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Missed Fortune: Why Insurance Companies Are Safe

August 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Douglas Andrew

Douglas Andrew

Missed Fortune’s Douglas Andrew knows the financial uncertainties many are experiencing today. Through the Missed Fortune workshops and books, Douglas Andrew explains the importance of liquidity, safety, and rate of return in investments. Today, the Missed Fortune founder talks to Interviewing Experts about the insurance industry and how it manages to survive through every economic downturn.

Interviewing Experts: In the Missed Fortune educational materials, you talk about insurance companies having a high rate of return. Can you explain what that means?

Douglas Andrew: On many of the general account portfolios that we review, there will be a yield that turns over very slowly. Last fall, I was visiting a particular insurance company in Minnesota. They were reporting on the two trillion dollars worth of assets they manage.

Interviewing Experts: Two trillion?

Douglas Andrew: Two trillion. Do you know that’s the amount the Federal government collects in income tax a year? And this institution, which has far fewer employees, manages two trillion dollars.

Interviewing Experts: Even in this economy?

Douglas Andrew: In this low interest environment, where many business and investors are struggling, this particular company has a portfolio rate of about 6.18 percent.

Interviewing Experts: But aren’t interest rates relative?

Douglas Andrew: Yes. For example, back in the 80s, I was earning on my conservative insurance contracts amounts in the 13 percent range.

Interviewing Experts: That was a different time, though.

Douglas Andrew: At that time inflation was 10 percent and CDs and banks were paying at ten.

Interviewing Experts: The insurance company you’re describing was paying 6.18 percent in this low-interest environment, though.

Douglas Andrew: They were paying 6.18 percent and they used about one percent of that for their overhead.

Interviewing Experts: So this particular insurance company provided a high rate of return…

Douglas Andrew: Even in this environment, Missed Fortune found that a consumer could have a net rate of a return of about 5.2 percent.

Interviewing Experts: And that’s tax-free?

Douglas Andrew: Yes, that would be tax-free. That money is in a liquid environment, safely and predictably earning a good rate of return, which, as anyone who is familiar with the Missed Fortune workshops and educational materials knows, is the crux of my message.

Interviewing Experts: Can you explain what you mean by “LASER?”

Douglas Andrew: LASER is liquidity, safety, and rate of return.

Interviewing Experts: You mention in your Missed Fortune workshops that the insurance business is less risky.

Douglas Andrew: Insurance companies are professionals at managing risk. Missed Fortune has found that because of this, insurance companies always maintain liquidity of principal.

Interviewing Experts: This has been great advice, Mr. Andrew. Thanks for speaking with us today.

Missed Fortune’s Douglas Andrew provides financial strategies to clients throughout the U.S. For more information on Douglas Andrew and Missed Fortune, visit www.missedfortune.com.

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Talent Acquisition Is Vital to Business, Says Douglas Battista

May 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Douglas Battista

Douglas Battista

Douglas Battista, President of North America Field Operations, had the opportunity to participate in an open dialogue at the 2011 Talent Acquisition Conference. During the conversation, this former Head of Talent Acquisition for Nestlé USA spoke about the benefits of teaming with a recruiting agency that has an established presence at home and abroad. Here, Douglas Battista answers questions about the conference and its purpose.

Q. – What was the main topic of discussion at the conference?

Douglas Battista – RPO, or Recruitment Process Outsource. This is a business practice where a firm’s HR department relinquishes some portion of the company’s recruitment activities to a service provider outside of its own payroll.

Q. – Can you explain what benefit RPO brings to a business?

Douglas Battista – There are many, under the right circumstances. If corporation management is seeking to hire high-level talent in a foreign market, this process can give them access to the area’s most talented individuals. One of the main benefits is scalability.  Recruiting needs rise and fall, and RPOs allow for scalability and cost control.

Q. –What do conferences like this do for the business community?

Douglas Battista – I believe that they bring awareness to the benefit of the services.

Q. – What other companies were represented at the conference roundtable?

Douglas Battista – The Cummins Corp., specifically John Havenaar, who is the Executive Director, Global Recruiting, of the firm.

Q. – What was discussed?

Douglas Battista – We talked about how FutureStep has helped both Nestlé USA and Cummins Corporation improve hiring practices on a global scale.

Q. – What are the main principles of strategic workforce planning, and how can FutureStep assist a company in these principles?

Douglas Battista – They can help a firm understand what skill sets management needs to look for in order to enhance the future of the business. Additionally, they can assist in the identification and rectification gaps in their current talent.

Q. – How assessable is FutureStep?

Douglas Battista – The company employs over 800 recruitment professionals in 20 separate countries with nearly 40 offices.

Q. – Does an RPO strategy involve only permanent employees?

Douglas Battista – No, the firm also specializes in project recruitment.

Q. – Does RPO make a material difference in a company’s level of quality?

Douglas Battista – Yes, it can. When a company has a talent pool of individuals who’ve been prescreened for their skills, they tend to require less time training the employee. The RPO process can save a company money by helping to reduce turnover ratio and ensuring the longevity of their business by allowing them to hire only the best candidates for their open positions.

Filed Under: Business Tagged With: , , , , ,