As the new CIO of OneAmerica, Gene Berry is focusing on developing an IT strategy and roadmap that will give the enterprise a competitive advantage for years to come.
"What we need to accomplish from an IT standpoint is the development of a strategy for the enterprise that enhances the competitive position we have in each line of business," Berry says. "At the same time, we're trying to leverage a common set of applications and tools across the enterprise whenever possible."
Based in Indianapolis, OneAmerica is the parent company of American United Life Insurance Company (AUL), which operates within its three core lines of business: retirement services, life insurance, and employee benefits. With roots dating back to 1877, AUL became the founding member of OneAmerica in 2000. At that time, the company invested heavily in technology, retiring legacy systems and upgrading platforms to better support the business.
"Each line of business has its own unique applications and challenges that need to be addressed in a comprehensive IT strategy that makes sense for the enterprise," Berry explains. "I don't have any preconceived ideas of what the final IT strategy will be, but it will be based on business goals and objectives and will support the future direction of the enterprise."
Berry joined OneAmerica as vice president and CIO in April of this year. A member of the company's management committee, he reports directly to the CEO. The IT department is organized along the organization's three lines of business, with an applications development team supporting each unit. A fourth team focuses on supporting end users and platforms across the company.
"At any given time, we have 10 to 15 projects that are considered high priority," Berry says. "I'm trying to develop a high-level, cohesive strategy that will ensure when projects are initiated for review that they fit into our long-term IT strategy and plans."
In the short term, OneAmerica is investing in a new asset management system, sales force automation, and actuarial modeling software. "We're focusing on projects that help us better manage our investment portfolio, provide better information to our sales force, and improve on our actuarial modeling capabilities," Berry explains. "Many of our initiatives are focused on improving the information that is provided to the enterprise so we can make better decisions."
Berry's IT team also will focus on upgrading Web systems, modernizing an agent illustration platform, implementing straight-through processing systems, and delivering improved business intelligence applications. "We're trying to deliver world-class customer service, while also driving efficiency throughout the organization to keep costs down," Berry says.
Although many financial services companies have been affected by the slow economy, OneAmerica had a record year in 2009, according to Berry.
"We're building on that momentum in 2010 and will continue to try to gain traction in the marketplace," he says. "We have the capital to grow and continue to invest in our systems. We're in a very fortunate situation."
Berry's interest in technology began in college, when an advisor suggested he take a programming class after noticing his top performance in math classes. After earning a bachelor's degree in business administration and computer and information science from The Ohio State University, Berry joined Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA) as a computer analyst and was eventually promoted to IT supervisor.
He left ALCOA to join Fremont Life Insurance Company, a small carrier in southern California, where he worked his way through the IT ranks, becoming head of IT and policy owner services. In the mid-1990s, Berry joined Shenandoah Life Insurance in Roanoke, Va., becoming senior vice president of insurance services and CIO. In April, he left Virginia to "return to his Midwestern roots" and join OneAmerica as CIO.
Berry's goals for his first year are focused on helping the company expand its IT offerings and develop a cohesive strategy to propel the carrier forward.
"By the end of my first year, I want to have a clear IT strategy in place that has been articulated to the rest of the organization and can be used as a roadmap to lead the enterprise to bigger and better things," he says. "I plan to have the proper IT structure in place to support the strategy and make sure our systems help us continue to grow the business."
Sharon Baker is a freelance business writer based in Charlotte, N.C.
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