualitative decision making. Core qualifications:

• Strategic & Tactical Market Planning • Portfolio Management & Customer Retention

• Regulatory/Legal Compliance & Risk Control • Settlements, Negotiations & General Liability

• Strategic Alliances & Business Partnerships • Property, Casualty & Excess of Loss Analysis

• Loss/Expense Cost Reduction & Quality Control• Business Planning, Forecasting & Budgeting

• Accuracy, Adequacy & Timing Reserves • Fraud Analysis & Training

• Federal Income Tax & Estate Planning • Business Development & Market Expansion

• Operational Technology Planning • Print & Electronic Media Promotion Campaigns

Associate in Risk Management • Insurance Institute of America • Completed Stage I of III • 2010

Master of Business Administration in Finance • Avila University, Kansas City, MO • 2009

Bachelor of Arts in Finance & Management (dual major) • Park University, Parkville, MO • 2006

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Swiss Reinsurance America • Overland Park, KS

Sr. Reinsurance Claims Examiner 06/2008 – Present

Manage multifaceted commercial property, casualty, credit & surety and medical malpractice claims portfolio. Worked directly with brokerage and ceding companies to resolve claims disputes. Hold a $.5 Million settlement/expense Authority. Liaise with underwriting, technical accounting, risk control and finance. Coordinate with Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and Information Technology Services for the group. Strong knowledge with reviewing long-term structured settlements agreements. Provided process support to offshore triage processing team and participated in the development and revision of operating procedures. Facilitated timely payments to brokerage and ceded insurers, as well as trained new claims associates as needed. Accompanied claims Vice Presidents on field audits. Prepared reports needed for Sarbanes-Oxley, department of insurance, brokers and ceded insurers. Experienced international business traveler.

Accomplishments & Skills

• Identified and subrogated $2.5 Million in unjustified claims presentations and cooperated with SIU.

• Experienced manager with over 6,000 claims processed, involving catastrophic losses, medical malpractice, errors & omissions, credit & surety, general liabilities (property & casualty), and directors & officers.

• Outperformed the actuarial forecast, spending $13 million less for ALAE and $28 million less for incurred indemnity in 2009.

• Improved claims quality by proposing and implementing peer-to-peer claims auditing and developed evaluation metrics.

Tax Centers of America • Kansas City, Independence & St. Louis, MO

Franchisee (Managing Director) 01/2003 – 12/2008

Prepared, managed and approved over 1900+ tax returns including S – Corporation, Schedule C, and Estate Tax Planning. Directed, mentored, developed personnel policies and compensation plan including training office managers, tax preparers and customer service associates. Accountable for managing account P&L and all aspects of the brand management process, including business and financial planning, strategy, positioning, pricing, sales and marketing, cost management, quality control and general administration. Ensured successful tax operations management, processed all encompassing tax compliance. Minimized tax exposures and achieved tax financial objectives. Advised business owners and individuals on complex tax compliance requirements and planning issues. Established policy for oversight of automated tax return management processes. Prepared, reviewed and filed corporate and individual federal, state and local tax returns. Prepared and presented estate tax planning for individuals.

Accomplishments & Skills

• Increased sales by 55% over four years and reduced expenditures by 60% with electronic data conversions. Eliminated 60% of in house paper and ink consumption.

• Negotiated the acquisition of software programs for six offices and developed brand-positioning strategy and customer service policy.

• Evaluated and matched all IT services to internal staff skills in order to make in-house versus outsourcing decisions and authored a security policy that addressed the selection, installation and maintenance of all security hardware and software, eliminating 100% of all security breaches.

• Structured and implemented a sales/marketing plan that successfully built brand and customer loyalty.

• Developed and coordinated marketing materials and established relationship with mass media networks.

• Established relationships with partner bank and secured direct lending to clients while adhering to states and federal lending regulations.

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TECHNICAL SKILLS

Microsoft Office – Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook; Crystal Reports; Lotus Notes; SICS/NT; SAP.

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AFFILIATIONS

Fellow at the Council on Litigation Management • Member of MBA Oath • Financial Risk Management Network Risk and Insurance Management Society • CPCU Society.

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REFERENCE

Executive level references are available upon request.

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