SEATTLE-BASED OFFICE BUSINESS LEADER FOR HEALTH AND BENEFITS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Mercer L.L.C.

PREVIOUS POSITION: Vice president of client management at Aetna Inc.

LOOKING FORWARD TO: Supporting our clients and teams to deliver the solutions necessary to meet the challenges our clients face.

GOALS FOR NEW POSITION: Overall, support the Mercer team to ensure we meet or exceed our clients' expectations. As a service organization, our clients' satisfaction is the No. 1 goal and what keeps the lights on. As an organization, that comes down to retaining our clients and adding new clients, which begins and ends with the Mercer team.

CHALLENGES FACING INDUSTRY: Attraction and retention of talent, generational needs and desire for personalization, health care costs ... and the regulatory landscape.

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK: The industry will be going through a major adaptation phase. To a great extent, our programs and solutions have been more one-size-fits-all, and that is changing rapidly. It is requiring a shift in how we support our clients and the solutions they will need to deploy to meet demands on personalization.

FIRST INDUSTRY JOB: Customer service representative at John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co. in Atlanta.

WHAT SURPRISED ME: The impact health care issues have on a family. At some point in everyone's career, they should be in a customer service role and learn to handle issues.

ADVICE: Figure out what truly makes you happy and pursue it. As a society, we often give the reasons why you cannot achieve your goals versus how to achieve them. Your career is just one component of your happiness.

OUTSIDE THE INDUSTRY, A DREAM JOB: Public relations role for the Seattle Seahawks.

HOBBIES: Mountain biking and supporting my kids in their sports. My hobbies are really their hobbies.

THING MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME: The first time I ever flew in an airplane at age 22, I got to fly the plane.

WHEN I RETIRE: First, travel and see the world, as I never had the opportunity growing up and there are so many places outside of the United States that I want to see. Second, volunteer and provide support for organizations within my community.

FAVORITE MEAL: Sushi.

FAVORITE BOOK: My favorite author is Nelson DeMille. I have always enjoyed his books. If I had to pick one, it would be “Spencerville,” as it reminds me of where I grew up.

CAN'T-MISS TELEVISION SHOW: While I am not sure there is any can't-miss television show, my family truly enjoys “Modern Family.”

BEST CITY: While there are many great places in the Pacific Northwest, I am partial to Seattle. It has the perfect balance between business and community/family values. It also supports easy travel to all of the great spots in the Pacific Northwest.

ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON: Family time, pure and simple. It is either at one of our kids' sporting events or spending time with them. I realize that we have a limited window to be immersed in their lives, and we have to maximize it.

THOUGHTS ON SMARTPHONES: They are our lifeline to everything and likely the exact reason that we have no down time. In the future, we have to figure out how to have them support our lives versus drive our lives.