NEW YORK, NY -- November 9, 2007 -- Vikki L. Pryor, president and chief executive officer of SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc. was recently named one of the 100 Most Influential Women in New York City Business by Crain's New York Business.
As Crain's said of it's own study--one they last conducted in 1992--"there are hundreds of women here who are smart, successful, accomplished and driven." Pryor certainly fits this description; but, she'll attribute her successes to the success of the Company. "I'm humbled to receive this recognition, though it's really of a reflection of SBLI USA. I have the honor of working with a very talented group of people every day." The culture at SBLI USA is driven by its associates' commitment to financial strength and their deep belief in human potential. Service resonates in everything the employees do. It is reflected in their choice to serve America's average consumers.
This unique blend of financial strength and commitment to people started to take shape nine years ago when Pryor stepped into her role as President and CEO. Since then, the 67 year-old Company has experienced a $250,000,000 increase in assets with a strong surplus capital and improvements in their quality of assets. Currently, SBLI USA has over 320,000 policyholders, $16.7 billion of insurance in force, and $1.5 billion in assets.
SBLI USA's financial strength has enabled it to expand access both in terms of location and in its accessibility to a diverse group of customers. The Company's physical footprint has expanded from New York alone to 49 states. Over 30% of the companies sales in 2006 were outside of New York, a figure which speaks to the significant impact of this expansion. Bi-lingual capability has been implemented across all channels to ensure complete access for the Spanish-speaking market through several outlets including phone, direct mail, e-mail, Internet, and face-to-face interaction at Customer Centers throughout the country. Under Pryor's leadership, SBLI USA has increased sales in all its target markets since 1999, including the mature, Asian, Latino, and African American markets. The diversity of SBLI USA employees represents the diversity of America, and this is what enables them to empower such a wide-range of value-conscious consumers. Customers report a 97% overall satisfaction rating in their interactions with SBLI USA.
Through Company sponsored events, SBLI USA has raised and donated $750,000 to support over 50 local and national charities since 1999. Associates are encouraged to participate in their own initiatives through paid community service days as well. In addition to passing their knowledge and support onto others, all employees participate in training programs, acquiring knowledge that allows them to better reach and understand their customers. The average hours of training per associate is over 54, and 95.5% of associates participated in at least one training in 2006. "Pryor's recognition of the crucial contributions of every single employee lends to a diligent and inspired work-force, truly committed to making a difference for themselves and for those they serve," says Judy Elliott-Pugh, SVP of Human Resources at SBLI USA.
Pryor holds both her JD and her MBA, and is also a CPA. She serves on the boards of directors of the American Council of Life Insurers' (ACLI) Forum 500 and the Partnership for New York City, and is a member of the Dean's Advisory Council of the University at Buffalo Law School. Pryor also recently participated in a panel discussion for Catalyst's unprecedented study The Bottom Line: Corporate Performance and Women's Representations on Board, which emphasized the positive financial impact of having women on boards of directors. She is heavily involved in philanthropic efforts in several communities, and created a scholarship in memory of her grandmother, the Marie Nesbitt Promise Prize, which she bestows annually to several students across the country.
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