Executive Management

Bradford Phillips headshot

Bradford A. Phillips
Chief Executive Officer & Chairman of the Board

Mr. Phillips has served as a chairman and director of the LBL Group of Insurance Companies since 1999. He has served as President of Midland Securities, LLC, a Dallas, TX based broker/dealer since 2002.

From January 1998 to May 2002, Mr. Phillips was the President of InterFirst Capital Corporation of Los Angeles, California, a Securities and Exchange Commission registered securities broker/dealer firm. From 1995 – 1998, Mr. Phillips served as President of Avacelle, Inc., of Dallas, Texas. Mr. Phillips worked for Arco International Oil and Gas Company of Plano, Texas from 1992 to 1995.

Mr. Phillips holds a number of securities licenses, including the Series 4 (Options Principal), Series 7 (General Securities License), Series 24 (General Securities Principal), Series 27 (Financial and Operations Principal), Series 53 (Municipal Securities Principal), Series 55 (Equity Trading Principal), and Series 63 (Blue Sky Securities License).

In addition, he currently serves on the Board of Directors for Life Insurance Council.

Mr. Phillips obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University in Computer Science and Economics. He later obtained a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Chicago – Graduate School of Business, with a concentration in finance.

Edward "Marty" Martin headshot

Edward (Marty) Martin
President

Marty is the founder and CEO of Martin and Martin Insurance Consulting Group, LLC, where he helped clients (including AFL-CIO, Aetna, Cigna and American Family) with distribution and program development for Medicare Supplement.

He also served as an insurance executive for UnitedHealth Group and Aon, demonstrating a keen ability in building quality products and distribution networks, as well as managing people and expenses to achieve corporate objectives. He is experienced in managing various top-rated plans and product lines, including Medicare Supplement, Critical Illness, and Individual Health Insurance products in various distribution channels, such as Marketing General Agents, independent and captive agents, brokers, and call centers.

John Blocher
Vice President, Actuary, and Chief Risk Officer

Mr. Blocher has served as Chief Risk Officer of Liberty Bankers Insurance Group since November 2023. Prior to joining the team, Mr. Blocher served as Senior Actuary at Mass Mutual Ascend.

He has also served as Director, Enterprise Risk Management at Security Benefit, and various roles in the areas of valuation, capital management, reinsurance, for annuity, life, and health lines of business.

Professionally, Mr. Blocher is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He serves on an Exam Committee for the Society of Actuaries and on Committees for the American Academy of Actuaries.

He graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management.

Eric Johansson
Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Johansson joined Liberty Bankers Insurance Group in October 2015, and currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer. Prior to his tenure with LBIG, Mr. Johansson served as Vice President of Administration for the Puritan Life Group of Insurance Companies and Chief Operations Officer for the Oxford Life Group of Insurance Companies.

He possesses over 24 years of experience in the life and health insurance industry, working in all aspects of insurance marketing, operations, technology, and strategic development. Mr. Johansson has successfully managed the operations and data conversions of over six insurance company acquisitions and led companies in the areas of product development, implementation, lean process improvement, and change management programs.

Professionally, Mr. Johansson is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute and holds the designations of Insurance Regulatory Compliance Associate, Customer Service Associate, Insurance Agency Administration, and Certified Senior Advisor. He also is a member of the Life Insurance Council operations and technology subcommittees.

Mr. Johansson graduated from Evangel University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing and Management.

Alex Saldivar
Executive Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer

Mr. Saldivar serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer of Liberty Bankers Insurance Group.

Mr. Saldivar joined the organization in 2008 as a Statutory Accounting Manager and assumed the role of Controller in 2013. In July 2023, he was promoted to Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer. Prior to joining the Liberty Bankers Insurance Group team, Mr. Saldivar worked in various accounting and auditing roles in organizations such as Costco Wholesale, Millers Group, Reliant Insurance, Gencloe Group, and Frontend Solutions.

Mr. Saldivar holds a Bachelors in Accounting from Universidad de Monterrey and a Masters of Business Administration from University of Texas at Arlington.

David Vrla headshot

David D. Vrla
Executive Vice President, Chief Actuary, and Appointed Actuary

Mr. Vrla has served as Chief Actuary of the LBL Group of Insurance Companies since February 2007. Prior to joining the LBL Group of companies, Mr. Vrla served as Assistant Vice President in the North American office of SCOR Global Life, the 5th largest life insurance reinsurer in the world.

He has also served as Vice President and Board Appointed Actuary of Optimum Re and Vice President of Great American Reserve Insurance Company in charge of its annuity lines of business.

A native of Dallas, Texas, Mr. Vrla has a broad range of experience in the insurance industry. He was Chairman of the Great American Reserve Product Development Committee overseeing the design, development and implementation of its life and annuity products. He served as the Financial Planning Manager for the President of the Southern Region of Unitrin Property & Casualty Insurance Company. Mr. Vrla also has supplemental life and health insurance experience serving in various financial, product line and marketing management positions for the JC Penney Life Insurance family of companies.

Professionally, Mr. Vrla is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, Fellow of the Life Management Institute, and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematical Sciences.

Jaime Waters
Senior Vice President of Compliance and Secretary

Ms. Waters joined Liberty Bankers Insurance Group in October 2022 and serves as the company’s Senior Vice President of Compliance and Secretary.

Prior to joining LBIG, Ms. Waters served as the head of compliance at EquiTrust, a top provider of fixed and indexed annuity and life insurance products. She has more than 20 years of experience in the life and health industry, with experience that includes business administration, securities, and compliance.

Ms. Waters is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute and holds the designations of Insurance Regulatory Compliance Associate, Annuity Products Associate, Customer Service Associate, Insurance Agency Administration, and Financial Services. She is also a member of the Association of Insurance Compliance Professionals.

Ms. Waters graduated from Upper Iowa University with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration in Corporate Financial Management.

Tim Wilson
Chief Investment Officer

Mr. Wilson joined Liberty Bankers Insurance Group in 2010 and serves as the Chief Investment Officer.

Prior to joining the team, Mr. Wilson worked at CastleOak Securities and Miller Tabak Roberts Securities in New York in fixed income sales and trading. In 2008, Mr. Wilson was the Managing Director in the Fixed Income Group of the U.S. Asset Management Division at Credit Suisse. During his tenure, he had day-to-day responsibility for the cash and enhanced cash investment desk with $90 billion in assets under management. Prior to Credit Suisse, Mr. Wilson was the Vice President in the Fixed Income Research Group at JP Morgan Chase. Additionally, his prior roles at Chase Manhattan Bank included Co-director of Short-Term Fixed Income Research, Corporate Finance Client Executive, and Controller of the Chase Manhattan Bank of Canada.

Mr. Wilson holds a BA in Economics and Mathematics and an Executive MBA from the University of Toronto. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Insurance Lines of Business

Mark Aremia

Mark A. Aremia
Senior Vice President – Ordinary Life Division

Mr. Aremia serves as Senior Vice President for the Ordinary Life Insurance Division. Mr. Aremia is responsible for the recruiting and development of the independent sales force representing Liberty Bankers’ life insurance products.

Mr. Aremia entered the insurance industry in 1978 as a career agent. As a top producer, he qualified for the NSAA awards as well as completing Life Underwriters Training Council, CAN and FNA training. He served as president of his local National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors chapter for two terms and received the Life Underwriter of the Year award in 1981. During 1983 he transitioned from a career agent/manager to a brokerage Personal Producing General Agent recruiter. He also serves as treasurer for the North Carolina Triangle Chapter of University of Tennessee Alumni.

Since 1987, Mr. Aremia has held positions of Regional Vice President of Sales for a number of insurance companies and built top producing regions through the development of distribution networks comprised of Master General Agents.

Mary Jones headshot

Mary Anna Jones
Senior Vice President – Healthcare Division

Mary Anna Jones serves as a Senior Vice President of Healthcare with Liberty Bankers. Mary Anna joined the organization in June 2019 as a National Sales Manager and built the agent distribution channel to grow the Medicare Supplement offering for the company.

In July 2021, she advanced to the senior leadership role with the organization and is responsible for the growth and distribution of Healthcare products. She has more than 19 years of experience in the Life and Health insurance industry with carriers including UnitedHealthcare and Standard Life and Accident Insurance Company. In addition, she has previously held roles in pharmaceutical sales and account management. Mary Anna is a graduate of Lamar University and lives in Nome, TX. Away from work she enjoys spending time with her two sons who keep her busy with their sports and activities.

Todd Stone headshot

Todd A. Stone
Senior Vice President – Home Service Division

Mr. Stone has led the Home Service Division since 2005.

He began his career in 1989 in the home service life business and his unique experience in this specialized market allows him to manage all aspects of the Home Service Division for the Liberty Bankers Insurance Group.

Steve Wilson

Steven A. Wilson
Executive Vice President – Annuity Division

Mr. Wilson, Executive Vice President Marketing, joined the Liberty Bankers Insurance Group in June of 2004.

Prior to Liberty Bankers Life, Mr. Wilson was President of ASI Advisors, Inc., one of the nation’s leading independent annuity marketing and consulting organizations, having generated billions of dollars of fixed annuity premium for several insurance companies since 1975.

Dave Peters headshot

Dave Peters
Senior Vice President – Supplemental Health Division

Mr. Peters serves as Senior Vice President for the Supplemental Health Division. He joined the organization in December 2021 and is responsible for product development, recruiting and developing the distribution channels representing Liberty Bankers supplemental health portfolio of products.

He has more than 30 years of experience in leadership roles in the Life and Health insurance industry with carriers including Molina Healthcare, Medico Insurance Company and Mutual of Omaha. Dave is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and lives in Omaha, Nebraska. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, golfing and doing projects around the house.