Buck's Executive Team
U.S. Region Leaders
International Region Leaders and Operations
Staff Functions
Practice Leaders

Buck's Executive Team

Mike Roberts
President and Executive Managing Director, Buck Consultants
As leader of the firm's global business operations, Mike focuses primarily on business growth, client satisfaction, and the continuous development of thought leadership. He joined the firm as a Principal and Senior Consulting Actuary in London in 2000 and was promoted to Managing Director of Buck’s U.K. business in 2007. Mike has more than 20 years of experience in employee benefits with large consulting firms, including Mercer and HSBC (Actuaries and Consultants), and has helped C-suite executives at leading companies around the world deal successfully with a wide range of human resource and benefit-related issues. Mike attended the City of London University, is a qualified actuary, and has been a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries since 1994.

Jeff Leonard
Managing Director, United States
Jeff is responsible for the growth and financial performance of Buck’s U.S. business. Jeff joined Buck as a consulting actuary and Cincinnati market leader in 2005 and expanded that role to the central region managing director in 2007. With more than 20 years of experience at large consulting firms, Jeff has consulted with clients on strategic retirement financial management and plan design issues. As a benefits business solution architect to his clients, he has analyzed options and built return on investment for outsourced versus co-sourced plan administration. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. Jeff is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, an Enrolled Actuary, and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Nicole Giantonio
Managing Director, Global Sales and Marketing
As Buck’s global sales and marketing leader, Nicole Giantonio is responsible for the growth of Buck's business through new-logo clients as well as cross-selling within existing accounts. She leads a global sales and marketing team that works closely with Buck’s business leadership to drive account planning and growth. Nicole also works directly for and with team members within ACS/Xerox. Her expertise includes team staffing and organization, strategy development and execution, as well as forecasting/projections. Nicole received her bachelor’s degree from Babson College in Massachusetts and is a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS). She has presented at International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans conferences.

Michael Horton
Managing Director, International Consulting and Strategy
Mike joined Buck as a principal and consulting actuary. Since then, he has expanded his role to New York Metro Region Managing Director and East Region Retirement Practice Leader. With more than 20 years of experience in the retirement field, Mike is also the global actuary for several of Buck's major corporate clients and handles the account relationships for more than 15 corporate and not-for-profit accounts. Mike is a graduate of Whitman College with a B.A. degree in mathematics. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, Fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries, Enrolled Actuary, and Member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Gregory J. Wiber
Managing Director, Global Account Team
Greg is a principal and managing director, Global Account Team. In this role, he is responsible for the institutionalization and expansion of Buck’s largest global clients. He and the team will work with key business leaders in the Buck, HRS, and Xerox family to identify Buck opportunities and strengthen the business relationship with our largest global clients and prospects. Greg has been in consulting for more than 35 years and at Buck for the last 20 years. He served as a group executive, was on the Buck Board of Directors when the firm was purchased by Mellon, has managed the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, and has served as market leader in Buck’s New York City office. Greg has a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and an MBA in finance from New York University. He has served on numerous outside boards and committees, including Philabundance and the Yale Hockey Association.

U.S. Region Leaders

Frank Pirrone
Managing Director, West U.S. Region
Frank is responsible for achieving business growth and client satisfaction in Buck’s West U.S. Region. Most recently, Frank served as the market leader for Buck’s Chicago and Detroit markets with responsibility for overseeing day-to-day activities spanning all practices and ensuring client satisfaction through the timely delivery of quality work products. This included contracting, service delivery, objective setting, and all financial aspects of the relationship. Frank joined PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1998, coming to ACS and Buck as part of an acquisition of the legacy PwC business in 2005. Frank has more than 30 years of benefits and consulting experience, with the last 15 being focused on working with large clients. His expertise is in the consulting and administration/outsourcing of defined benefit, defined contribution, and health and welfare programs. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Manhattan College.

Harry Reinhart
Managing Director, East U.S. Region
As managing director for Buck’s East region, Harry Reinhart is responsible for achieving business growth and client satisfaction. Harry has nearly 30 years of experience in various areas of human resource consulting, including health and productivity, retirement, compensation, and total benefit design. An effective negotiator, Harry is adept at initiating change and completing difficult assignments. Harry is a graduate of Duquesne University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business and administration and accounting, as well as an MBA in management. He is a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) and maintains Life and Health Insurance licenses in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. Harry serves as a director of Travelers Aid of Pittsburgh, a non-profit, United Way agency providing social service programs to people in need of public transportation, and is a member of the Duquesne University Human Resource Advisory Board.

Robert W. Jones, Jr.
Managing Director, Northeast U.S. Region
Bob is the managing director of Buck’s Northeast U.S. Region as well as a consulting actuary. He consults with clients on strategic plan design, financial management, and compliance and benefit administration issues for retirement programs sponsored by both corporate and not-for-profit organizations. Bob has more than 30 years of experience in the retirement and human resources consulting field with a focus on service delivery and client satisfaction. He is a graduate of Ithaca College with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He is an Associate of the Society of Actuaries, Fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries, an Enrolled Actuary, and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

International Region Leaders & Operations

Cameron McNeill
Managing Director, Canada
Cameron has more than 20 years of experience in pension consultancy. Having practiced as a signatory actuary in the United Kingdom for 16 years prior to joining Buck Canada, Cameron has experience working with corporations in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and North America on all aspects of defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans. Cameron is a graduate of Glasgow University, a Fellow of the Faculty of Actuaries in Edinburgh, Scotland, and an Affiliate of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.

Steven Maxwell
Managing Director, Global Technology & Delivery Solutions
Steve leads the global expansion of Buck’s HR technology, administration, and customer care services business. He also directs the firm’s Asia-Pacific operations in Singapore and Hong Kong. In these roles he is responsible for service quality, business growth, and solution development. He has more than 20 years of client and business leadership experience, with particular expertise in human capital strategy, large-scale organizational change, and applying technology to enhance workforce performance and lower HR service delivery costs. He is a graduate of Boston University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree finance and organizational behavior. He also has completed executive education studies in strategy, leadership, and technology at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is a Fellow of the International Association of Certified Employee Benefits Specialists (ISCEBS), holds a Chartered Financial Consultant designation, and is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), The Conference Board, and the Human Resource Outsourcing Association (HROA). Steve also serves on Buck’s Innovation and Thought Leadership Council.

Sukanta Nag
Director, Operational Excellence and Consulting Technology
Sukanta is responsible for all aspects of Buck’s internal operations related to cost management, efficiency, collaboration, and optimization. Working closely with Buck leadership worldwide, Sukanta is responsible for moving forward major strategic and operational initiatives for our firm. This includes developing and implementing new programs and policies to help manage and grow the business. Sukanta is also responsible for the design, development, implementation, and support of both internal and client-facing consulting technology solutions for Buck. He has a diverse professional background that includes operations, IT consulting, process management, technology solutions development, adoption, and support. Sukanta received his Executive MBA from University of Pittsburgh. He received his bachelor’s in computer science with a minor in mathematics from Slippery Rock University. Sukanta serves as a member of Buck’s Innovation and Thought Leadership Council.

Michael Hardy
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, Mike applies his financial and business acumen to keep Buck’s executive team abreast of the connection between Buck’s operations and its financial performance. He directs quantitative and qualitative analysis to gauge alignment with overall business direction and goals. Mike and his team establish and oversee financial controls that help ensure that Buck continues to grow on a strong foundation. Their reporting and forecasting provide the framework crucial to ongoing financial discipline throughout the firm.

Fraser Smart
Managing Director, U.K.
Fraser Smart has overall responsibility for Buck in the U.K., its second largest global practice. Previously he managed Buck’s Edinburgh and Manchester offices, having joined Buck in 2006. With more than 20 years of industry experience, Fraser is the consulting actuary for several of Buck’s major U.K. corporate clients, advising on all aspects of pension provision, and he has introduced a number of tools to help clients manage their pension arrangements. Fraser frequently speaks at industry conferences, is regularly quoted in the media, and has been a lead examiner for the actuarial profession. He is a graduate of Edinburgh University and a Fellow of the Faculty of Actuaries.

Gregg Larson
National Product Leader – HSA Solutions
Gregg Larson is a principal and the national product leader – HSA Solutions for the ACS|BNY Mellon HSA Solution. The HSA product is the national leader in providing health care financing solutions to employees, employers, and health plans. Gregg joined the company on July 1, 2004. Before that, he served as president and CEO for three wholly owned Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota subsidiaries. Gregg received his MBA in health care management from the University of St. Thomas and his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota. He is currently seated on the HSA Council of the American Bankers Association. In addition, he has provided leadership on a variety of community boards. These roles included election for three four-year terms to the White Bear Lake Area School Board, where he has served as chair, former chair of the Twin Cities Chapter of the American Red Cross and co-chair of the St. Paul Covenant Foundation.

Ellen Braverman
Director, Information Technology
Ellen is responsible for the U.S. technology infrastructure that supports our internal and client systems, consultant tools, and business processes. She is the primary liaison with Xerox/ACS on infrastructure delivery. With more than 30 years in IT, Ellen has a strong background in infrastructure, operations, business continuity, and fiscal management with a focus on the end-user experience. Ellen joined Buck after serving as the Director, National Systems at the Alexander Consulting Group and Vice President, Systems at Aon Consulting. Since joining Buck, she focused on the delivery of cost-effective and timely solutions in support of Buck’s clients and staff. Ellen’s credentials include an MBA from the Stern School of Business, and she is an honors graduate of Queens College of the City of New York.

Staff Functions

Karl Lohwater
General Counsel and Secretary
Karl manages the Legal and Risk Management and Compliance departments at Buck, and serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Buck Kwasha Securities LLC, an NASD-member broker-dealer. Karl also consults with clients on matters involving fiduciary responsibility and governance and on compliance matters relating to international equity and compensation and benefit programs. Karl is an ex-officio member of Buck's board of directors. Karl received his J.D. degree from Columbia University Law School, his LL.M. degree from New York University Law School, and his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from The College of Wooster. He also holds CCP (Certified Compensation Professional) designation from WorldatWork.

Helene Dankner
Director, Human Resources
Helene is a Director in Buck’s Human Resources department with nearly 30 years of experience in the HR and benefits field. Helene consults as an HR business partner with senior leadership on HR strategy planning, organizational design, performance management, succession planning, compensation, and other talent initiatives that are imperative to Buck’s business. Her areas of responsibility and expertise include policy design, employee relations, benefit administration and communication, training and development, succession planning, performance management, and staffing. In addition to her ongoing responsibilities, Helene designed Buck’s onboarding, succession planning, and work/life programs.

Jeannie Lowe
Director, Human Resources
Jeannie is a director in Buck’s Human Resources department with nearly 30 years of experience in the HR and employee benefits consulting field. Jeannie is a strategic business partner and an employee advocate. She partners with senior leadership for the development and accomplishment of company-wide business plans and objectives and works with managers and employees to foster a healthy work experience. Her areas of responsibility and expertise include planning and implementing strategic initiatives, workforce analysis and planning, policy design, employee relations, communications, benefit administration, training and development, succession planning, and performance management. Jeannie received her bachelor’s degree in business management from San Jose State University and earned her Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Jeffrey Clay
Principal, Innovation and Corporate Development
As the leader of Innovation and Corporate Development, Jeff Clay works closely with Buck’s leadership to develop new products and services that are focused on solving our clients’ HR and benefits challenges. Jeff also serves as the chief operating officer for the My Medicare Advocate (MMA) business unit under development within Buck. In addition to his role with MMA, Jeff will continue to drive business development by leading the evaluation and implementation of new products and services. Prior to joining Buck, Jeff served in several operating roles in the Commercial Solutions Group at ACS. He holds a bachelor of business administration degree in accounting and a master’s degree in finance from Texas A&M University and received his MBA from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France. He also holds an active CPA license in the State of Texas and is a presenter for an ethics course for Texas CPAs.

Andrea T. Sellars
Managing Director, Knowledge Resources
Andrea is responsible for Buck’s Knowledge Resources group that collects, manages, and disseminates the collective knowledge of the firm. The group provides technical research and resources around HR related laws and trends to ensure that our consultants have the most current information necessary to meet or exceed clients’ needs and expectations. Knowledge Resources also is responsible for Buck Consultants University (BCU), our staff educational program that develops and delivers technical and professional development curriculum to Buck’s staff. Andrea chairs the company’s Professional Services Committee that establishes professional standards and guidelines for the firm. She has more than 30 years of experience in employee benefits and actuarial consulting. During her career at Buck, Andrea has managed the Atlanta office, served as the Regional Leader and Managing Director for the East Region, and served on Buck’s Board of Directors. Andrea earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration and her master’s degree in actuarial science from Georgia State University. Andrea is a member of Buck’s Innovation and Thought Leadership Council.

PRACTICE LEADERS

Tamara R. Shelton, F.S.A.
Managing Director, Retirement
Tammy directs Buck’s domestic Retirement consulting business and specializes in employer-sponsored retirement programs, including both defined benefit and defined contribution plans. She also has experience in collective bargaining assistance, merger and acquisition consulting, and retiree medical consulting. Tammy earned a bachelor’s degree with highest honors in mathematics from the University of Texas. She is an Enrolled Actuary, a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, a Fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries, a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries, and a Member of the Southwest Benefits Association. She serves on the University of Texas Actuarial Studies Advisory Committee and the Board of Directors for the Conference of Consulting Actuaries. In 2007, she was named one of Business Insurance magazine’s “Women to Watch,” earning a coveted spot on the publication’s annual list recognizing the achievements of women leaders who are making an impact in risk management, benefits, and commercial insurance. She also is a member of Buck’s Innovation and Thought Leadership Council.

Eliot Asyre, Ph.D.
Managing Director, Health and Productivity
Eliot serves as the national practice leader for Buck’s Health and Productivity practice. He coordinates more than 200 consultants who are assisting clients in an ever-more-complex health care environment in addressing health analytics, behavioral interventions, benefit plan design for employees and retirees, financial accounting and projections, vendor management, audit, compliance, and reporting, as well as innovative specialty products. Following the ACS acquisition of Buck, he managed the national accounts team for ACS’ Human Capital Management Solutions, presenting solutions from Buck, ACS outsourcing, ACS learning, and other ACS divisions to key clients. He founded the St. Louis Communication practice and grew the department to be one of the largest and most successful communication teams in the country. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Rhode Island and a Ph.D. in organization behavior from the University of Chicago.

Judy A. Felhaber
National Practice Leader, Audit and Reporting
Judy Felhaber is the national practice leader for Buck’s Audit and Reporting practice. She and her team develop specialized auditing practices to assist clients in evaluating the many components of their health care programs. Under her leadership, the practice has grown significantly while maintaining the highest standards for quality. Her performance has earned her awards, including the 2009 ACS President’s Club Award, 2009 ACS 20/20 Club Award, and the 2010 ACS Hustle Award. Judy has more than 20 years of experience in the employee benefits industry and has been directly involved with many Fortune 100 and 500 companies. This experience includes 12 years as owner/CEO of a third party administration company followed by appointment as CEO of a national audit and recovery firm. Judy became part of Buck through the acquisition of her firm in 2006. Judy completed studies at Defiance College, Ohio. She has been appointed to various state and national advisory committees.

Donald R. Sanford
Managing Director, Communication
Don is a Principal with more than 25 years of consulting and management experience. Previously, he managed Buck’s St. Louis office, providing a full suite of consulting services to a wide variety of clients throughout the Midwest. Under Don’s leadership as the National Communication Practice Leader, Buck has created successful internal and external communications programs for clients. Don frequently speaks at conferences and events about new trends and approaches in driving effective communication. He is a member of Buck’s Executive Team and its Innovation and Thought Leadership Council, where he serves as an executive sponsor for the firm’s green initiative — developing green communication programs for both internal use at Buck and for clients. Don earned a political science degree from Southern Illinois University. He is a past president of the Employee Benefits Association, and a Member of the Executive Committee of the St. Louis Community College Foundation Board. Don also is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), the American Marketing Association, and the Advertising Agencies Association of America.

Kasey Kirschner
Principal, Corporate Communication
As the head of Corporate Communication, Kasey is responsible for the development and implementation of the communication strategy for the President and other Buck leadership. She also works closely with Marketing, HR, Buck IT, Finance, Knowledge Resources, the Innovations team, and the practices on internal communications from those teams. Kasey also serves as National Operations Leader for Buck’s U.S. Communication practice, where she is instrumental in leading and managing efforts to grow that business. Kasey has 20 years of experience in the finance and HR communication fields. She received her bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology from Furman University.

Steven White, Ph.D.
Managing Director, Global Investment Consulting
Steven White is responsible for developing Buck’s Global Investment Consulting business, integrating and enhancing resources across the U.S., U.K., Canada, and other countries to provide innovative investment solutions to a wide range of clients. Steven joined Buck Consultants in September 2005 as head of Buck’s U.K. investment consulting team, managing a small group of analysts and consultants. This team has since grown to be a well-resourced, highly-qualified, and experienced group of around 30 investment professionals, providing advice to U.K. pension funds with assets totaling more than $12 billion. Steven managed Buck’s actuarial and pension consulting business in London from 2007 until 2010 and is a Director of Buck Consultants Ltd. Steven spent six years researching and teaching pure mathematics, completing a doctorate in mathematics at the University of Edinburgh in 1990 before starting his actuarial career. He holds the Certificate in Financial Planning, and is an FSA-Authorised Investment Adviser in the U.K.

Bruce Barge, Ph.D.
Managing Director, Human Capital Management
Bruce holds two leadership roles at Buck Consultants. He leads the Human Capital Management consulting practice nationally, and he is also the market leader for the Los Angeles market (including Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and Phoenix). Bruce specializes in organization and HR effectiveness, organizational change, learning, leadership development, and talent management. With 20 years of experience in internal and external consulting leadership roles, Bruce has led many projects for FORTUNE 500 companies and public entities designed to improve HR and organizational performance. Bruce holds a Ph.D. in organizational psychology from University of Minnesota. He was named by Consulting Magazine as one of the Top 25 consultants for 2009.

Christopher Young
Managing Director, Compensation
Chris leads Buck’s Compensation consulting practice globally. He has nearly 20 years of experience providing compensation, organization effectiveness, and performance management advisory services to a wide range of organizations. He rejoined Buck in 2007 after serving as managing director at Executive Wealth Management. Chris’ broad rewards expertise includes developing capital market solutions to enhance, finance, and hedge employee remuneration programs. He also has specialized experience in nonqualified deferred compensation financing solutions. Chris earned his bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and his MBA from the University of Chicago. Chris is a member of the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (NASPP), WorldatWork, and Buck’s Innovation and Thought Leadership Council. He has published articles in the Journal of Compensation and Benefits and Journal of Business Strategy.