Chris Smith Named Head of Group Benefits at Guardian

To oversee and set strategy for the benefits business

Chris Smith

NEW YORK, N.Y., April 22, 2020 – The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian Life) today announced that Chris Smith has been named Head of Group Benefits, reporting to President Andrew McMahon. In this role, Smith will be responsible for all aspects of the employee benefits business, set strategy for the group and oversee Guardian’s two subsidiaries Avēsis and ReedGroup.

“Chris brings a tremendous depth of insurance experience to this role, particularly as it pertains to creating a differentiated group benefits customer experience and transforming operating models,” said Andrew McMahon, President, Guardian Life. “Group Benefits is a critical part of Guardian’s strategy, and he will be instrumental in driving growth and adapting our business to meet the changing needs of our customers.”

25 Years Industry Experience

With more than 25 years of insurance industry experience, Smith joined Guardian Life last year as Senior Vice President, Head of Enterprise Service and Operations. Prior to joining the company, he was at MetLife where he held numerous senior roles including Executive Vice President, Head of Global Operations where he oversaw core insurance operations including underwriting and claims across more than 40 markets around the world.

“Guardian Group Benefits has built a solid reputation for having the right products, people and support to suit the unique needs of each business we serve,” said Smith. “I look forward to building on the great work that’s been done and furthering our efforts to deliver outstanding value for our customers.”

Guardian has been a group benefits provider for more than 60 years and offers a full range of employee benefits products tailored to help meet the specific needs of its customers including dental, disability insurance, life insurance, supplemental health benefits and absence management.

Smith earned a Master of Business Administration from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Drew University.

About Guardian®
Every day, Guardian provides Americans the security they deserve through our insurance and wealth management products and services. Since our founding in 1860, our long-term view has helped our customers prepare for whatever life brings whether starting a family, planning for the future or taking care of employees. Today, we’re a Fortune 250 mutual company and a leading provider of life, disability, dental, and other benefits for individuals, at the workplace and through government sponsored programs. The Guardian community of over 9,000 employees and our network of over 2,500 financial representatives is committed to serving with expertise when, where and how our clients need us. Our commitments rest on a strong financial foundation, which at year-end 2019 included $9.3 billion in capital and $1.7 billion in operating income. For more information, please visit guardianlife.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

Avēsis Incorporated, Avēsis Third Party Administrators, Inc. and Reed Group are wholly owned subsidiaries of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America®