Securian Financial announced today that Sid Gandhi is its new executive vice president of Employee Benefits Solutions, effective December 1, 2022, and that Lydia Jilek joined the company on November 14, 2022, as second vice president and voluntary benefits practice leader, reporting to Gandhi.
Gandhi succeeds Bruce Shay, who recently retired after 37 years with the company. He reports to Chris Hilger, Securian Financial’s chairman, president and CEO.
“A strong leadership team is critical to the short- and long-term success of a company,” said Hilger. “With Sid Gandhi as executive vice president and Lydia Jilek leading our voluntary product initiatives, I am confident Securian Financial has the right leaders in place to win in the competitive employee benefits market. I congratulate Sid and Lydia on their new positions.”
Gandhi assumes responsibility for Securian Financial’s largest business, which includes group life insurance and voluntary solutions offered through employers. He’s served the business as senior vice president since January 2022, working to grow the company’s market share. Gandhi also serves as board chair for Empyrean Benefit Solutions, an independently operated Securian Financial subsidiary.
Since joining Securian Financial in 2010, Gandhi has helped the company build capabilities and drive growth by overseeing strategic planning, leading mergers and acquisitions, centralizing marketing, transforming enterprise technology and more.
Gandhi has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Business. He currently serves on the Carlson School’s board of overseers and the board of trustees for American Public Media Group, the parent organization for Minnesota Public Radio.
Serving in a new leadership position for the company, Jilek directs Securian Financial’s efforts to meet strong market demand for voluntary solutions.
Jilek has nearly 20 years of employee benefits experience, most recently with Willis Towers Watson, where she led consulting teams supporting the voluntary benefits needs of Fortune 1000 employers. Previously, she led the voluntary benefits product team at Voya and held product development and market leadership positions with Unum and Medica.
Jilek earned a bachelor’s degree from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, and an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Business.