New team will be led by longtime industry veteran Andrew Sheen to focus on driving growth strategies across the organization’s best-in-class distribution network
CLEARWATER, Fla. – September 19, 2023 – AmeriLife Group, LLC (“AmeriLife”), a national leader in developing, marketing, and distributing life and health insurance, annuities, and retirement planning solutions, today announced the formation of Distribution Growth and Wealth Transformation, a newly created division within AmeriLife Wealth designed to support business development and organic growth, and accelerate the integration of its network of leading distribution companies and wealth advisory firms.
“As we break through traditional distribution models and provide holistic solutions to the market we serve, it’s critical that we focus the right talent and resources to help us fundamentally transform the way in which we deliver value,” said Mike Vietri, Chief Distribution Officer of AmeriLife Wealth. “This team will spearhead our strategic focus and enhance our Wealth Distribution Platform, while also capitalizing on selling synergies and opportunities to leverage best-in-class solutions across our platform, better supporting those we serve.”
Andrew “Andy” Sheen, most recently senior vice president and head of AmeriLife’s BizRev Group (BRG), will lead the Distribution Growth and Wealth Transformation team, reporting to Vietri. In this newly created role, Sheen will also leverage his considerable industry experience to lead all efforts surrounding AmeriLife Wealth’s market positioning while collaborating with AmeriLife Wealth leaders to deliver best practices, business development strategies, and sales and resource synergies.
Sheen joined AmeriLife in December 2020 from Saybrus Partners, where he oversaw product development for the company’s annuity and life distribution. Prior to Saybrus, from 2009 to 2012, Sheen served his first stint with AmeriLife as its director of Financial Services, managing annuity and life product development for the company with its carrier partners. He began his career at CDA of America in various, and increasingly senior, product development, sales, and marketing roles.
“I’m thankful to Mike for this opportunity and excited to bring my nearly 20 years of experience on the both carrier and distribution side to this new endeavor,” said Sheen. “‘Growth’ and ‘transformation’ are two sides of the same coin and essential to both accelerating the success of our affiliated partners, but also ensuring they remain one step ahead of consumer demands and the constant changes in our industry.”
AmeriLife Wealth Continues to Grow Its Leadership Ranks
The establishment of the new division and Sheen’s elevation builds upon significant strategic changes to AmeriLife’s Distribution structure as well as leadership changes within both its Wealth and Health Distribution organizations.
In addition to Sheen’s appointment, the following senior roles within AmeriLife Wealth were also announced:
Kelly Atkinson has been named Senior Vice President of Distribution Operations and Chief of Staff for AmeriLife Wealth, an expansion of her current role with a strategic focus on supporting Wealth’s growing executive leadership team and priority initiatives. In this expanded role, Atkinson will also continue to support enterprise campaigns and initiatives that span AmeriLife’s Wealth and Health distribution organizations.
With Atkinson’s elevation, Crystal Santillanes has assumed an expanded role as Vice President of Distribution Operations. With a focus on driving action and alignment with Distribution goals, Santillanes is accountable for overseeing a variety of enterprise-wide Distribution initiatives and campaigns, in partnership with various functional areas across the company. Santillanes and her team is also responsible for Distribution meetings, events, and incentive programs.
Bob Yates has been named Vice President, Distribution Business Analytics. In his new role, Yates will focus on partnering with Wealth and Health Distribution leadership and AmeriLife’s affiliates to maximize the value of available data, providing financial and market analysis, interpreting production results, and forecasting and developing business trend insights to support data-driven strategic planning, business development, and decision making. Yates will continue to collaborate with AmeriLife’s Enterprise Data and Analytics (EDA) team to support enterprise level data collection and reporting as well as ad hoc Distribution analysis needs.
Lastly, Christy Appleang, CPA, joins the organization as Vice President, Financial Operations, responsible for leading all budgeting processes as well as developing strategic budgetary policies and guidelines to help meet short and long-term financial goals. Appleang brings 20 years of financial planning and analysis experience to AmeriLife Wealth, most recently serving as Senior Director of Finance for national grocer, Kroger, in its Health & Wellness Specialty Pharmacy Retail Division. Prior to Kroger, she served as Chief Financial Officer for Northwestern Mutual’s Southeast region.
“We’re incredibly grateful for Andy’s, Kelly’s, Crystal’s and Bob’s continued dedication to our business, and are excited to welcome Christy to our team, as we continue our mission of transforming Wealth distribution for our affiliated agents and advisors,” added Vietri. “The growth of our team is a testament to what we’re building here at AmeriLife, and I look forward to working with each of them in their new roles.”
