Symetra Builds Out Dedicated Registered Investments Wholesaling Team

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Symetra Life Insurance Company today announced the formation of a dedicated wholesaling team to represent the company’s registered investment products, including Symetra True Variable Annuity^SM, which launched on June 18, 2012.

“With the recent introduction of Symetra True VA, our new wholesaling team is working with fee-only registered investment advisers and fee-based broker-dealer advisers to secure selling agreements and identify clients who might benefit from a variable annuity,” said Dan Guilbert, executive vice president of Symetra’s Retirement Division. “With its low fees¹ and premier fund lineup, True VA offers a compelling investment solution for advisers and their clients.”

To deliver Symetra investment solutions to fee-based and fee-only advisers, the company is assembling a team of wholesalers experienced in the advisory marketplace. These three industry veterans recently joined the Symetra team:

Dinah Bird, Ph.D., CFP^®, CIMA^® — Bird brings to Symetra a wealth of portfolio management knowledge and business development expertise from sales leadership roles at several investment management firms and broker-dealers. From 2000–2007, she worked at Barclays Global Investors where she was one of the original wholesalers of iShares exchange-traded funds. Bird earned a doctorate and master’s degree at Claremont Graduate School, a master’s degree at Texas Tech University and a bachelor’s degree at Southwest Texas University. In addition, she holds the CFP^® and CIMA^® designations, Kentucky life and health insurance license, and NASD Series 6, 7, 24, 26, 63, 65 and 79 licenses. Bird is Symetra’s senior investment specialist for Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky.

Jeffrey Jennings —Jennings most recently served as vice president, regional marketing director at Sun Life Financial in San Francisco where he was responsible for traditional and fee-based annuity sales through independent broker-dealers. He previously held regional vice president and account management positions at Guardian Investor Services and Hartford Financial Services. He was consistently recognized as one of the top wholesalers in each of these firms. Jennings is a graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder and holds NASD Series 6, 26 and 63 licenses. He is Symetra’s senior investment specialist for Northern California and the surrounding area.

James Maertz— Maertz joins Symetra from Hartford Mutual Funds, where he was a regional vice president and ranked as one of the company’s top wholesalers over several years. In recognition of his sales expertise and strong distributor relationships, Maertz served on The Hartford Mutual Funds Advisory Board from 2009–2011. He earned a bachelor’s degree at San Diego State University and holds NASD Series 6 and 63 licenses. He also completed a three-year professional development program at Rainmaker U. Maertz is Symetra’s senior investment specialist for Southern California and the surrounding area.

“I am pleased with the caliber of wholesalers we are attracting for our registered investments sales force,” Guilbert said. “Success in the fee-only and fee-based space requires a highly technical, consultative approach focused on creating investment solutions. Dinah, Jeff and James are skilled sales consultants who understand the nuances of the advisory world. They will be a great help in advancing our efforts to share the True VA story.”

Symetra True VA is a low-fee variable annuity without surrender charges. Also available is a sophisticated trading platform designed for advisers who have moved away from a commission-based business model. In addition to more than 100 investment options, True VA offers the Symetra Pension Reserve Funds^SM to help advisers solve for the lifetime income needs of their clients. Through True VA, by investing in these funds sub-advised by Russell Investments, clients can secure guaranteed annual lifetime income while retaining liquidity and flexibility.²

For more information about Symetra True Variable Annuity, visit www.trueva.com. For advisers interested in a selling agreement, call 1-855-TRUEVAS (1-855-878-3827).

About Symetra

Symetra Life Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Symetra Financial Corporation (NYSE: SYA), a diversified financial services company based in Bellevue, Wash. In business since 1957, Symetra provides employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through a national network of benefit consultants, financial institutions, and independent agents and advisers. For more information, visit www.symetra.com.

Before investing, carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other information is contained in the contract prospectus and the underlying fund prospectuses. You may call or write your Registered Representative or Symetra for free copies of the prospectuses or visit www.trueva.com for online copies. Please read them carefully before investing.

Securities are distributed by Symetra Securities, Inc. (SSI). Symetra True Variable Annuity is a flexible premium deferred variable annuity issued by Symetra Life Insurance Company (SLIC). Contract form number is ICC12_RC1, and Wealth Transfer Benefit rider form number is ICC12_RE1 in most states and is not available in all U.S. states or any U.S. territory. SSI and SLIC are affiliates and are both located at 777 108^th Avenue NE, Suite 1200, Bellevue, WA 98004-5135.

Variable annuities, which are suitable for long-term investing, are subject to market risks, including the loss of principal invested. Like many variable annuities, this contract has terms and limitations for keeping it in force. Please contact your Registered Representative for complete details.

Symetra Life Insurance Company does not provide investment, legal or tax advice.

Guarantees and benefits are subject to the claims-paying ability of Symetra Life Insurance Company.

The Symetra Pension Reserve Funds are not insured by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).

¹ Source: Morningstar survey of 1,854 variable annuities on Dec. 31, 2011. The total mortality and expense, administrative and distribution expense fees for True VA equal 0.60%, placing it in the lowest quartile of variable annuities. If the maximum sub-account fund facilitation fee of 0.15%, which is not currently charged, were included in total expenses, True VA would still be in the lowest quartile of variable annuities. The comparison of total expenses does not include fees associated with the underlying funds.

² This prepaid annuity option guarantee of annual lifetime annuity payments is provided by Symetra Life Insurance Company. Please refer to the Symetra True Variable Annuity prospectus for more details.

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Symetra Diana McSweeney, 425-256-6167
[email protected]

Source: Symetra Life Insurance Company