Leadership Team

Ms. Susan M. Kupfer
Account Executive

Ms. Kupfer has a diverse background in employee benefits and human resources. She has worked in the employee benefits area with a major employer, as a consultant, and with a nationwhide third-party administrator (TPA).

Ms. Kupfer served as the Director of Employee Benefits with a major corporation in the transportation industry for seven years. In that position, she was responsible for managing a $20M benefits budget; developing benefit programs that were cost effective and designed to attract and retain employees; administration of group insurance and retirement plans; compliance with state and federal regulations; and establishing standards for excellent customer service to employees and managers.

For the last ten years, Ms. Kupfer has concentrated in group insurance and employee benefits in a consulting capacity, including account management of self-funded plans from 700 lives to as many as 2,800 employee lives. Responsibilities included assessing individual employer’s needs and assisting in the development of a strategic plan for the management and design of their benefit programs. This involved monitoring plan costs and proposing cost effective changes, such as, comprehensive wellness and disease management programs. Another major proponent was the selection of vendors to partner with the employer in the administration of group insurance plans, developing procedures for the administration of those group insurance plans; conducting employee presentations and composing communication and educational materials. As customer service was a focal point, day-to-day contact with the employer or individual employees was common.

In addition, Ms. Kupfer has worked for a large third party administrator as a Client Relationship Manager. In that capacity, she gained a strong working knowledge of claims administration processes, a major asset in assisting employers in the evaluation and selection process of an administrator.

Ms. Kupfer also has hands on experience in payroll and Human Resources. She served as Payroll Supervisor for a large manufacturer for four years and as the Human Resources Manager for a mid-size architectural firm for two years. Experience and knowledge in payroll and HR systems has proven to be invaluable as both of these areas are closely aligned and/or interact with employee benefits in most companies.

Ms. Kupfer now works to provide comprehensive management direction for Benefit Strategies’ clients, which includes developing a comprehensive strategic plan and providing ongoing data analysis to ensure that the employee benefit program is moving in a direction consistent with the established strategic plan; selection of and negotiation with high value insurance vendors; keeping employers updated on current and emerging insurance trends and acting as an advocate for employees to ensure appropriate and timely claim handling.

Ms. Beadle has a broad spectrum of employee benefit and consulting expertise. She has 18 years of employee benefits experience that includes first hand, in depth knowledge of the challenges that employers are facing in today’s challenging environment.

Ms. Beadle has extensive experience serving the health care industry. She worked at Saint Joseph Hospital and Health Center, Kokomo, Indiana as a Benefits Specialist for a number of years. Also, Ms. Beadle was an employee benefits specialist with Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County (HHC), where she was responsible for administering all corporate benefits. A highlight of her tenure with HHC was her successfully spearheading—from the ground up—the creation and implementation of a self-funded health plan for approximately 4000 employees.

Ms. Beadle also gained invaluable expertise working as a legal coordinator at Sagamore Health Network where she reported directly to the vice president and general counsel. It was there that she perfected her knowledge of provider networks and contracting.

In recent years, Ms. Beadle has been employed in the employee benefits brokerage and consulting industry. She brings with her a wealth of employee benefit knowledge. Further, as a result of her employee benefit positions alluded to above, Ms. Beadle holds an invaluable asset in that she holds a unique ability to understand and resolve the numerous benefit challenges faced by employers and employees today.

Ms. Beadle is highly organized and possesses an excellent work ethic. She has superior presentation skills, which are a product of her conducting employee educational and orientation meetings since 1989.

Ms. Beadle received her Associate of Science in Business (1995) and her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (1997) from Indiana Wesleyan University. Ms. Beadle graduated from both with honors. She also received a certification in Public Health Plans from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.

Ms. Beadle’s professional memberships include Network of Women in Business, and Compensation and Benefits Professionals of Indiana where she serves on the 2008 Board of Directors.

As an account executive, Ms. Beadle shares Benefit Strategies’ philosophy, expertise and resources with employers who seek to gain control of over the future direction of their employee benefit program. Ms. Beadle enjoys the privilege she has to make a positive difference for employers and their employees, alike.

Mr. Kimber I. McCarson
Account Executive

Mr. McCarson has extensive employee benefit and consulting expertise. He has nineteen (19) years of experience serving in a variety of capacities within the employee benefit area. A majority of Mr. McCarson’s employee benefit experience has been gained by serving in an agency/consulting environment, where, for thirteen (13) years – nine (9) of which have been with Benefit Strategies - his core focus has been to minimize employer benefit plan expenditures, maximize plan value and provide full account management services for employer clients of all sizes.

Over the past several years Mr. McCarson has gained vast industry expertise in working in a service/consulting capacity. Mr. McCarson’s responsibilities have included managing the renewal function and interim reporting and service needs for employer groups ranging from 25 to 500 covered employee lives.

In managing an employer’s plan renewal, Mr. McCarson’s responsibilities include procurement and negotiating all aspects of the plan, including risk assessment, evaluation and negotiation of stop loss or fully insured insurance contracts, managing the disclosure process, evaluating and negotiating all administration services—including utilization review, plan compliance, pharmacy benefit manager and provider network arrangements/GEO access analyses. He also evaluates all ancillary plans, including life, dental, vision, long-term care, voluntary worksite or supplemental plans, and Flex/Section 125 plans. Mr. McCarson has extensive experience in helping employers to establish the best funding structure possible, which allows for the most efficient purchasing of employee benefit plans.

Mr. McCarson’s educational background includes an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Transylvania University and a Masters degree in Public Administration from Kentucky State University. He has a diverse employment background having worked in key management level positions in the public, not-for-profit, and for-profit sectors.

In supporting Benefit Strategies’ business development function, Mr. McCarson is equally comfortable in both self-funded and fully insured plans. He is committed to the education of employers and employees regarding the necessity of incorporating a comprehensive wellness/risk management strategy, which is a requirement for any employers that want to gain control over the future direction of their employee benefit program. Mr. McCarson has been an integral part of the development of Benefit Strategies’ “BSI Solutions” program.

In his free time, Mr. McCarson enjoys a passion for music. He has performed extensively in local theater productions as well as serving as a Minister of Music for churches in Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Indiana. He has toured with the Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma and performed solo concerts in churches throughout the southeastern United States. He remains active in a number of local non-profit, community-based organizations.

Mr. Joseph E. Guzman, Jr.
President and CEO

Mr. Guzman began his group insurance career with Prudential Insurance in 1985. He initially worked in Prudential's Group Medical Claims Division as a group medical claim examiner for two years, then was promoted to a responsibility of training new claim examiners for approximately one year. Mr. Guzman received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University in August 1988, and subsequently he was promoted into management with Prudential's Group Medical Claims Division.

In September 1989, Mr. Guzman was promoted and transferred to Prudential's Group Sales Division. After completing extensive group underwriting and group benefit training, he was assigned to the Indianapolis Group Marketing Office. In his marketing position with Prudential, Mr. Guzman was responsible for selling and managing groups of 20 to 5,000+ employees. Mr. Guzman's management responsibilities included the following:

• Review of group employer plans: This involved a comprehensive review of group benefit plans to ensure a matching of benefits, risk assessment and classification and quality control of the proposal underwriting (funding level).
• Renewal placement and quality control of the renewal underwriting (funding level).
• Overall management of plan administration. Mr. Guzman was responsible for coordinating all administration activity for his group clients. This involved multiple divisions of Prudential (Billing and Eligibility, Claim Administration, and Underwriting).
• Ongoing customer satisfaction.

In early 1993, Mr. Guzman resigned from Prudential. At the time, he was the Senior Marketing Manager for Prudential in Indiana. His decision to leave Prudential was due to his desire to work more closely with group employers.

Since leaving Prudential in 1993, Mr. Guzman and his staff have built Benefit Strategies into a sizable and reputable employee benefit-consulting firm. For years, Benefit Strategies has enjoyed a solid reputation as a superior service organization. Benefit Strategies' performance in securing the best welfare interests of their employer clients across Indiana continues to foster new client relationships.

Mr. Guzman is a member of the Indiana Chamber Health Policy Committee and has participated as a panel member for the following events:

• Indiana Prescription Drug Summit (November, 2004)
• Indiana Chamber's Business Day at the Statehouse (February, 2005)
• Over the past few years, Mr. Guzman has enjoyed the privilege of presenting his health insurance perspectives to a national association of colleges and universities.