Maria Kudaka assists our Employee Benefits Team in a dual role of Account Manager and Marketing Specialist. As an Account Manager with a focus on large groups, Maria services her accounts from start to finish, maintaining constant client contact throughout the year. As our Marketing Specialist, Maria is responsible for preparing census, bill reconciliation, compiling the data into detailed spreadsheets and creating comprehensive proposals. She also maintains and updates data during the negotiation process. In addition, Maria is responsible for creating customized benchmarking reports for our clients, a valuable tool in showing them how their benefit plan designs and contributions compare to those in similar industries allowing them insight to accept or adapt their benefits to retain and attract the best employees.

Maria’s tenacity is appreciated by our clients, especially when working on finding a solution for difficult problem. This quality is also recognized by her fellow team members as they value her expertise in breaking down a complex issue into a step by step plan toward resolution. It is her attention to detail and her efficiency that allows her to work in a proactive rather than reactive mode and it is those qualities that our clients appreciate the most about Maria.

Maria’s background in sales in the dental industry prepared her for being able to easily explain more complicated terminology and services to our clients and their employees. Having worked as a customer service representative for many years has allowed Maria to show how accurate analysis of a situation can bring about a positive outcome. Maria currently is a member of the Long Beach Chapter of PIHRA (Professionals In Human Resources Association).