Symetra CEO and leadership

Margaret Meister is president and chief executive officer of Symetra Financial Corporation and president of its insurance subsidiaries. She is also a member of the company’s board of directors.

Ms. Meister joined Symetra in 1988 as an actuarial student. She was appointed chief actuary in 2004 and chief financial officer (CFO) in February 2006, assuming responsibility for the company’s financial strategy and operations. She became president and chief executive officer in February 2018.

As a member of the company’s executive leadership team, Ms. Meister played a principal role in Symetra’s initial public offering in 2010, as well as its successful acquisition by Sumitomo Life in 2016. In addition to her responsibilities as CFO, she served as chief information officer from 2014 to 2016, leading the Information Technology department during the transition of the company’s data center. She also has had responsibility for Symetra’s brand strategy development through her oversight of the company’s marketing, advertising and communications programs.

Ms. Meister is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. She graduated from Whitman College with a bachelor’s degree in math. Ms. Meister is a member of the board of directors of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) and also serves on the boards of the United Way of King County and the Washington Roundtable.

Chantel L. Balkovetz is an Executive Vice President and Chief of Service and Operations at Symetra.

Anne-Marie Diouf is a Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Symetra.

Dena S. Ashlock is a Senior Vice President, Chief Actuary & Chief Risk Officer at Symetra.

Seasoned technology executive with experience in envisioning and leading global, technology-based IT organizations. Believes challenges are best met when a deep understanding of the business model is combined with a command of structured processes. Has solid interpersonal skills, excellent public relations abilities, and enjoys the camaraderie of a team driving towards a common vision. Specializing in organizational turnarounds, strategic planning, high availability systems, software development, project delivery and business/IT partnership. Works effectively with organizations and individuals while solving problems and gaining consensus. International experience leading organizations across India, Asia, Europe and the Americas.Specialties: Dealing with Ambiguity, Creative Problem Solver, Big on Results, Strategic Thinking & Planning, Analytical, Building ConsensusGlobal IT Service Delivery & Strategy, Cloud Computing, Global Technical Support/Operations, SaaS, Global Software Development, Global Project Management (Onshore/Offshore), Data Center Operations, Process Improvement and Metric/SLA Development, SDLC Development, Vendor Selection, Negotiations, Budget/Cost Management, Information Security

Michael Murphy is a Corporate Special Projects at Symetra Life Insurance Company and Chief Compliance Officer, Symetra Investment Management, Inc. at Symetra and is based in Bellevue, Washington. He has worked as Chief Compliance Officer at Symetra Securites, Inc. and Director of Compliance at Thornburg Investment Management. Michael attended American Civil Liberties Union.

Tommie Brooks is senior vice president and chief actuary of Symetra Financial Corporation and its insurance subsidiaries. As the executive in charge of actuarial functions, Mr. Brooks guides the company’s product pricing strategies and actuarial aspects of financial reporting. Mr. Brooks has been with Symetra since 1992, starting as an actuarial student in the Retirement Division. He went on to hold several management positions with actuarial teams throughout the company and was appointed to his current position in November 2010. Mr. Brooks is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He earned his bachelor of science degree in math and actuarial sciences from Central Washington University.

Kelli Burns, CISM, CISA is a Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Symetra and is based in Bellevue, Washington. She has worked as Manager of Operations at Financial Solutions, Director of Information Security at Symetra, and Senior IT Risk Consultant at Symetra. Kelli attended University of Montana between 2005 and 2010.