Affinity Group Underwriters


	About Us

	Before forming Affinity Group Underwriters in 1997, we created, developed and managed the U.S. affinity division for North American Life Assurance Company, Canada's oldest and largest affinity group insurance carrier. When North American Life merged with the Manufacturers Life Insurance Company in 1996, an agreement was reached to divest the U.S. affinity business which served as the basis for the creation of AGU. With extensive carrier and administrator experience, our staff is uniquely positioned to provide expertise to our partners in our chosen products and markets.


	Stephen L. Wyss - Managing Director Steve has been in the group insurance business since graduating from The University of Wisconsin in 1969. He spent 16 years with INA (Insurance Company of North America - predecessor to CIGNA) in the United States, England, France and Canada. After managing a regional office for Pearl & Associates, a third-party administrator for 3 years, he joined North American Life in 1990 to build a US association group division. He has specialized in sales, marketing, product development and general executive management of affinity group programs throughout his career. Steve co-founded Affinity Group Underwriters in 1997.
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	Emma S. Parrish - Managing Director Emma's extensive and diverse experience in the insurance business includes life and health underwriting, administration and claims, for both third-party-administrators and insurance carriers. She began her career with N.H. Bradley, a property & casualty agency in Richmond, VA in 1971. From 1975 to 1989 she was a key member of the management team of Alsop & Elliott, continuing with John P. Pearl & Associates after it purchased A&E in 1985. In 1990 she joined North American life to help build a U.S. association group division. Emma co-founded Affinity Group Underwriters in 1997.
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	Charlotte Cutright - Accounting Charlotte is AGU's accounting manager. She has 30 years of experience in insurance financial and regulatory reporting. She has worked for both insurance companies (Royal Globe and North American Life) and third-party administrators (Alsop & Elliott / Pearl & Associates and Montgomery Professional Underwriters). She joined North American Life in 1993 and continued through the transition to Affinity Group Underwriters.
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	Jay M. Jaffe FSA, MAAA - Consulting Actuary Jay Jaffe is President of Actuarial Enterprises Ltd. He provides actuarial and marketing services on a consulting basis to AGU. A graduate of Brown University and MIT, he received his Fellowship in the Society of Actuaries and his Membership in the American Academy of Actuaries in 1969. Jay is also a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. Jay is a frequent speaker at actuarial meetings and contributor to industry publications. He specializes in direct response marketing and has served 2 terms as Chairman of the Society of Actuaries' Non-Traditional Marketing Section. After entering the insurance business with Connecticut General Life (now CIGNA), he continued his career at Montgomery Ward Life (now the Signature Group) as Vice President and actuary. For over 30 years, Jay has been a marketing and actuarial consultant specializing in direct response and niche marketing opportunities.
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	Lindsay Hetrick - Customer Service and Claims Lindsay has been in the life and health insurance industry for over 15 years. She spent six years with the Life Insurance Company of North America in the individual life department. In 1989, she joined First National Brokerage Corporation as a Brokerage Manager working primarily with individual and group health insurance. She has been with Affinity Group Underwriters since 1997.
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	Lisa Althoff - Underwriting Lisa has 13 years of individual underwriting experience. She attended Indiana University and started her insurance career in 1989 with a manufacturer’s association where she served as a health and dental claims adjudicator. In 1991, she turned her focus to life and health underwriting and took a position with American States Life Insurance Company in Indianapolis where she underwrote individual life, disability and health insurance through independent agents in all 50 states. She moved to Richmond, Virginia in April 1996 joining North American Life as manager of life and health underwriting.
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	Lori Mills - Contracts and Compliance A graduate of James Madison University, Lori's area of expertise is compliance with a focus on policy development, state insurance department filings and regulatory issues in the unique context of associations and affinity groups. She has been in the business for over 15 years and has significant operational experience in product development, administration, claims and legal/compliance. After working for third-party administrators, Alsop & Elliot and Pearl & Associates, she joined AGU’s predecessor company, North American Life, in 1990.
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	Robert Miller - Internet Development and Operations With more than 25 years of insurance experience, Robert is a graduate of York University, Toronto. His career has encompassed marketing and management for several large insurance and reinsurance companies. Since 1995 he has been a consultant to the insurance industry in Canada, the US and Europe. He has sold and serviced group life and health insurance business for Canadian insurers Industrial Life, Canada Life and National Life In 1987, he joined Mercantile and General Reinsurance company working with US clients. He has worked with AGU for 4 years.
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	Mary Wyss - Information Technology Mary developed and manages AGU's proprietary system, AGIS (Affinity Group Information System). She is also responsible for network management. She graduated from Iowa State University and has been with AGU since 1997.
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