MDG Associates of Connecticut, LLC Certified Insurance Consultants
MDG Associates of Connecticut, LLC Certified Insurance Consultants
MDG Associates of Connecticut, LLC Certified Insurance Consultants MDG Associates of Connecticut, LLC Certified Insurance Consultants
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Biographies
Martin D. Guyer, CLU, CIC
Martin D. Guyer, CLU, CIC founded MDG Associates of Connecticut, LLC in 1973. MDG Associates of Connecticut, LLC has become a nationally respected employee benefits firm specializing in the design, implementation, and administration of employee benefits programs and has the ability to tailor benefits programs to coincide with its clients needs.
Mr. Guyer has over thirty years in the insurance and consulting industry. He has earned the designations of Chartered Life Underwriter and Certified Insurance Consultant. Marty, a Vietnam veteran, was a pilot in the United States Marine Corp, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He is a current/past member of numerous boards, advisory councils, and insurance associations including Connecticut Business and Insurance Industry Association (CBIA), ConnectiCare, Advisory Committee to the Connecticut Office of Health Care Access (OHCA), Connecticut Insurance Department Agent Licensing Task Force, Aetna, and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Connecticut.
Mr. Guyer is also very active in his community acting as President/Past President of such organizations as The Connecticut Benefit Brokers (founder), Hartford Life Underwriters Association, Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association of Connecticut, The Point O Woods Association, Hartford Rotary Club, VIP House of Hartford, Inc., and the Greater Hartford Consortium of Group Homes, Inc.
Mr. Guyer has extensive experience in the Public Sector with emphasis on Labor Negotiations in the Welfare Benefit arena and has acted as an expert witness in arbitration cases. Due to this background Mr. Guyer is often called on by various newspapers and other media and is frequently quoted.
Lynn K. Gurnham
Lynn K. Gurnham has over eighteen years experience in the insurance industry. Her broad Managed Care and benefits experience includes six years at PPI Benefit Solutions where she sold to brokers and non-profit organizations. As Director of Business Development she developed the company marketing material and company logo. She managed the account management team to record add-issue sales and client satisfaction by defining the companys services and products, brokers and non-profit organizations value. In addition, Lynn worked at Aetna U.S. Healthcare for six years. She was the top sales person in the company for three consecutive years before moving to California to manage and expand the sales force in Silicon Valley. There she assisted Aetna U.S. Healthcare develop a corporate proposal for clients and brokers and pilot the first online enrollment program.
Lynn earned a BA in economics from the University of New Hampshire. She currently resides in Guilford, Connecticut with her husband, twin boys and daughter. She is active in the community and is a member of the Guilford Economic Development Committee and the Guilford Fund for Education Board and Grant Committee.
Matthew D. Libby
Matt has worked in the employee benefits industry since 2002. For eight years he worked for a Third Party Administrator of employee benefits, managing its New York City office. His responsibilities included helping employers design, implement, and administer a full range of medical, retirement, and ancillary benefit programs. His clients included many Fortune 500 companies. Matt’s specialty is helping employers design a comprehensive benefit program within a fixed budget. He has a wealth of experience working with federal, state, county, and city contractors. Matt is an expert in designing benefit programs to comply with the Service Contract Act, Davis Bacon Act, as well as prevailing wage and living wage laws. Matt earned his BA from Gettysburg College and is currently completing his MBA from Fordham University. He resides in New York City with his wife and two dogs.
Nancy A. Zielinski - Operations/Account Manager
Nancy Zielinski has been part of the MDG team since 1996. She is the Operations Manager for MDG Associates as well as an Account Manager. As Account Manager Nancy services a diverse selection of clients in both the Public and Private sectors.
Ms. Zielinski holds a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from Central Connecticut State University. Nancy worked as an Assistant Manager/Consultant for 10 years with a major Hartford, CT insurer. Her expertise was in the areas of Investment Accounting and Securities Trading. Both of these roles required communication and organizational skills that have carried through to her responsibilities as Account Manager.
Nancy has become a valued member of the MDG Associates of Connecticut, LLC team and is dedicated to providing exceptional and timely customer service.
Rachel J. Dion - Sales Analyst
Rachel Dion has been a part of the MDG team since 2004. She comes to MDG Associates after six years of insurance experience, particularly with non-profit organizations. During this time she specialized in underwriting and sales support and was an integral part of creating both innovative marketing materials as well as a sales tracking and quoting computer program. Other past experience as an Office Manager gave her organizational and communication skills that she still utilizes today.
Mrs. Dions experience as an underwriter, sales coordinator, sales analyst and team leader make her a valuable asset to MDG Associates, LLC. Rachel resides with her husband and three children in North Branford.
Caroline S. Valenta, Account Service Representative
Caroline Valenta comes to MDG Associates with extensive experience in both the Marketing and Health Care Industry. Carolines expertise is Client Customer Service and serving as an account liaison for the broker and the sales team. Her past experience included serving as a dedicated Account Service Representative working with employees to handle benefit questions and claims issues with Oxford Health Plans. She worked at the Hospital of St. Raphael organizing onsite patient programs within the Community Health Department. When residing in Colorado, she worked in Aspen Valley Hospitals Administration Department, where additionally she served as the assistant to the CEO, Board of Directors and Legal Counsel.

Caroline earned her BS in Public Health at Southern Connecticut State University in 1994. She is an active member of Labs4Rescue non-profit organization and currently resides in Clinton, CT.

Todd P. Rein
Todd P. Rein brings over twenty-three years of experience in the insurance industry to MDG Associates of Connecticut, LLC. He began his career with the Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company in 1982, where he remained for 7 years, the last 3 as Assistant General Agent for the Hartford agency. Todd's key areas of responsibility included recruiting, training, and retention of new agents, as well as assisting in all aspects of the Agency operation.
In 1989, Mr. Rein co-founded Hartford Financial Associates, Ltd, a firm involved in the marketing of employee benefits and Pension/401k plans to small and medium sized businesses. Mr. Rein has extensive knowledge and experience in the individual insurance marketplace, including Life insurance, Disability, and Long Term Care. He has specialized training in the areas of Estate and Business Succession planning. Todd is also licensed with the NASD as a Registered Representative of Investor's Capital Corporation.
Todd Holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut. Additionally, he has participated in industry sponsored educational programs, including the Life Underwriters Training Council, and the General Agents and Managers Association.
Todd currently resides in Ellington, Connecticut with his wife and 4 children.
. Robert D. Noonan

Robert D. Noonan is an attorney and founder of Robert Noonan and Associates\ EmpACTS of New England - a legal service that advises more than 8000 employers and several trade associations on employer-employee issues.

The firm:

  • Represents employers before federal courts, state courts and administrative agencies;

  • Advises employers, insurance agents and insurance carriers on workplace and employee benefits issues;

  • Writes and reviews employee handbooks;

  • Trains supervisors and managers in sexual harassment, interviewing, leave issues, performance appraisals and the law of the workplace.
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Prior to joining the firm, Bob served as Vice President and Counsel for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. In addition, Bob's professional experience includes 20 years in Human Resources Management with Pitney Bowes Inc, and the Napier Co, an international manufacturing concern. He holds a juris doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law as well as a master's degree in industrial relations and a master's degree in sociology.

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Bob is the author of An Employers Guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act and The HIPAA Privacy Rule: Understanding the Compliance Obligations of Group Health Plans and Health Care Providers. He is a contributing author on disability law in Cumulative Trauma Disorders, a medical text, and writes on workplace issues for a variety of publications including the Connecticut Law Tribune. In addition, Bob has been featured in a number of publications including the Society for Human Resources Managements Trends in Management (Robert Noonan: Experts Viewpoint), The New York Times, The Hartford Courant, The New Haven Register, The Stamford Advocate, The New London Day, The Waterbury Republican and others. Additionally, he has appeared on several television programs concerning workplace issues.

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He is on the executive committee of the Employment Section of the Connecticut Bar Association, a trustee of Gibbs College and a faculty member of St. Josephs College. He is admitted to practice before the Connecticut superior courts and the federal district courts.
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Joseph Markland
Joe is a Principal and Founder of HR Technology Advisors (HRT). HRT is a leading HR and Benefits Technology consulting and solution provider since 2001. HRT has analyzed more than 100 HR and Benefits technology companies and have deployed solutions to over 250 employers utilizing 25 different vendors.

Joe was one of the early entrants into the Benefits Technology business when he founded StarNex, Inc. in 1997. StarNex was an employee benefits technology firm focused on technology solutions that utilize the Internet to quote and enroll group insurance programs. As president he created the BrokersPortal.com website which was utilized by over 10,000 employee benefits brokers. Joe started the current consulting business after the sale of StarNex in 2001.

Joe started his career as a financial analyst with General Electric before spending 14 years in Group Insurance Sales and Sales Management with UNUM and Allamerica Financial. He sold over $80 million in group business to over 500 corporations during his career.

Joe is considered an industry expert on HR and Benefits Technology. He has published numerous articles and speaks regularly at industry conferences. Appearances include Health Underwriters meetings in California, New Hampshire, Michigan, Kansas, Ohio, Alabama, Washington, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia; the LOMA Systems Forum, the National Group Underwriters Association of America Conference, the Kentucky NAIFA Career Path 2000 Conference, the IVANS E-Business Forum, and CIAB Conferences in New York and Chicago.

Joe is a graduate of Williams College where he majored in Psychology and played varsity football and baseball. He lives in Franklin, MA with his wife, Kim, and their two children, Michael and Lauren.
Dennis M. Libby, CLU
Dennis M. Libby CLU brings over thirty years of insurance experience to MDG Associates of Connecticut, LLC. Mr. Libby is President of Libby Financial Group, a firm specializing in Financial Planning and Executive Benefits. Mr. Libby's career in insurance began after graduating from Holy Cross College in 1970. He was the National Salesman of the year in 1972 for Fidelity Union Life, now Alliance Insurance. He was National Recruiter of the Year in 1976, 1977, and 1978 for Fidelity Union.
In 1979 Dennis was appointed the Manager of the Rhode Island office for New York Life and was the National manager of the Year in 1982. Within a year Dennis was appointed General Manager of the New Haven, CT office of New York Life and four years later the New haven office ranked in the Top Ten Agencies of New York Life nationally.
Dennis started the Libby Financial Group in 1989, based in Guilford, CT. He has access to over 100 of the top rated life, annuity, disability and long term care insurance companies operating in the United States. Dennis works mainly in the small business and individual financial planning markets with an emphasis on current and future tax reduction as well as the design of proper coverage for business owners, their families, and their key employees.
Dennis attained his Chartered Life Underwriter designation in 1976 and has, since 1987, had his securities license at the advanced level of Series 7, which is the stockbroker level.
We are delighted to have Dennis associated with MDG Associates and look forward to having him use his expertise to assist current and future clients.
Geoffrey S. Ferman, CLU
Geoffrey S. Ferman, CLU joined MDG Associates of Connecticut in 1995 as a Partner. Mr. Ferman is also Principal in The Ferman Group, LLC, a firm providing employee benefits brokerage and related services to New England employer groups.
Mr. Ferman has over 30 years in the employee benefits and consulting industry. He is a Chartered Life Underwriter and holds full agent and brokerage licenses in Connecticut, Massachusetts and other states.
Mr. Ferman has been active in his industry as a past Director and Vice President of the Hartford chapter of The Chartered Life Underwriters Associates, Founder and Past President of Connecticut Benefits Brokers, a Director and Past President of the Hartford chapter of Life Underwriters Associates, a Past Director and member of the Executive Board of the Connecticut State Life Underwriters Association. He has been or is now a member of numerous insurance company/HMO Broker Advisory Councils including Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA), Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Connecticut. and Connecticare.
Joseph P. Brandi
Joseph P. Brandi, a Certified Insurance Consultant, brings over thirty years of insurance experience to MDG Associates of Connecticut. Mr. Brandi was employed by a large independent agency for over fifteen years before he founded First Connecticut Insurance Agency, Inc., in 1991. Mr. Brandi specialized in Commercial Insurance and insures a wide variety of business exposures ranging from single contractors to large real estate developers. His agency represents many fine, "A" rated insurance companies.
First Connecticut Insurance Agency, Inc. is an agency that prides itself in having a knowledgeable staff that provides unsurpassed customer service. The professionalism of the agency has resulted in outstanding client retention.
John D. Stiefel, III, FSA, MAAA
John D. Stiefel, III, FSA, MAAA brings to MDG Associates over thirty-five years of Actuarial and Underwriting experience in the field of group insurance. Mr. Stiefel's positions have included Assistant Actuary, Director and Assistant Vice President with Group Pension Underwriting. He was a Product Manager for Long Term Disability (LTD). He has been an independent consulting actuary since 1993. Mr. Stiefel specializes in health insurance with particular emphasis on FASB-106 valuations, managed care contract negotiations, litigation, pricing, reserving, and experience analysis. His consulting clients include corporations, school systems, unions needing FASB-106 and GASB-34 valuations, large and small consulting firms, lawyers, physician-hospital organizations, and health insurers. Mr. Stiefel also taught Health Insurance as an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut.
Mr. Stiefel received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Yale University, and a Master of Arts in Mathematics from the University of Michigan. He is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.
Mr. Stiefel has also had an article published "The Guaranteed Investment Contract (GIC)" in the 1984 "Transactions of the Society of Actuaries." This paper was judged as one of the seven most significant actuarial papers published between 1947 and 1997. There were several other articles that Mr. Stiefel published and he has also been a speaker at several industry meetings and seminars.
MDG Associates of Connecticut, LLC
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