Our Management Team

Please feel free to contact one of our management team members to learn more about New York Life.

Robert A Hodgkiss (Click here for personal summary)
Managing Partner
(630) 795-5100
FAX (630) 964-2761

Tahir Jiwan (Click here for personal summary)
Senior Partner
(630) 795-5128

Douglas A. Schultz  (Click here for personal summary)
Partner
(708) 633-5270

Dean I. Cronister  (Click here for personal summary)
Partner
(630) 795-4464

Nilesh Patel (Click here for personal summary)
Partner
(630) 795-4466

Douglas Clermont (Click here for personal summary)
Partner
(630) 795-5015

Brian Lapinski (Click here for personal summary)
Partner
(630) 795-6970

James Annerino (Click here for personal summary)
Director of Development
(630) 795-4460

John Ulreich (Click here for personal summary)
Senior Director of Development
(630) 795-4462

Douglas M. Sprenger FFSI, FLMI (Click here for personal summary)
AVP of General Office Adminstration
(630) 795-4480

Susan Blood (Click here for personal summary)
Senior Agency Standards Consultant
(630) 795-5149
 

  
Dean I. Cronister  
Dean began his career with New York Life in September 2005. Dean brings more than thirty years of professional insurance industry experience, having owned his own independent brokerage company for over twenty years and  representing numerous fortune 500 insurance companies. Dean was instrumental in co-founding, capitalizing and developing two publicly traded insurance companies in Illinios. During his career, Dean has focused the majority of his efforts in management with special attention to hiring and developing agents and sales managers, as well as market development for product sales.  Dean has a degeee in Business Administration and carries numerous industry certifications. He is a Registered General Securities representative with NYLIFE Securities LLC Member FINRA/SIPC. Dean is a life long native of Illinois and lives in Burr Ridge with his wife, Janice.
 

 (click here to go back) 

Tahir Jiwan
T.J. graduated from DeVry University in 2001 with a bachelors in Business Information Systems.   After working in sales in the Information Technology field, he joined New York Life in July 2003.  As an agent T.J. qualified for both President Council and Million Dollar Round Table.  At New York Life, he discovered his true desire was to lead and develop sales and management professionals. His management career began when he was promoted to Partner in January 2006.  After a very successful three and half years as a partner T.J. was promoted to Senior Partner July of 2009 the Greater Chicago General Office.  T.J. is responsible for growing the Greater Chicago Sales & Management Team and looks forward to meeting you.

 (click here to go back) 

Douglas A. Schultz  
Doug began his career with New York Life in 1991. He is a second generation NYLIC, having Curtis T Schultz, 1991 Council President, as his father and mentor. During his career as an agent, Doug was an MDRT member for eighteen years and a consistent qualifier of Chairman’s Council. 

 (click here to go back) 

Nilesh Patel
Nilesh joined New York Life as an agent in September 1999 after helping manage a successful family business in India. He qualified for council for 2000, 2001, and 2002 and Million Dollar Round Table being promoted to Partner in October 2003. Nilesh is a graduate of DePaul University with honors in Actuary Science. Nilesh resides in Streamwood with his wife Devanshi and his daughter Ruhi.

 (click here to go back)   

  
Douglas Clermont 
Doug started with New York Life in December of 1999 as an agent.  He qualified for Council and MDRT and in 2006 completed the CLU and CFP designations.  In July of 2007 Doug joined the Greater Chicago Management team as a Partner.  He resides in Naperville with his family.

  (click here to go back)   

 
Brian Lapinski  
Brian joined the New York Life in September 2008 after working over five years as a life-specific producer with another major insurance firm. With his sights set on management, Brian quickly qualified for Executive Council and was promoted to Partner in November 2009.

 As Partner, Brian focuses on extensive field development and support. His consistent goal is to build a team of Council and MDRT agents.

   (click here to go back)   

James Annerino
After several years as a professional educator, Jim started with New York Life in 1982 as a Training Supervisor Trainee in the Chicago area. He was promoted to Training Supervisor in 1983 of the Merrillville General Office where he worked for three years. In 1986, Jim was promoted to Training Manager of the Chicago Midway General Office. He has been a leader in the Greater Chicago General Office since its formation in 1998. Jim received an MBA degree from Governor’s State University in 1988 and a CLU designation in 1989. Jim also has his ChFC designation. Jim and his wife, Kathryn, live in Oak Lawn with their four children: Timothy, Kyle, Charlie and Mary Kate.

 (click here to go back)   

 
Susan Blood
Susan has a diverse background with the company, which uniquely qualifies her for her current assignment as Sr. Agency Standards Consultant. In her eighteen year affiliation with New York Life, she has been a council agent and Centurion (100 paid life cases in a year) in the Cedar Rapids Office and a Trainer in the Chicago O’Hare Office. Susan has both her CLU and ChFC designations. She lives in Roselle with her husband, Tim, and son, Jeron.
 

  (click here to go back)   

 Douglas M. Sprenger
Doug began his career with New York Life as an Administrative Manager trainee in the Greater Kansas City general office in 1993.  He was appointed the Administrative Manager of Arkansas general office from March of 1995 through July of 1997.  He was promoted to the Administrative Manager of the Denver office in July of 1997 and subsequently promoted to the Director of Operation of the Denver office in March of 1999.  In March of 2000, an opportunity to return to Kansas City presented itself and Doug returned to the Greater Kansas City General office as the AVP of Administration.  Doug joined the Greater Chicago general office management team in February of 2010.  Doug and Janet Sprenger reside in Naperville, Illinois. 

  (click here to go back)  

John Ulreich
John began his New York Life career as an agent in 1986 following twenty-two years in operations management with a large retailer. As an agent, John qualified for council his first two years and then moved into management in 1988. In 1990, John was named Training Supervisor of the Oak Brook General Office. He has been in his current roles since the formation of the Greater Chicago General Office in 1998. John holds both a BA degree from Knox College and an MBA from the University of Chicago. John and his wife, Lynn, live in Frankfort. They have two grown children and four grandchildren. John enjoys a good game of golf and plays an even better one.

  (click here to go back)