Austin – March 2, 2009 – Fringe Benefit Group, an industry leader in group benefit plans designed specifically for hourly and part-time workers, today announced it has hired Ron Safarik as vice president of health operations and promoted Paul Gaudet to director of group benefits-government markets.

“President Obama’s economic stimulus plan is intended to provide thousands of jobs for many of the industries we serve, especially construction business owners and many of the government contractors that work on prevailing wage jobs,” said Travis West, president and CEO of Fringe Benefit Group. “Ron and Paul have significant insurance industry experience and relcoationships, and we are looking to them to play instrumental roles as we reach out to many of these potential new customers.”

Ron Safarik brings more than 20 years of insurance industry project management and leadership experience to this new position, where he will manage Fringe Benefit Group’s plan build, billing and customer service operations. He will focus on customer service and speed-to-market initiatives to support the company’s sales professionals as they provide flexible and innovative health and retirement solutions for their customers. Prior to joining the Fringe Benefit Group, Safarik served as vice president of budget and process improvement for World Insurance Company, an Omaha-based insurance company. During his tenure there, he guided the company through an extensive period of growth where his responsibilities included corporate strategic planning, new product design and implementation, process improvements, ecommerce initiatives, due diligence and acquisitions, and a wide variety of marketing and operations-related activities.

Prior to World Insurance, Safarik served as a consultant for Cap Gemini, assistant vice president for Conseco, and as a senior consultant for Principal Financial Group. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in business administration from Doane College and has earned the prestigious FLMI designation.

Paul Gaudet has a successful track record working with the broker community. He joined Fringe Benefit Group in 2006, serving as a regional vice president for the company’s government markets division, which designs and administers fringe benefit programs for construction industry companies, government contractors and related associations working on prevailing wage jobs. In this position he helped expand the company’s group medical marketing efforts primarily in the Midwest and East Coast. In his new position as director of group benefits-government markets, Gaudet will be responsible for helping grow the company’s medical/ancillary product line nationwide; developing and managing strategic relationships with partners, carriers, brokers and customers; and participating with senior management in corporate strategy development and execution.

Prior to joining Fringe Benefit Group, Gaudet was a benefits consultant and employee benefits specialist for Strategic Employee Benefits Services, Inc., one of the largest benefits consulting firms in the state of Louisiana. He earned his M.B.A. degree from Southeastern Louisiana University and his bachelor of arts degree from Louisiana State University.

 

About Fringe Benefit Group The Austin, Texas-based Fringe Benefit Group and its affiliate companies have helped employers design and administer fringe benefit programs since 1983. Through its nationwide network of independent brokers and agents, the Fringe Benefit Group has established itself as the leader in government contractor health and welfare and retirement plans. Drawing on its expertise in the prevailing wage segment, the company has also emerged as a leader in group benefit plans designed specifically for hourly and part-time workers (limited benefit programs). For more information, log on to www.fringebenefitgroup.com. ###