Stephen K. Collins Assumes Leadership Post for MassMutual Agency Sapient Financial Group

SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) has announced that Stephen K. Collins will lead the company's San Antonio Agency, Sapient Financial Group. Collins was tapped as a successor to long-time General AgentFrank Woodruff who retired in the summer. 

Collins, a native of Kingsville, said Woodruff left the organization -- which has more than $4 billion of life insurance in force across southern Texas -- in top shape. According to Sapient's 2011 Measures of Community Value Report, the agency has paid out more than $21 million in death benefits to policyholders and helped secure nearly $12 million in coverage for income-eligible families through MassMutual's Lifebridge^sm program. Lifebridge is MassMutual's philanthropic initiative and aims to protect children's educational futures by issuing $50,000 term life insurance policies. MassMutual pays all of the insurance premiums to benefit children of eligible working families who qualify.

"Frank was an organizational genius and committed to our community" Collins said.

Collins' main focus will be on recruiting new agents to his team. Collins plans to bring on 24 new financial professionals to the agency.

"A career in financial services is becoming increasingly more popular among women and multicultural professionals," said Collins.

Changing demographics across the country and in Texas are allowing us to reach more markets than ever before, he said. The demand for personal financial advisers, insurance agents and financial analysts is expected to rise faster than average by 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook for 2010-11.

"Forty-five percent of new recruits so far this year have been women or multicultural candidates," Collins said. "Everyone needs a basic road map for their financial future. We are a nation that spends too much and saves too little. People can benefit from the experience and help we provide."

Collins received his undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri and an MBA from University of Mississippi in Oxford. He previously ran MassMutual's Jackson, Miss. office.

Collins and his wife, Shannon, have two daughters, Rivers and Campbell. The family lives in San Antonio.

About MassMutual

Founded in 1851, MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that is run for the benefit of its members and participating policyholders. The company has a long history of financial strength and strong performance, and although dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has paid dividends to eligible participating policyholders consistently since the 1860s. With whole life insurance as its foundation, MassMutual provides products to help meet the financial needs of clients, such as life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care insurance, retirement/401(k) plan services, and annuities. In addition, the company's strong and growing network of financial professionals helps clients make good financial decisions for the long-term.

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives. MassMutual is headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts and its major affiliates include: Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; The First Mercantile Trust Company; MassMutual International LLC; MML Investors Services, LLC, Member FINRA and SIPC; OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB.

For more information, visit www.massmutual.com or find MassMutual on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Google+.

SOURCE MassMutual