Joe Phifer, senior account executive in the Assurant Employee Benefits’ Dallas Sales Office, was sworn in as president of the Texas Association of Health Underwriters on May 7, 2015. The ceremony was held at the trade association’s annual state convention in San Antonio, Texas.

Phifer will begin serving his one-year term as president in July 2015.

The Texas Association of Health Underwriters (TAHU) is a state member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU). The organization of agents and insurance company representatives works to protect consumers by enhancing the professional growth of its members. NAHU represents nearly 20,000 professional health insurance agents and brokers who service the insurance needs of millions of Americans.

“I continue to be impressed with Joe’s tireless commitment to this association as well as his substantial investment of personal time,” said Marc Warrington, president of Assurant Employee Benefits. “He has garnered the trust and respect of everyone within the organization. He brings a professional level of leadership and passion to his position with the association, just as he does for Assurant Employee Benefits.”

Phifer’s background with TAHU began in 1997 when he became a member of the East Texas Association of Health Underwriters (ETAHU). He began his volunteer work with the TAHU in 2003.

In the past four years on the TAHU board, Phifer has served on TAHU’s executive committee in all four elected board positions. Through his work on the executive committee, Phifer has been responsible for direct reports from board members and committees with a goal of improving TAHU processes and overall member experience.

During his career, Phifer earned his MHP, RHU, REBC, and SGS designations. He was named ETAHU Outstanding Board Member in 2004-2005 and received ETAHU’s highest honor, the Founder’s Award in 2007. The same year he was also recognized with TAHU’s Volunteer of the Year award. Most recently, he received the Outstanding TAHU Texan of the Year award in 2013.

“I’m fortunate to work for a company that allows me to be engaged in these efforts and supports me in learning more about what’s happening in our industry,” Phifer said. “TAHU’s theme for the year is ‘continue to find new doors.’ Despite facing a number of challenges, our members continue to find new ways to positively impact customers and are providing expertise that is more valuable today than it’s ever been.”

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About Assurant Employee Benefits

Assurant Employee Benefits specializes in quality employee benefits and services, including long-term and short-term disability, life insurance, voluntary benefits such as cancer, critical illness and accident, dental coverage, and disability reinsurance management services. Assurant Employee Benefits is the brand name for insurance products underwritten by Union Security Insurance Company and for prepaid dental products provided by an affiliated prepaid dental company. In New York, insurance products are underwritten and prepaid products are provided by Union Security Life Insurance Company of New York, which is licensed in New York and has its principal place of business in Syracuse, New York. Plans contain limitations, exclusions and restrictions. www.assurantemployeebenefits.com

Assurant Employee Benefits is part of Assurant, a provider of specialty protection products and related services. Assurant operates in North America, Latin America, Europe and other select worldwide markets through four operating segments. Assurant Solutions, Assurant Specialty Property, Assurant Health and Assurant Employee Benefits partner with clients who are leaders in their industries to provide consumers peace of mind and financial security.

Assurant, a Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P 500, is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AIZ. Assurant has approximately $31 billion in assets and $10 billion in annual revenue. For more information on Assurant, please visit http://www.assurant.com and follow us on Twitter @AssurantNews.