PBEC: Executive Profiles

PACIFIC BASIN ECONOMIC COUNCIL
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[ Benanav ] C H A I R M A N
P B E C U N I T E D S T A T E S
Gary Benanav
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
of New York Life International

GARY BENANAV is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of New York Life International, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of New York Life Insurance Company, with operations in Asia and Latin America. He is also a Vice Chairman of New York Life Insurance Company and a member of its Board of Directors, and a member of its Executive Management Committee, which is responsible for establishing the Company's management policies. Until 1996, Mr. Benanav served as a senior executive of Aetna Life and Casualty Company.
Mr. Benanav received his M.B.A. degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Business and his J.D. degree from Columbia Law School. Before joining Aetna in 1972 as a member of its Law Department, he was associated with the New York law firm of Shea & Gould. From 1975 to 1986, he served as Vice President and Investment Counsel and was Aetna's senior financial, acquisition and divestiture lawyer. In 1986, he was promoted to Vice President-Finance and Treasurer and was responsible for the management of Aetna's banking, corporate finance, domestic and international treasury and short-term investment activities. In August, 1989, he was appointed President of Aetna International, Inc., responsible for Aetna's insurance and financial services businesses outside the United States. In April, 1992, he was promoted to Group Executive, with additional responsibility for Aetna's domestic life insurance and asset accumulation businesses. In December, 1994, he became the Chief Executive Officer of Aetna's property/casualty operations. Mr. Benanav joined New York Life in 1997.
Mr. Benanav has lectured frequently at business seminars on various investment and other financial topics. He is currently a director of Express Scripts, Inc. and The Barnes Group, Inc. Mr. Benanav is also Chairman of the Pacific Basin Economic Council-U.S. and the United States Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, and a member of the U.S.-India Business Council. He was a founding member, president and trustee of the American College of Investment Counsel. He was also a member of the American Council of Life Insurance and its Subcommittee on Federal Bankruptcy Legislation. He served on the Governor's New York Executive Advisory Commission on Insurance Industry Regulatory Reform (known as the Heimann Commission), where he was a strong advocate for deregulation of insurance company activities. Mr. Benanav served as director and the Vice Chairman of Capitol Housing Corporation and Capitol Housing Finance Corporation, Vice Chairman of the American Insurance Association and a member of the Executive Committee of the Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Benanav resides in New York City and West Hartford, Connecticut with his wife, Ruth. They have two sons and one daughter.
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