Profile
“Every step taken in shaping Equiton has been infused with the experiences and insights gathered throughout my career. Seeing our vision come to life fills me with immense pride”
Helen Hurlbut
Equiton
Appreciated by her team as a resilient and compassionate leader, Gayle Shurvell has an unparalleled knack for delivering group benefit programs of the highest calibre. She wears two operational hats in her current role, including supporting the trustees of the Health Benefits Trust of Alberta (HBTA).
Over 35 years, her forward-thinking leadership style and natural ability to earn the trust of her peers have catapulted her to the pinnacle of her chosen field. Recent positive achievements include:
Suite 700 10030, 107 St. NW Edmonton, Alberta
7802176995
Gayle.Shurvell@albertahealthservices.ca
linkedin.com/gayle-shurvell-371084a7_awesome-team
albertahealthservices.ca
Gayle Shurvell
Director, Employee Benefit and Retirement Program
Alberta Health Services
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“We continually invest efforts in fostering and nurturing a culture that promotes collaboration and teamwork as we continue to evolve and expand”
Helen Hurlbut
Equiton
2000-2010
2010-2014
2014-2016
2016-present
2018-present
Regional Manager at Canada Life Group Disability
2000–
2010
Director at Western Canada Manulife Financial
2010–
2014
Director, Pension and Benefit Services at the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association
2014–
2016
Director, Employee Benefits and Retirement Programs at Alberta Health Services
2016–
present
2018–present: Member of the Mental Health and Addictions Panel of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
2020: Workplace Wellness Award, Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta
2018–
present
Assistant Vice President and Senior Broker at MJ Hall & Company since 2018
Present
Milestones
Aug 2022
Milestones
Sept 2021
Feb 2022
Apr 2022
Jul 2022
Aug
2022
Suncorp Bank introduces Solar Home Bonus offer for customers who are choosing renewable energy for their homes
Sept 2021
Month-on-month market share growth commences
Feb 2022
Suncorp Bank wins the Canstar award for most outstanding value in investment loans
Apr 2022
Suncorp Bank wins Money Magazine’s Bank of the Year and Business Bank of the Year awards for the fifth year in a row
Jul 2022
Suncorp Bank’s turnaround times are the lowest they have ever been. The lender becomes Australia’s first certified carbon neutral bank for both its operation and transaction services
Aug 2022
Milestones
Kuhn says, “I would say my career has been one of more of chance and opportunities than a set plan. And it’s interesting how one decision has a ripple effect on putting you on a different path than maybe where you thought you would be.”
He highlights his spell at Endurance as his biggest professional achievement to date.
“It took some time, but we took them from really being viewed as a reinsurance company to being viewed as a global insurance company.”
It’s this type of innovative attitude that is powering Westfield Specialty forward so successfully.
Kuhn explains, “Westfield Specialty and I have been trying to make sure we are opportunistic in the marketplace and that has allowed us to grow profitably and create a broader and more diversified portfolio.”
Part of this has seen the firm acquire the existing Lloyd’s of London Syndicate 1200 in February 2023. It is also Kuhn’s ingenuity that has allowed Westfield Specialty to outperform expectations in challenging market conditions.
“I would say it’s been the understanding that there is a limited window of time. We're in this unique market, we need to be fast and decisive to take advantage of market opportunities before the market begins to move away,” he comments. “Additionally, I'd like to say we move with a lot of speed, but we do it in a thoughtful and methodical approach, not just to be the first.”
“Gayle is a visionary who always thinks about innovative ways to serve HBTA participants better while sustaining its programs,” one colleague wrote in support of her nomination. “Her motto is, ‘Not if, but how, we can make things happen.’”
Ever grateful for the privilege of serving as she leads, Shurvell takes pride in the accomplishments of the team she has assembled over the past eight years on the employer side of the group benefits and pension industry. She strives daily to ensure everyone feels valued, connected, and supported. It’s an approach that translates into high talent retention — and staff who passionately build the organization’s mandate.
“Get me into a meeting where we’re brainstorming and talking about what the future looks like — that completely inspires me,” she says, giving credit to her team and their crucial role in the process.
“Being able to embrace change, adapt and shift your mindset to long-term goals is key for me. There are challenges in the financial sector that we all strive to overcome. I’m trying to ensure the road I create for those behind me has fewer bumps along the way.”
introducing the At-Work Services program, in collaboration with Canada Life, to participating HBTA employers and employees; this early-intervention tool supports employees at risk of disability, prevents disability claims, and identifies non-medical issues in the workplace
strengthening the governance and related education for the HBTA
Kuhn joined Westfield Specialty in the firm’s first year (2021) and has established the company’s presence in the specialty market. By the end of 2023, the firm is expected to surpass $1.3 billion in GWP after writing $300 million in 2021.
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