BIOGRAPHY: Vikki L. Pryor
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President and Chief Executive Officer
SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc.
S.USA Life Insurance Company, Inc.
Vikki L. Pryor is president and chief executive officer of SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary S.USA Life Insurance Company, Inc. The innovative, national, financial services company is committed to the financial empowerment of value-conscious consumers across the country. SBLI USA has continued to experience national expansion, product development and several years of double-digit sales growth under Pryor’s leadership since 1999.
A mutual life insurance organization with more than $16.7 billion of insurance in force, $1.5 billion in assets, $124 million in surplus capital, and over 300,000 policyholders, SBLI USA has been retooled to expand not only in size and assets, but in its service accessibility as well. A fully bilingual Web site caters to the Spanish speaking clientele that constitute over 35 percent of the Company’s customer base. In addition to fostering a bilingual workforce, Pryor oversaw the development of an integrated marketing model of distribution channels, state-of-the-art Customer Centers in New York City, Puerto Rico, Chicago and Buffalo. The Company’s customer-focused, e-commerce strategy resulted in SBLI USA being named first runner up for Cisco’s 2007 Technology Award. Additionally, the company and its subsidiaries sell an expanding number of products in 52 jurisdictions. SBLI USA’s success is reflected in the 97 percent customer satisfaction rating maintained by its policyholders.
The fulfillment of the Company’s mission rests on its commitment to financial strength as well as service and social responsibility. Since 1999, SBLI USA has donated over $750,000 to local and national charities. Among these are included: AIDS Walk New York, Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, American Red Cross, America’s Second Harvest, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Children’s Charities of America, Earth Day Network, First Book, Food Banks of Western New York and New Jersey, Habitat for Humanity International, Newark Cares, and United Way.
Currently, Pryor serves on the Board of the Partnership for New York City, the American Council of Life Insurers’ Forum 500 Board, the Citi Advisory Board for Citigroup’s Security and Fund Services, and the Small Business and Agricultural Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. She’s also a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council of the University at Buffalo Law School, her alma mater.
Prior to joining SBLI USA, Pryor served as senior vice president of operations at Oxford Health Plans, senior vice president at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and as a director at Allstate Insurance Company. Before entering the corporate world, Pryor was a tax trial lawyer in the Office of the Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue Service.
Recently named by Crain’s New York as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in New York City Business, Pryor’s involvement extends beyond SBLI USA and into the business and civic communities. She is a frequent and sought after speaker whose engagements range from topics relating to women’s empowerment, ethics, leadership, corporate governance, and financial empowerment. She recently served as a panelist for an unprecedented study called “The Bottom Line” by Catalyst, which assesses the positive financial impact of the presence of women on boards of directors, and as a panelist for the NAAIA 2007 National Conference, discussing African American women breaking the glass ceiling. Pryor was a keynote speaker at the National Conference of Women Work! (Washington, D.C.), and provided the keynote address at the Sacred Heart University commencement. Pryor has also contributed to “The Talent Management Handbook” – an authoritative resource for creating excellence in an organization through people management.
Pryor earned a B.A. degree magna cum laude in 1975 and a Juris Doctorate in 1978 from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She also earned an MBA degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1989. She is a CPA, CLU and ChFC and is admitted to practice law in New York and Illinois. Ms. Pryor received an honorary doctorate degree from Sacred Heart University in 2004.
Pryor has received numerous awards and recognition, among them:
- Crain’s New York Business Magazine – 100 Most Influential Women in Business
- Forbes – CEO Spotlight
- Minority Bar Association of Western New York - Education Award
- Black Enterprise Magazine—50 Most Powerful Women in Business
- Women’s Leadership Exchange—Compass Award
- The Network Journal—25 Most Influential Black Women in Business
- Minority Bar Association of Western New York—President’s Award, Distinguished
- City and Suburban Magazine—Pioneer in Business Award
- City of Buffalo, New York—Day of Proclamation
- Boston Chamber of Commerce—Emerging Executive Award
- Girl Scouts of America—Leading Woman Award
- University of Illinois—Alumni Leadership and Chancellor’s Awards
- State University of New York at Buffalo Law School—Distinguished Alumna Award
- Urban Bankers’ Coalition, Inc.—Distinguished Community Service Award
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