General Meeting Information

All meetings are held at the Holiday Inn on Davidson Avenue in Somerset. Phone number of Holiday Inn 732-356-1700.

Directions: Take Route 287 to Exit 10 to Davidson Avenue

You can also register for the next meeting by calling 732-356-8905.

Guests Welcome!

Guests are encouraged and welcome to attend meetings, to a maximum of 3 per year. Meeting cost is $45.00 if pre-registered. (Members currently unemployed only have to pay $25). Those who register and do not attend will be billed unless a cancellation notification is received at least three days prior to the meeting. Payment is expected at the door and may be paid in cash or by check payable to SHRM - CNJ. Call 732-356-8905 for further information.

How To Register

By phone, call 732.356.8905. Please note you will not receive a call back confirming your registration. Additionally payment by cash or check must be made at the door.
On line by credit card Pay by Credit Card (Online Registration Only)

• Pre-registered members $35.00 ($25.00 for members in Transition or Student Members)
  
• Pre-registered guests $45.00
  
• Additional $5.00 for walk-ins.

Those who register and do not attend will be billed unless a cancellation notification is received at least three days prior to the meeting.  Payment is expected at the door and may be paid in cash or by check payable to SHRMCNJ, or you may pay in advance by credit card.

Please note, if you reserve a spot and do not show, the chapter will bill you for the cost of your reservation if our guaranteed minimum to the hotel is not reached.

Pay by Credit Card (Online Registration Only)

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Date: Tuesday, June 9

Location:   Holiday Inn, Somerset (287 Exit 10)
                   732-356-1700

Registration:   Registration opens at 8:00 AM with breakfast starting at 8:30

Breakfast Meeting :   9AM-12PM (our only breakfast meeting of the year),    

Cost is $30.00 for Chapter Members ($25 for Chapter Members in Transition), $45.00 for Non-Chapter Members, $25.00 for Student Chapter members

"Managing Employee Benefit Programs Through Unprecedented Economic Times"

Volatile economy. Health care politics. Rising costs. Many necessities. Many choices. These are truly unprecedented times. But one thing is certain: you as a leader will be challenged in 2009 to deal with the impact of it all in your sphere of decision making. And because there’s so much to consider, we are addressing all your concerns in a half day seminar including these topics:

• "Quick Hits" for Savings - The market is dynamic, and so are short-term opportunities with your vendors.
• Compliance with new laws - What you need to know about the changes in COBRA law and what it means for you.
• Is now the right time for full replacement CDHP? - Whether you’ve begun or are considering, hear the pros and cons for moving forward.
• Audit power for performance and Money - Audits can save money, manage risk and improve compliance – opportunities abound.
• Benchmarking Benefit Plans - Keep up-to-date on what employers are doing to manage health care benefit costs with results from the Mercer 2008 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans.

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Speaker Biographies:

BARBARA J. LIGON

Present Responsibilities
Barbara is a Principal in the Boston office of Mercer and is the Northeast Leader of Mercer’s National Performance Audit Group. Her areas of expertise include developing performance improvement strategies, and evaluating all areas of claim and customer service operations.

Experience
Barbara has many years of experience in the area of claim operations. Before joining Mercer in 1999, she worked for John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company and UNICARE for 29 years. During that time, she held various management positions in claims administration, customer service, and operations. Barbara was the Director of Operations for 10 years, and was responsible for the service operations that supported the health and disability needs of John Hancock and UNICARE’s largest clients. She was also responsible for the management of the Claim Policy Department, which provided auditing, fraud investigation, and litigation support to all claim offices.

Since joining Mercer in 1999, Barbara has participated in audit, operations reviews, and customer service evaluations for more than 150 Mercer clients.

Education
Barbara attended Fitchburg State College, with majors in mathematics and education. She has taken several HIAA and LOMA exams, as well as a variety of management courses.

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Kevin Carmelengo, Principal, Mercer

Present Responsibilities
Kevin Carmelengo is a Principal in the Morristown, NJ office of Mercer Health & Benefits.  Kevin has extensive experience  and ongoing involvement in benefits strategy, vendor evaluation, financial analysis, plan pricing, funding and the trend toward consumerism.  As a senior member of Mercer’s Morristown team he is responsible for leading account teams and coordinating Mercer’s efforts to ensure that his teams meet or exceed their customers’ expectations.

Experience
Kevin has 25 years of industry experience, mostly on the insurance carrier side of the business.  During his career he has split time between account management and new business sales.  His carrier experience gives him significant insight into the products, services, and underwriting guidelines available in the marketplace.

Education
Kevin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Seton Hall University.  He holds a New Jersey Life and Health Producer’s License.

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Paul Cimino, Principal

Present Responsibilities
Paul Cimino is a Principal, the NJ market Sales Leader, and a senior member of the New Jersey Mercer Health & Benefits team.  He joined Marsh Employee Benefits in April 2000.  Paul provides a full range of benefits brokerage and consulting services with specific expertise in benefit plan design, and underwriting.   Paul also provides underwriting training for H&B professionals nationally.

Experience
Prior to joining Marsh in 2000, Paul worked for Aetna U.S. Healthcare as a Broker Sales Manager and Senior Account Consultant for two years.  In this role, he represented Aetna working with consultants and brokers and also developed younger sales representatives.  Before joining Aetna, Paul worked for The Prudential Insurance Company of America for 11½ years in varying roles.  Paul began his career at Prudential as an underwriter (four years) working on all types of benefit coverage and groups ranging from 20 to 5,000 employees.  He is credited with underwriting Prudential’s first minimum premium-financed managed care client.  Paul then spent 1½ years underwriting Prudential’s New Jersey HMO.

During 1992 –1994, Paul managed a portion of Prudential’s TriState Customer Service operation with responsibility for over 100 Customer Service Representatives on two shifts.  Following attainment of his law degree, Paul supported Prudential’s lobbying activities in the Northeast and later joined the Institutes of Quality transplant program managing hospital and physician contracting through 1998.

From June 1994 through December 1998, Mr. Cimino also practiced law on a part-time basis.

Education
Paul graduated from the University of Notre Dame in May 1987 with a B.A. in English.  He then attained a J.D. from the Seton Hall University School of Law in January 1994.  Paul maintains a New Jersey Life and Health Producer’s License and is currently an inactive (retired status) Attorney at Law of the State of New Jersey.