PRESTIGEPEO - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Founding Partner
- Chairman of NAPEO Board of Directors
- Partner & CEO, Elected Secretary / Treasurer NAPEO Board of Directors
As a founding partner and CEO at PrestigePEO, Andrew is fundamental in promoting the PrestigePEO brand, negotiating employee benefit plan renewals, providing guidance on Workers' Compensation and EPLI renewals, and managing the PrestigePEO 401(k) plan.
Andrew enjoys the client and industry relationships he's built over the years. Those relationships are what bring him to work every day. Andrew is especially proud that even as PrestigePEO grows, the business continues to maintain the small company, family atmosphere.
Beyond his executive leadership role with PrestigePEO, Andrew also serves on the board of directors at the National Association of Professional Employer Organization (NAPEO). In prior roles, Andy served as NAPEO's Chairman, Vice-Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, and as Chair of NAPEO's State Government Affairs Committee. He has been a speaker for organizations such as the Institute for Financial Planning, The Nassau County Dental Society, The National Association of Health Underwriters, and the American Society for Certified Public Accountants.
Andrew holds a bachelor's degree in Business Economics and Finance from SUNY Oneonta. He currently lives in Woodbury, NY, and prides himself on being a wealth of all-things trivia, from movie quotes to unusual sports statistics.
As the Chief Financial Officer at PrestigePEO, Bob Morgan assumes a pivotal role in overseeing the financial planning aspects of our operations. With a robust 30-year career as a CFO, Bob brings a wealth of experience and a commitment to thought leadership. His influential guidance has played a crucial role in fostering strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, nurturing talent through mentorship, and cultivating high-performing teams.
Bob comes to us from an HR company where he spent the last 6 years steering strategy, managing financial operations, overseeing reporting and compliance, leading capital budgeting initiatives, managing risk, conducting audits, and facilitating mergers and acquisitions for eight private entities. His comprehensive skill set and strategic acumen have significantly contributed to the success and growth of the organizations he has served. He has an MBA in Marketing from the University of South Florida, a BS in Accounting from the University of Florida, and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.
Job Titles:
- Senior Finance and Risk Management Executive
- Vice President of Risk Management and Corporate Strategy
Chris Ottesen is a senior finance and risk management executive with over 20 years of experience. His successful track record in leadership roles includes building successful teams from the ground up and cross-organizational change initiatives. Chris's methods increase sales and profitability, improve processes, and create a superior financial control framework.
As Vice President of Risk Management and Corporate Strategy, Chris oversees PrestigePEO's property casualty insurance programs and large high-deductible workers' compensation programs. He is passionate about fostering productive relationships between insurance carriers, service providers, and brokers.
Chris has a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Northeastern University. He resides in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with his wife, two boys, and two rescue dogs. In his free time, Chris enjoys skiing, cycling, and fishing, as well as attending his kids' sports events.
Job Titles:
- Director, HR Client Services
As our Director of HR Client Services, Colleen oversees the HR Business Partners and provides them with guidance to solve complex client matters. She brings 17 years of experience in Human Resources to her role and serves as an important resource in our organization. Colleen helps her team provide solutions, simplify HR, and deliver exceptional service. She leads her team to deliver both strategic and tactical HR services and high-touch client relationship management. Colleen has worked at PrestigePEO for more than 8 years and started out as an HR Business Partner herself. Over the years she worked her way up and is proud to lead the team using the insights she gained over her years of service. Colleen loves working with her team and takes pride in the collaborative environment that we have cultivated.
Colleen resides in Miller Place, NY where she enjoys spending time with her family, going on cruises, and attending concerts.
Job Titles:
- General Counsel
- Vice President
Elisabeth joined the Prestige team in October 2022 as the Company's Corporate Counsel. As Corporate Counsel, Elisabeth works closely with management members on matters impacting Prestige and the PEO industry.
Elisabeth started her legal career over a decade ago in civil litigation before moving in-house at another PEO. She holds a Juris Doctorate from Stetson University College of Law and an Executive LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. Elisabeth has served on the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations' Legal Advisory Council and enjoys collaborating with other professionals in the PEO industry.
Elisabeth lives with her husband, Chris, in Florida with their four fur babies, Zippy, Trace, Blitz, and Maddy. She enjoys 5k races, boating, and book club in her spare time.
Job Titles:
- Chief Information & Technology Officer
I have 25 years of experience in business service outsourcing industries. I have worked in PEO, Workers' Compensation, and technology industries. Prior to Prestige, I served as the COO of a PEO in St. Petersburg, FL. I worked in the Workers' compensation space providing Insurance to over 100 PEO's. I co-founded a PEO in Arizona. I have served as a technology and operations leader throughout my career. My success, has been and will continue to be, providing technology solutions to companies and clients to create a world class customer experience.
Joey oversees all aspects of payroll operations and payroll processes and procedures. He enjoys being a part of a motivated team focused on delivering personalized service and contributing to the overall growth of Prestige.
Before joining Prestige, Joey helped implement new payroll systems across six different conversion projects, while training and supporting internal operations teams. Joey looks back on this work with fulfillment, knowing that both the clients and his internal staff were operating in an effective and efficient manner.
Outside of his role with Prestige, Joey is a resident of Patchogue, NY, where he enjoys spending time with family and friends and attending concerts and sporting events. Most often, you can find Joey at Buffalo Bills games, as Joey is both a season ticket holder and proud member of the Bills Mafia.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, National Benefits
Kathleen joined the PrestigePEO team in September 2022. She has been in the group insurance field for more than 30 years and has held various strategic roles over the course of her career. She has previously worked for various local and national carriers, consulted with property and casualty firms, and owned a brokerage firm for over 10 years in Chinatown, NYC. Kathleen has a history of building strong service teams to accommodate the needs of all partners including brokers, general agents, their clients, and their employees.
Kathleen holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Economics from St. Michael's College in Burlington, Vermont. She currently lives in Huntington, NY, and enjoys spending time with her family, her dogs, and playing golf.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Operations
Melissa Marri Cote joins PrestigePEO with an impressive background in Implementation, Benefits, and Operations. She previously worked for a Third-Party Administrator (TPA) as the Vice President of Implementation and Operations. During her tenure there, she established the company's Implementation Department and spearheaded collaborative efforts among diverse teams of both internal and external stakeholders, ensuring a superior client experience. She brings 25 years of experience in the Benefits industry and a diverse background in Sales, Account Management, Client Success, Operations, Project Management, and Vendor/Provider Relations. She leverages this experience in her role as VP of Operations, leading our Implementation team and Benefits Operations, as well as related technology and process optimization.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Marketing & Communications
Nancy Arato is the Vice President of Marketing & Communications at PrestigePEO. She is an award-winning industry expert, pivotal in driving the company's value proposition towards favorable prospects across the nation. Her specialization includes organic brand development and competitive marketing strategies.
Nancy joined PrestigePEO in 2019, bringing 20 years of experience in marketing to the company. Today, she works collaboratively with internal and external partners to design and implement innovative digital and traditional campaigns. Nancy also serves on the Marketing Committee for the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO). Prior to joining PrestigePEO, Nancy was Principal of NLA Consulting, where she created marketing and customer experience programs for B2B start-ups and high-profile B2C clients.
In 2021, Nancy earned the Stevie Award for Women in Business, placing in the Gold category for Communications or PR Campaign of the Year in Marketing - Business to Business. Her work has changed the course of the company's trajectory and set a market-leading standard for success among local competitors.
Nancy holds a bachelor's degree in Business and Marketing from Syracuse University. She currently lives in Laurel Hollow, NY, where she enjoys cycling, hiking, skiing, gardening, and spending time with her husband and two children.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director, Facilities & Administration
Pam is responsible for ensuring the compliance of PrestigePEO's internal and client companies with local, state, and federal regulations, as well as maintaining proper and active licensing, agreements, and insurances. Pam is driven by the variety of issues she tackles on a regular basis and the great people she works with, both internally and externally.
Pam joined PrestigePEO in 2009, bringing with her nearly 20 years of experience in financial services for companies such as American Express, Shearson Lehman Brothers, Citigroup, and Chase.
Pam holds a degree in Marketing and Computer Programming from Adelphi University. A native of Long Island, Pam currently resides in Hicksville, NY, where she enjoys crocheting, playing Mah Jongg and Canasta, and listening to country music.
Robyn brings strong operational leadership and a legal background in PEO and HR Technology to our organization. She is joining us from Gale Healthcare Solutions, a private-equity backed staffing platform with over 50,000 employees, where she held the position of Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary. She previously spent 9 years with Modern Business Associates, where she led a 30,000-employee national PEO in roles including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Legal Officer, and member of its Board of Directors. Robyn's experience also includes serving in Executive Vice President and Vice President roles with the Premier Family of Companies, which included PEOple Premier Inc. & Community Health Solutions of America. While there, she ran multiple business units, including a PEO, and helped lead M&A efforts, including both acquisitions and two significant sales to Fortune 500 companies. Robyn also co-founded and built SoleVenture, a technology platform delivering automated HR and compliance support to gig economy workers.
Robyn is a New Jersey native and lifelong Adirondacks enthusiast. Along with her husband Andy, she is relocating to Long Island from St. Petersburg, Florida, this month. Robyn is active in her community and has served on several Boards (both private and non-profit), including recently serving as a founding officer of the Gale Healthcare Foundation. She has been a member of the American Stage Theatre Company's Board of Trustees since 2016, including serving as its Board Chair from 2019 through 2021.
Robyn is a graduate of the University of Georgia and Stetson University College of Law. She has been a member of the Florida Bar since 2006.
Theresa helps manage a team of Benefit Specialists and Benefit Administrators. Theresa's team oversees and manages clients, employees, brokers, and plan administration for Prestige's suite of products.
Before joining the Prestige team, Theresa was a licensed health and insurance broker for 25 years. Since starting her role with Prestige, Theresa has been motivated by the diversity of the work and her chance to make a difference and move the company forward. Theresa holds a degree in Marketing from the New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY. She currently lives in Kings Park, NY, where she enjoys reading and traveling.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Sales & Business Development
Tim is responsible for the support, management, and training of the PrestigePEO sales team. He specializes in developing and expanding PrestigePEO's broker channel, managing third-party underwriters, and providing expertise in medical benefits renewal negotiation.
Before Tim joined PrestigePEO in 2005, he served as Area VP for Gallagher Benefit Services, a leader in employee benefits consulting. He also spent many years of his career at C&B Consulting Group, where he helped the company grow to become one of the largest benefits consulting firms in the tri-state area.
Tim holds a bachelor's degree in Communications from the University of Connecticut. He splits his time between Newfields, NH, and Bayville, NY. In his free time, Tim enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, and golfing.