Headquarters:
Saskatoon, SK
Year founded:
1933
Number of employees:
50 CFS employees, 163 Federation employees
Phone:
1 800 667 7762
Email:
stf@stf.sk.ca
Website:
stf.sk.ca
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/saskteachersfed
“We don’t just do spreadsheets and decks, we take the lead on execution and communication, and really take care of our clients in ways others don’t in the industry”
Joseph Chan,
Looniewell
SASKATCHEWAN TEACHERS’ FEDERATION
Troy Milnthorp, FSA, FCIA, ICD.D
Senior Managing Director, Corporate Fund Services
Kendra Dumont
Director, Pensions
Alison Gould
Chief Investment Officer
Leadership
Troy Milnthorp is the senior managing director of Corporate Fund Services at the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, where he oversees the comprehensive management of pension, benefit, and investment programs. Before joining the Federation, Milnthorp was a partner at a prominent global HR consulting firm, where he provided expert actuarial consulting services to clients throughout Canada. His extensive experience in this field has equipped him with a deep understanding of actuarial science and its applications to pension, benefits, and investments. He is also a sought-after speaker at conferences across Canada, sharing his insights and expertise with industry professionals.
Senior Managing Director, Corporate Fund Services
Troy Milnthorp, FSA, FCIA, ICD.D
Kendra Dumont is director of pensions at the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, where she oversees the strategic direction and day-to-day administration of the pension plan. With a solid foundation in pension management, she has used her skills in pension administration and strategic planning to drive initiatives that have enhanced the sustainability and effectiveness of multiple pension programs.
Dumont brings a wealth of experience from her previous role as the manager of pensions at the University of Saskatchewan. Her career is marked by her commitment to financial stewardship, regulatory compliance, and her dedication to delivering exceptional service to plan members.
Director, Pensions
Kendra Dumont
Alison Gould is the chief investment officer at the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, overseeing the internal management of the Federation’s $8 billion investment portfolio. In this role, she is responsible for designing and implementing investment strategies that align with the Federation’s financial objectives and ensuring the long-term sustainability of its assets.
Before joining the Federation, Gould served as the chief investment officer at a leading property and casualty insurance company, where she managed a portfolio exceeding $20 billion in invested assets. Gould is also an active participant in the investment community, contributing her expertise through various board and advisory committee roles.
Chief Investment Officer
Alison Gould
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Shileen Pederson
Director, Benefits
Shileen Pederson is the director of benefits at the Federation, with over 15 years of experience in the employee benefits and insurance industry. In her current role, Pederson leads the strategic and operational management of comprehensive benefits programs, ensuring they meet the needs of Saskatchewan’s educators while adapting to the evolving landscape of employee benefits.
Throughout her career, Pederson has developed a robust expertise in benefits administration, with a focus on optimizing benefits delivery and enhancing client service. Her extensive experience spans various facets of the industry, from managing complex insurance contracts to improving the efficiency of benefits programs.
Pederson’s deep understanding of both the technical and human aspects of benefits management, combined with her dedication to excellence, makes her a trusted leader in the field. Her commitment to delivering exceptional service continues to drive positive outcomes for the Federation and the broader community.
Director, Benefits
Shileen Pederson
Samantha Becotte
President
Born and raised in Lloydminster, Samantha Becotte is a teacher with bachelor’s degrees in education and science. She began her career teaching various subjects within the middle years. Since 2013, she’s been a mathematics and financial literacy teacher at Lloydminster Comprehensive High School. To model her school’s motto of lifelong learning, she went on to achieve a Master of Mathematics for Teachers from the University of Waterloo in 2016.
Samantha was first elected to the STF Executive at the Annual Meeting of Council in 2015 and was elected to the role of Vice-President of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation in 2019. She was first elected as the President in 2022 and was acclaimed in the spring of 2023 for a two-year term. Samantha is the seventh woman President in the Federation’s history.
During her time on the Executive, Samantha has supported many committees: Budget, Finance and Audit, Governance, Teachers’ Collective Bargaining, Human Resources, Visioning and Strategic Planning, Professional Complaints, as well as Investment.
Samantha currently resides just outside of Lloydminster with her husband and two young daughters. She actively participates in the community by supporting local not-for-profit organizations. She is passionate about improving representation of equity groups at all levels of leadership and values continued professional development.
President
Samantha Becotte
The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation is a professional organization that supports over 13,500 teachers employed in PreK12 schools across the province. Our professional status brings with it responsibilities, rights, and benefits. Working together, we represent and advocate on behalf of the collective, while attending to individual professional aspirations and needs.
Every program, service or resource offered by our Federation is designed to enhance the well-being and success of teachers as we work diligently to ensure the success of students.
Unique among its peers, the Federation administers teacher pension and benefit programs for all members. More specifically, the Federation administers a target benefit pension plan, a health plan, an optional life insurance plan, a self-insured disability plan, along with the internal investment management of approximately $8 billion. These functions form the Federation’s Corporate Fund Services (CFS) work unit.
“Our philosophy is to be honest, ethical, and transparent with our clients; focus on what’s in their best interest; and help their business thrive”
Joseph Chan,
Looniewell
Adam Little
Partner
Karen Vigmond
Partner
Lara Fitzgerald-Husek
Partner
Liane Brown
Partner
Adam Little believes that achieving exceptional results in personal injury claims requires creativity, dedication, perseverance, and hard work. He strives to apply those qualities on behalf of all his clients.
Partner
Adam Little
Karen Vigmond is committed to assisting personal injury victims and their loved ones achieve the best possible outcomes. Her practice focuses solely on personal injury law, including accident benefits, motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, and occupiers’ liability cases.
Partner
Karen Vigmond
Lara Fitzgerald-Husek joined Oatley Vigmond after practicing insurance defence at a leading national firm. The experience of representing many of Canada’s largest insurers has provided Lara with valuable insight into personal injury claims, allowing her to better serve her clients.
Partner
Lara Fitzgerald-Husek
Liane Brown is committed to representing individuals who have suffered serious personal injuries and to families who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Her practice concentrates on personal injury law, including accident benefits, motor vehicle collisions, medical malpractice, occupiers’ liability, product liability and wrongful death cases.
Partner
Liane Brown
Liane Brown is committed to representing individuals who have suffered serious personal injuries and to families who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Her practice concentrates on personal injury law, including accident benefits, motor vehicle collisions, medical malpractice, occupiers’ liability, product liability and wrongful death cases.
Partner
Liane Brown
Ben Irantalab enjoys the complexities of personal injury litigation. His practice is exclusively devoted to representing clients with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and severe orthopedic injuries. For him, the cases that require special creativity and thinking outside the box are the most gratifying.
Partner
Ben Irantalab
This modern mindset extends to how Looniewell manages client interactions.
“We don’t hide our commission, our clients know exactly how we’re compensated,” explains Chan. “We strive for same-day response and acknowledgement. Oftentimes we respond and at least acknowledge within an hour.”
As a result, the firm’s client retention is “very high” and a by-product of the trust built upon Looniewell’s methods of operation.
Eager to keep evolving and offering more to the market, Chan is considering expanding beyond consulting services to provide Software as a Service (SaaS) for Total Rewards through platform and analytics.
Chan comments, “Our philosophy is to be honest, ethical, and transparent with our clients; focus on what’s in their best interest; and help their business thrive.”
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“We will continue to strengthen our service proposition and customer experience as a key differentiator, as we build on the momentum we have achieved to date across multiple business lines and territories,” says McLean. “Our im is to continue to grow our market relevance and strengthen our partnerships with our strategic brokers as we expand our leadership position in key sectors.
“We will also continue to invest in talent. We are committed to drawing from the broadest pools of talent, and to creating an environment that attracts and retains stellar employees. We recognise the importance of building teams that are diverse, collaborative, and innovative and are dedicated to cultivating a supportive and inclusive workplace culture in which all our employees can thrive.”
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There is also an absence of ‘consulting speak’ and corporate red tape as Looniewell provides clients with the top-quality fundamentals of measurable results and a highly responsive team.
An example of how focused the team is on delivering the best work possible, Chan prohibited the acceptance of gifts/meals from vendors/partners to ensure there is never any potential conflict of interest.
He says, “We put our clients first and advocate for them.”
Looniewell’s rapid rise has been driven solely by organic growth, and its customer base is the result of referrals, which include organizations with over 10,000 employees to start-up operations seeking to scale.
The firm’s team of consultants have been attracted by the progressive and innovative work environment that features:
· Global Office – work up to two weeks from anywhere in the world
· Work from anywhere – not hybrid, no office, 100 percent remote
· Proprietary tools and best technology to support digital-first work
· Immediate benefits coverage from day one
· Unlimited vacation
· No corporate red tape, no hierarchy, no nonsense – staff are empowered to focus on meaningful client work and professional development
· Day-to-day Shout-outs – to award outstanding work, employees can exchange earned points for gift vouchers of up to $150
· Quarterly Stars Award – employees demonstrating core values have the chance to win $500
· Annual Hero’s Celebration – manager-nominated and peer-voted awards where outstanding employees earn a $5,000 bonus
Ben Irantalab
Partner
Ben Irantalab enjoys the complexities of personal injury litigation. His practice is exclusively devoted to representing clients with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and severe orthopedic injuries. For him, the cases that require special creativity and thinking outside the box are the most gratifying.
Partner
Ben Irantalab
Ben Irantalab
Partner
Ben Irantalab enjoys the complexities of personal injury litigation. His practice is exclusively devoted to representing clients with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and severe orthopedic injuries. For him, the cases that require special creativity and thinking outside the box are the most gratifying.
Partner
Ben Irantalab
Ben Irantalab
Partner
Liane Brown is committed to representing individuals who have suffered serious personal injuries and to families who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Her practice concentrates on personal injury law, including accident benefits, motor vehicle collisions, medical malpractice, occupiers’ liability, product liability and wrongful death cases.
Partner
Liane Brown
ONTARIO TEACHERS INSURANCE PLAN (OTIP)