CEBS News

Congratulations to the Newest CEBS® Graduates!

Do you recognize anyone? Below are the most recent CEBS graduates. Be sure to celebrate your peers with a personal note or shout-out on social media, tagging #CEBSgoals. Earning the CEBS is a major career and personal achievement, and having peers recognize the work and demonstrated knowledge only sweetens the accomplishment.  

Congrats to the newest CEBS grads!

Aleksandr A. Razloga, CEBS
Alexander Rohlfs, CEBS
Alexandra L. Then, CEBS
Amanda Dodell, CEBS
Amy Meadows, CEBS
Ana K. Torrescano, CEBS
Andres M. Alarcon, CEBS
Andrew Germann, CEBS
Andrew Logan MacQueen, CEBS
Andrew Pujol, CEBS
Angela Tang, CEBS
Baylee Landowski, CEBS
Brenn M. Ritchie, CEBS
Brittany Dickens, CEBS
Cara Holland, CEBS
Catherine Sheedy, CEBS
Charles Azu, Jr., CEBS
Cheryl B. Thomas, CEBS
Chip Weule, CEBS
Cody Kramschuster, CEBS
Daniel Kuosman, CEBS
Daniel Yager, CEBS
Diane R. Chopp, CEBS
Drew Danieley, CEBS
Emily E. Cronin, CEBS
Emily Livingston, CEBS
Emily Welch, CEBS
Erin Wolthusen, CEBS
Gina Pettigrano, CEBS
Grant Goff, CEBS
Haley A. Smith, CEBS
Jasmin Pierre-Paul, CEBS
Jason T. Stacy, CEBS
Jay (Shaya) Rose, CEBS
Jayson Curtis, CEBS
Jennifer Castellano, CEBS
Jennifer White, CEBS
Jessica L. Morrison, CEBS
Jessica Ropelato, CEBS
John Gobel, CEBS
Joseph Andreas, CEBS
Joseph Berumen, CEBS
Julie Fender, CEBS
Kellee Garcia, CEBS
Kenneth Miller, CEBS
Kimberly M. Johnson, CEBS
Kitty Stone, CEBS
Kristen Mills, CEBS
Kristina Quirante, CEBS
Laura Stucky, CEBS
Laurie Orazine Cooper, CEBS
Leah Marie Barraza, CEBS
Lisa Miller, CEBS
Lori A. Kischinevzky, CEBS
Lynn A. Waltermire, CEBS
Mark T. Myers, CEBS
Matthew Leff, CEBS
Matthew W. Richard, CEBS
Megan Jay, CEBS
Melissa D. Rayborn, CEBS
Melissa Fuesting, CEBS
Michael S. Lee, CEBS
Mikel Van Cleve, CEBS
Nan Morehouse, CEBS
Nancy Mathiesen, CEBS
Nari Shin, CEBS
Nicole Cecil, CEBS
Olivia Walty, CEBS
Patti Toller, CEBS
Rachal Stone, CEBS
Rebecca Kangas, CEBS
Regina Wasik, CEBS
Richard E. Childs, CEBS
Richard Walton, CEBS
Ryan O’Deen, CEBS
Ryan Pratt, CEBS
Samantha Brown, CEBS
Sarah E. Penheiter, CEBS
Sarah Giselman, CEBS
Shaun Hurm, CEBS
Spencer Kelly, CEBS
Stacey J. Barker, CEBS
Stephani Terhorst, CEBS
Stephanie Smitka, CEBS
Stephanie Spanja, CEBS
Sully Dawson, CEBS
Susan E. Flynn, CEBS
Suzanne L. Bondor, CEBS
Tammy Pitts, CEBS
Tammy Richardson, CEBS
Tara Molina, CEBS
Taylor Cherry, CEBS
Tom Byrne, CEBS
Walter Waldin, CEBS

Now picture yourself on this list! Continue on your journey to earning your CEBS designation.

Do you need guidance on your CEBS journey? Whether you’re about to take your first step or getting close to reaching your designation, we’re here to help! Give us a call at (800) 449-2327, option 3, or email cebs@ifebp.org.

Incoming—A New Generation of Industry Professionals

Employment for a number of positions in the employee benefits and related industries is projected to grow much faster than expected from 2020 to 2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Increased openings for financial managers, compensation and benefits specialists, actuaries, and risk managers are expected to result from retirements of seasoned professionals across the industries.

How will these positions be filled? Who will replace those leaving and how will they be prepared to meet the health and retirement plan needs of employees and clients? Today’s reality makes these questions even more important. The benefits landscape changes rapidly in “normal” times. The pandemic has elevated the importance of providing support for employees’ physical, emotional, mental and financial well-being, and the need for on-going education regarding benefits.

The future of the industry points to university students and early professionals. Gamma Iota Sigma, a professional fraternity with chapters in over 95 universities and more than 20 alumni groups, helps prepare students and recent graduates for careers in the benefits and related industries. Gamma Iota Sigma engages and connects top talent with the insurance industry through education, industry partnerships, and networking opportunities.

How can you help engage and prepare the industry’s future professionals?

• Reach out to universities and alumni groups, and offer to speak or attend their career fairs
• Share your story and experiences with these students
• Provide examples of positions available in the industry
• Help them understand the importance and satisfaction of this work
• Explain the value of professional designations like CEBS® that are available to help them prepare for and excel in these positions.

This is a great way to spotlight your organization and opportunities there, pay it forward and continue to support the benefits industry!

A Power Point presentation with specific information on the benefits of earning the CEBS designation as a student or early career professional is available for speaking events. Please contact Sandy Tellefson, CEBS, at sandyt@ifebp.org.

Sandy Tellefson, CEBS
Manager, Education Services CEBS/ISCEBS

What’s Your CEBS Story? George Morin, CEBS

Earning your Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation is a learning journey. Along the way, you acquire valuable employee benefits knowledge and relevant new skills. As you apply what you’ve learned to your work, you can forge a unique career pathway that is truly your own. Here’s a designee’s CEBS story.

A Chat With George Morin, CEBS

George Morin, CEBS, AICB, PFP
Relationship Manager
RBC Royal Bank

Could you share some insight about how pursuing your CEBS designation demonstrates that you are a lifelong learner and an expert in your profession?

“When I introduce myself as a CEBS designation holder, I have instant credibility as an employee benefits expert. This has opened the door to new business opportunities and has plan sponsors more readily accepting my recommendations for member financial advice presentations and individual financial counselling sessions in the workplace for the betterment of the members and overall plan health. The CEBS designation in my email signature line is recognized by many of the plan sponsors I support and has resulted in those sponsors reaching out to me for support with areas of their employee benefits that are delivered by other providers, allowing me to enhance my relationship with them and earn additional business. This instant credibility and seeking me out for support confirm to me the power of the designation, four letters that are so powerful within the employee benefits industry.”

Could you share a story about how you prepared for your CEBS exams and applied what you learned to your work?

“I found preparing for my CEBS exams supported my daily advice to plan sponsors and made my meetings with sponsors more impactful. I incorporated the Study Materials into my strategy of advice for plan sponsors and built my sponsor meeting agendas around the opportunities I had uncovered, utilizing the CEBS key learning to reinforce my advice. This experiential learning of integrating the Study Materials into my daily activities with plan sponsors allowed me to connect the theories and knowledge covered in the modules to real-world situations. This enabled me to retain the knowledge for the exams and made me a better advisor at the same time. Honestly, it did not feel like I was studying because I was actually working.”

Could you describe how earning your CEBS designation has supported you in your role?

“Achieving the CEBS designation in April 2018 has already had a significant impact on my career, differentiating me as a top performer amongst my peers and strongly contributing to a 2019 performance recognition where I attended a nine-day Caribbean cruise with the Group Executive of the corporation I work for, which included stops in Nassau, Bahamas; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Labadee, Haiti. I am thankful that the skills, knowledge and advice capabilities acquired by earning the CEBS designation gave me the tools needed to earn a top-performer award.

“It is also the designation that will benefit me for the rest of my career. When a position became available on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, with the opportunity to live in any community, I jumped at the chance to apply. Roles like mine do not become available very often in my corporation. They are career destination roles, and incumbents typically hold them until retirement. My CEBS designation helped differentiate me from other applicants for the Vancouver Island position, and I now get to live on an island in the resort community of Lake Cowichan.”

What’s Your CEBS Story? Jennifer Boyd, CEBS

Earning your Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation is a learning journey. Along the way, you acquire valuable employee benefits knowledge and relevant new skills. As you apply what you’ve learned to your work, you can forge a unique career pathway that is truly your own. Here’s a designee’s CEBS story.

A Chat with Jennifer Boyd, CEBS

Jennifer Boyd, CEBS

Benefits Manager

Simpson Housing LLLP

Could you share some insight about how pursuing your CEBS demonstrates that you are a lifelong learner and an expert in your profession?

“By pursuing the CEBS designation, I knew that I wanted to learn and grow in my career in benefits.  I wanted to gain more knowledge and responsibilities.  The benefits industry is constantly changing and requires one to keep up to date on regulations, laws, insurance changes, new benefit offerings and more.  The CEBS designation has helped me to stay current on all these changes and when I’m unsure of how to handle something, I have a huge network of benefit professionals to reach out to as well.  I have resources beyond my imagination, and I am constantly attending webinars, conferences and taking additional courses to keep my knowledge fresh and current.  I would not be in the career I am today or have the expertise I do without my CEBS designation.  I will continue to build on that knowledge and education every chance I get to!”

Could you describe how expanding your professional network has helped you attain success?

“I started attending ISCEBS Chapter meetings to meet more individuals in my career path.  I am a benefits department of one and needed additional support and connections to grow in my career.  Meetings led to professional relationships, becoming an ISCEBS Chapter member and more.  I wanted to get more involved and was encouraged and supported to obtain my CEBS designation and to volunteer for committees and board member positions.  All of this has helped my career, my professional relationships and my desire to keep learning grow.”

Could you share a story about how you prepared for your CEBS exam and applied what you learned to your work?

“I started my CEBS journey in 2008 and didn’t earn my designation until 2015.  I want to encourage others to keep working on your designation and not give up; the feeling you get when you pass your last exam and can put those 4 letters behind your name is so rewarding!  You won’t regret it!

CEBS courses are challenging and full of information.  I knew self-study would be the right method for me due to my family and work schedule, but it requires a lot of self-discipline and dedication. 

I set aside time each day to study, plugged in my headphones and cranked on the classical music to tune out the world.  I found that studying in the morning before I started my day was better for me.  I always scheduled my exams for the morning, which is when I felt alert.  It didn’t hurt that I would treat myself to a yummy breakfast beforehand.  I found that no studying the night before, a good night’s sleep, comfy clothes for taking the exam and a mental pep talk helped me.  The best thing I had while prepping for these exams was my support system, my family and friends who encouraged me and jumped in to help with anything I needed so I could focus on studying.”

Could you describe how earning your CEBS designation has supported you in your role?

“In 2007, I embarked on a career in employee benefits, starting at the bottom and knowing very little.  It didn’t take me long to realize that I would need additional resources, support and education to help me learn and grow in my career.  I quickly found out about CEBS designation and dove into courses.   As I became more confident in my role, I was promoted and given additional responsibilities.  I worked up to a manager role.  I couldn’t have achieved this without my CEBS designation!”