FOLSOM, Calif., July 13, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Kelley & Swain Inc., a fast-growing Northern California-based employee benefits firm, today announced that Dave Sidnam, who has spent more than half of his nearly 20-year career in the information technology (IT) industry with Microsoft Corp., has joined the company as chief information officer.
During his career at Microsoft, Sidnam served as a technology consultant and software engineer specializing in the design and development of enterprise applications and e-commerce sites such as Expedia.com.
As CIO, Sidnam reports directly to Barry Azarcon, president and chief executive officer at Kelley & Swain. He will oversee the application and management of technological resources -- both systems and people -- to enhance the company's suite of industry-leading processes and services. This includes the design and implementation of software and technology solutions to help transform the company's strategic goals into tactical and operational realities.
"Dave has successfully consulted for top companies nationally and internationally, bringing both broad strategic understanding and technology expertise," said Azarcon. "Innovative technology tools play a key role in our ability to identify significant areas of savings for our customers. For example, our exclusive claims-analysis tool allows us to find the root causes of a company's rising healthcare costs, enabling us to reduce a typical new client's expenses by approximately 11 to 27 percent.
"We also needed an experienced technology expert to implement the systems and procedures required to facilitate continued rapid growth," Azarcon said. Kelley & Swain has experienced an average growth of 40 percent over the last five years.
Previously, Sidnam was a principal consultant in the Microsoft Consulting Services state and local government practice. In this position, he worked with a number of customers, partners and internal Microsoft groups to design and review application architectures, create enterprise application-development infrastructures, and to develop business and technology plans to help customers realize business goals.
Some of the key projects he worked on include a prototype application that delivered critical suspect information to peace officers in the field via wireless handheld devices and a statewide bio-terrorism alerting and collaboration portal. He also was the database architect for the initial release of Expedia (www.expedia.com).
"Getting the most cost-effective employee benefits package is imperative in today's tight economy," said Azarcon. "A comprehensive benefits package is vital for retaining the best employees and attracting new talent. We provide those benefits at a price employers can afford, a challenge that grows more difficult every day.
"The cost of providing benefits has risen significantly, while employees consistently seek more from their benefits packages," Azarcon continued. "Most brokers provide little more than an annual visit at renewal time. We help companies balance the need for comprehensive benefits packages with their bottom line. Our proprietary technology plays a key role in enabling us to offer a higher level of services than other firms at extremely competitive rates through automation and economies of scale."
About Kelley & Swain
Founded in 1992, Kelley & Swain Inc. is dedicated to providing substantial and cost-effective employee benefit solutions, including custom-tailored insurance/benefit packages, strategic planning, professional consulting services and innovative technology-based solutions. The company services both small local companies as well as large national and international corporations, such as Golden 1 Credit Union, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Otis Spunkmeyer Inc. and Foster Farms. Kelley & Swain writes premiums between $80 million to $100 million annually for more than 40,000 people working for approximately 400 employers. Founded by Scott Kelley and John Swain, the company is licensed in 19 states and has more than 300 affiliated partners throughout the United States.