Diversified Brokerage Services Names Kurt Fasen as Sales & Marketing Leader and outlines new structure for Sales, Marketing, Business Development and Case Design
Minneapolis, MN – October 1, 2018 – Diversified Brokerage Services, Inc. (DBS) announced the addition of Kurt Fasen, LLIF, LUTCF, as Sales & Marketing Leader to oversee all of Sales, Marketing, Business Development and Case Design. In this newly created role, Kurt will focus on aligning the initiatives of the four separate departments, ensuring that each element functions independently, yet collectively with each other as a Sales & Marketing unit. As part of this restructuring, DBS plans to move Case Design out of the Operations side of the business and into the Sales channel. This move is designed to strengthen the connection between Sales and Marketing, accelerate the company’s strategic growth, and position the organization for continued success. As George “Chip” Van Dusen IV, DBS President and CEO explains, “We are very excited to have Kurt join DBS. With his wealth of knowledge and experience, he will be a tremendous asset to the organization.”
Kurt brings an important mix of leadership and strategic marketing expertise and has a proven track record of success building strong teams that deliver on and communicate their value. A true believer in investing in people, new technology and in a forward-thinking outlook, he is well suited to support the DBS focus on continued business growth in meeting the evolving needs of its customers. “Kurt’s previous experience in this business positions him to be of great value to our organization going forward as we continue to evolve and change,” remarked Van Dusen. “Having someone with Kurt’s expertise in both sales leadership and marketing is critical to enhancing the value that we seek to bring to current and future distribution partners.”
Kurt boasts a strong background working in the financial services industry, most recently as Senior Vice President of the Individual Life Insurance and Annuity division for Voya, a position he took on after
serving as head of marketing for Individual Life, Annuities and Employee Benefits. Both positions brought tremendous success and demonstrated achievements as he worked to define strategic focus, product direction, distribution opportunities and overall management of the insurance business.
“Chip and I have known Kurt for many years and couldn’t be happier to have him come work with us,” adds Victoria “Tori” Van Dusen-Roos, DBS Vice President and COO. “He is a perfect fit for our culture and an exciting addition to our ‘family.’ We are looking forward to the future of our Sales and Marketing channel.”
Kurt began his career in the financial services industry in 1991 with Prudential Preferred, and in 1993, shifted his focus to business and estate planning as a partner in an estate planning practice. Two years later, Kurt joined Prudential Select Brokerage as an Internal Wholesaler where he worked directly with both BGAs and independent producers in several east coast regions. In 1998, Kurt joined ReliaStar Life as Manager of Sales Support and following that, was promoted to Director of VUL Product Management, responsible for the product development of all VUL products for ING. In 2001, Kurt was promoted to Senior Vice President and was asked to lead and establish a multi-channel support team, focusing on Internal Wholesaling, Sales Support, Key Account Management, Advanced Marketing, Training and Concept Marketing. Kurt sat on the Leaders Council for ING/Voya and was a member of both the Enterprise Marketing Senior Leadership Team and the Executive Leadership Team for Annuity, Life and Employee Benefits.
“This is a great opportunity after spending almost 30 years on the carrier side of the life insurance business to sit on the other side of the table to be part of a thriving distribution organization,” Fasen explains. “I’m excited about joining a company such as DBS because of the strong reputation the team has built over the years, and I’m looking forward to building upon that success and bringing it to the next level.”
Kurt holds several industry affiliations and has held numerous positions in industry committees and organizations. He is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas and holds his FINRA Series 6, 63, and 26 licenses. Kurt also earned his LLIF designation from the Wharton School and LIMRA LLIF (Leadership Institute Fellow) and LUTCF from the American College. Kurt enjoys spending his time outdoors, being with family and volunteering. Married for 27 years, he has six wonderful kids and 2 grandchildren.
