Colonial Life showstoppers

Vice President, Sales, Colonial Life

Mark Sward is a dedicated professional who has committed 34 years to Colonial Life. He embarked on his journey in 1989 as a public sector Benefits Counselor in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Mark’s commitment and expertise led him to take on various roles, including a Sales Representative position in Charlotte in 1996, and he further progressed to become a General Agent in 1999. Demonstrating his leadership abilities, Mark transitioned to the role of Territory Sales Manager (TSM) in South Florida in 2013. His exemplary performance paved the way for his appointment as the Vice President of Sales for the Southeast region in 2022. Throughout his career, Mark has consistently displayed a passion for insurance and a knack for driving success in every role he undertakes.

Vice President, HR Technology, Unum Group

Wendra Johnson's expertise in pairing SaaS Benefits and HR technology with organizations, leading teams to deliver on a full spectrum of hire to retire experiences and educating on market trends, has been the essential ingredient to driving innovation in benefit enrollment solutions and transforming the HR digital landscape. Johnson is responsible for launching and scaling solutions for both Unum and Colonial Life’s small and core business markets. With deep experience in human capital management (HCM) solutions and technology, her extensive career has spanned industries, including benefits, healthcare, staffing and manufacturing.

Vice President of Thought Leadership, SHRM

James Atkinson leads research teams uncovering key insights on the challenges and trends affecting HR and the workplace. James joined SHRM with more than 15 years of research, data and product experience, having spent a decade in various leadership roles within the HR industry. Prior to SHRM, James was the Vice President of Data Products at Payscale, where he was responsible for the overall strategy, development and delivery of data products for compensation professionals. He also spent nine years at Gartner, finishing his tenure there as the Managing Vice President of Data Products for the HR research and advisory practice. Across his career, his teams have created award-winning research and data products for HR executives and their teams on topics including learning and development, total rewards, recruiting, talent management, HR strategy, HR technology and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. This work has been featured in top business journals and media outlets such as Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal and Forbes. James holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Ohio State University.