Harry Monti joined Symetra in 2014 with over 20 years of in-house and consulting experience in finance, operations and strategic planning. Before joining Symetra, he served as director of insurance advisory services with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Hartford, Connecticut, providing advice and support to group benefits clients on administrative, claims and strategic issues. Prior to PwC, he held senior-level operational and claims roles within The Hartford’s group benefits, retirement plans and enterprise-wide shared services organizations. Monti also held financial management roles at MassMutual in Springfield, Massachusetts, and UNUM in Portland, Maine.
Monti earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Thomas College in Waterville, Maine. He is a fellow of the Life Management Institute and is a former certified public accountant.
Get to know Harry:
What do you like most about working in the Benefits industry and leading the Symetra benefits division, which includes our group life and disability, absence management, voluntary and stop loss products?
The challenge of meeting the ever-changing needs of our customers. Whether it be product designs, service expectations, how we assess risk, the regulatory environment—the pace of change has never been greater. I love the challenge of keeping our incredibly talented team aligned on how we will deliver solutions that will enable employers to attract talent and help their employees protect their financial wellness.
What's been the biggest change in the industry you've seen in your career?
Our products are group-based, so they are generally sold through an employer. Twenty years ago that employer was the key customer, but over the last two decades there has been a significant shift in focus toward the end consumer (the individual obtaining coverage through their employer). You can see that in the way we interact with customers today through online service portals, the importance of service levels, education and enrollment support, etc.
What’s the most important thing you've learned in your career?
As a leader of large organizations, you learn quickly that “people are everything.” Without a strong team operating in the right culture, you can’t be successful.
Fun facts
- First job: Dishwasher at my parents’ restaurant
- Favorite vacation spot: Disney World in Orlando, Florida
- Favorite music genre: I listen to everything…
- Take his coffee: With cream & sugar (Dunkin Donuts, please)
- Favorite book: “The Stand” by Stephen King. It’s the ultimate good vs. evil story.
- Favorite movie: “The Godfather”
- Favorite dessert: Ice cream!
