Spring Venture Group President to Serve in Newly Added Chief Distribution Officer Role

OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Senior Market Sales (SMS), one of the nation's premier insurance marketing organizations, has made a key addition to its senior leadership team with veteran industry executive Mark T. Hunter filling the newly created role of Chief Distribution Officer.

"Mark is a major win for SMS," said SMS President John Haver. "His experience is deep and diverse, and his thinking is bold and innovative — exactly what SMS needs to continue its history of innovation and growth."

A Harvard University graduate and two-time software CEO, Hunter comes to SMS with more than 25 years of extensive experience leading corporate strategy, technology and software development teams, and mergers and acquisitions. Most recently, he led the firm-wide strategy and multiple functional areas as President of Spring Venture Group, a 1,200-employee Medicare insurance broker in Kansas City, Missouri.

At SMS, Hunter will focus on the company's Financial Solutions unit, IT, strategic business planning, mergers and acquisitions and financial management. His appointment will help SMS further strengthen the technology platform and concierge-level back office support that thousands of agents nationally have relied on to grow their businesses for more than four decades. He also will help drive strategy and alignment for Alliant Consumer Group, which is part of SMS' parent company, Alliant Insurance Services.

Alliant, one of the nation's largest insurance distributors, acquired SMS in 2020 as part of a strategic alliance and in December 2023 announced the launch of Alliant Consumer Group to further Alliant's growth in the consumer market. The partnership has successfully opened up new lines of distribution and new markets for the independent brokers with whom SMS partners. Led by Alliant Consumer Group Senior Managing Director Rick Ulmer, the new dedicated unit houses SMS, Confie and Sunshine Life & Health Advisors.

"Alliant's ongoing growth in the consumer market is possible in part because we've forged new ways to connect consumers to needed solutions via SMS' network of agents and advisors," Ulmer said. "Mark's sharp eye for spotting growth opportunities and his ability to analyze all facets of multiple businesses and industries will help us expand these opportunities even further."

The new Chief Distribution Officer role was added as part of an expansion to SMS' executive leadership team to guide the company's organic and strategic growth. As part of that plan, Jim Summers, SMS' President since 1998, became CEO earlier in September, following the 2023 retirement of SMS' former CEO and owner Milton Kleinberg; and Haver moved from Senior Vice President, Marketing and Strategic Development into the role of President. Hunter, who joined SMS Sept. 16, will work with Haver and Summers to look for synergies across all of the Alliant Consumer Group's verticals, which include personal lines, life insurance, and individual health care insurance (Medicare and Affordable Care Act Marketplace under-65 plans).

About Senior Market Sales

Senior Market Sales (SMS) represents top Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, annuity, life, long-term care, individual health and travel insurance carriers in all 50 states. Independent insurance agents rely on SMS for proprietary technology, competitive insurance products, and expert training and service to help them leverage their time, make more money, and put their business in a position of distinction. Founded in 1982, SMS is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2020, SMS joined the Alliant Insurance Services family of companies. Visit or call 1.800.786.5566 for more information.

About Alliant Insurance Services

Alliant Insurance Services is one of the nation's leading distributors of diversified insurance products and services. Alliant operates through a network of specialized national platforms and local offices to offer clients a comprehensive portfolio of solutions built on innovative thinking and personal service. The business of managing risk is getting more complex, and Alliant is meeting this complexity head-on, not with more layers of management, but with more creativity and agility. Alliant is changing the way clients approach risk management and benefits, so they can capitalize on new opportunities to grow and protect their organizations. For more information, visit alliant.com.

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SOURCE Senior Market Sales