Karen Carchidi is an accomplished financial services operational manager with over 20 years of experience. She has held leadership roles at MetLife, Farmington Bank, and The Hartford, where she managed teams, improved business metrics, developed strategic plans, and implemented new programs. Carchidi is also an entrepreneur, having owned and sold a successful small business. She holds an Associate's degree in Business Administration and a banking certificate.
1. KAREN E. CARCHIDI
8 Rosewood Drive
Simsbury, Connecticut 06070
860.713.9064 • karencarchidi@hotmail.com
PROFILE
Accomplished Financial Services Operational Manager
Career Overview
A dynamic, multi-talented, results-generating leader with a 20+ year record of innovativeness, effectiveness and consistent
performance excellence in both corporate (Fortune 200), mid-market and entrepreneurial/small business environments. Built
elite, high performance teams in two successful financial services organizations. Successful small business
owner/entrepreneur.
Core Competencies
• Strategic Planning &
Execution
• Telecom Technology
• Product Launch
• New Market Development
• Talent Acquisition
• Business Metrics
• Vendor Management
• Program Development
• Training/Development
• Policy & Procedure
• Team Building
• Customer-Centric Culture
EXPERIENCE
MetLife Insurance Company USA – Bloomfield, Connecticut 2013-
2015
Global provider of Life Insurance, Annuities, Employee Benefits and Asset Managem e nt
Total Absence Management Unit Leader
Manages a team of TAM Coordinators who service phone inquiries and new claim intakes as well as administration of
FMLA standalone leaves and company sponsored leaves in adherence to federal regulatory, state regulatory and/or company
plan requirements and established FMLA workflow procedures.
• Manages a team of 15 TAM Coordinators by distributing the daily work based on customer specific training and/or
skill levels.
• Adherence to Metlife I&R, Fairpoint Communications and UCOR customer standards ensuring that Performance
Guarantees are met.
• Developed, shaped and trained a new team of TAM Coordinators (86% new staff) into a cohesive unit within a six
month period.
• Game Ball Team Winner for the week of July 27, 2015 by the Vice President of Short Term Disability Claims.
• Multi-task multiple priorities and processes relating to Total Absence Management.
• Provides continuous direction to the team to ensure they are meeting and/or exceeding departmental goals for
compliance requirements/production/quality/claims management standards and relationship building.
• Performance management, hiring, firing, promotions, development, training and compensation management.
• Improved the NPS results by 77% from 2014 to 2015.
• Responsible for the team’s operational expenses ensuring overtime is used effectively and sparingly.
• Accountable for identifying key talent and developing succession plans within my team.
• Partners with co-manager within the Center of Excellence to leverage best practices.
• Increased production and quality from 2014 to 2015.
• Mentors a new Unit Leader in the TAM Operation.
• Steering Committee and DiverseAbilities member representing the TAM Operations.
• Game Ball Award Representative responsible for the collection of nominees, submitting Center Stage Awards and
the presentation of the Game Ball Award weekly.
FARMINGTON BANK – Farmington, Connecticut 2010-2013
Respected Financial Institution with Locations in Central Connecticut ($1.8 Billion in Assets)
Assistant Vice President, Call Center Manager
Provide high level strategic business planning and effective operational leadership to a cohesive, highly productive twelve
person staff. Areas of accountability include sales production, service quality, new product development, technology, staff
development and budget. Develop policies and procedures, implementing a continuous improvement philosophy. Support
and collaborate with e-Business unit. Track all Call Center activities.
2. • Departmental Transformation – Inherited an underdeveloped unit with minimal organizational significance and built
it into a thriving, robust contributor to company profitability and improved strategic positioning.
• Business Metrics – Decreased abandonment rate by 60% (from 10% to 4%), while call volume increased by 15%.
Retained 100% of staff for past three years, in a high turnover field. Developed a Call Center matrix for reporting,
creating a senior management “dashboard”.
• Strategic Planning – Key contributor to the development of the Bank’s three-year business plan.
• Core Conversion Communication and Management Plans – Developed detailed plans to support the Bank’s core
conversion, a major system upgrade which includes a vendor change. Currently managing a 50+ person staff.
• Talent Acquisition and Organizational Development – Recruit high quality staff, developing, retaining and shaping
them into a cohesive unit. Instituted career pathing. Incentivize staff through bonuses and awards program.
• Program Development – Developed and implemented multiple programs, including: Quality, Sales/Referral,
Rotating/Overlapping Staff Schedules, Secret Shopper, and Service Level Agreements.
• Committee Assignments – Play key role in Compliance and Grants Committees.
THE HARTFORD – Simsbury, Connecticut 2000-2009
A Leading Provider of Insurance and Wealth Management Services for Consumers and Businesses Worldwide.
Manager, Transfers of Assets and Follow-Up Teams
Co-managed twelve teams responsible for New Business and Transfers of Asset processing New York Regulation 60 and
Resolution (280+ staff members). Personally managed three managers, with 33 total staff. Ensured that staff understood
and complied with SEC, state, federal, and SOX compliance guidelines and regulations. Worked across matrix organizations
to develop and implement best practices that contribute to improved productivity, operations and customer satisfaction.
Resolved escalated situations. Reported monthly manager letters which included production, quality, and trending for staff.
• Provided strong leadership handling highly complex issues in the area of product, operations, legal, financial and
regulatory.
• Participated in multiple initiatives, including a Six Sigma Greenbelt project (value stream mapping, process
improvement).
• At the request of senior management, served as Assistant Director of the Department during an interim period. This
included strategic planning and extensive, ongoing executive interface.
• Directed a robust summer college intern program, which had fifteen participants.
Manager, Annuity Contact Center
Supervised Call Center Managers and dedicated phone team representatives in this elite service unit which provided
premium priority level service to high end brokers. Provided proactive direction to my team for meeting and/or exceeding
departmental goals for production/quality and relationship building. Hired, motivated, developed, coached, and performance
managed a premier producer-focused phone team of up to 30+ individuals with continuous focus on providing world class
customer service to all callers. Prepared forecast of workload and scheduled staffing to ensure maximum productivity and
accuracy of Call Center, taking into account resource availability. Ensured schedule adherence, production/quality results,
and weekly/monthly/quarterly reporting to senior management.
• Worked across matrix organizations to develop and implement best practices that contributed to improved productivity,
operations, and customer service.
Assistant Manager, Training Team/Quality Assurance Team/Special Assignment Team
Call Center Representative/Call Center Associate/Call Center Consultant/Associate Manager/Manager (Four Tiers)
Rapidly promoted through multiple levels of responsibility – earning four promotions within two years. Directed and guided
the Training Team with training sessions, workshops, and departmental information meetings. Trained and developed staff
as related to the quality assurance for contracts ensuring 100% accuracy.
• Successfully reduced a backlog of quality audits from 10,000 to 300 in a six month time period.
• Awarded “Special Achievement for Outstanding Management Performance in Relation to Quality Assurance”.
OLD CIDER MILL WINE & SPIRITS, INC. – Avon, Connecticut 1993-2011
Full Service Package Store Specializing in Wine.
President/Owner – Conceived, researched, planned & successfully implemented this successful small business. Responsible
for all aspects of the business’ development and management; strategic planning, market research, business plan
development, site location, licensing, lease negotiations, products & pricing, inventory control, competitive differentiation,
staffing, sales, operations, branding, customer service, financial management and regulatory compliance.
• Created a strong, clear “brand” identity, positively differentiated from competition (including “big box” stores).
• Authored/solicited quarterly newsletter, advertising articles, and marketing material.
• Built new customers base and retained existing customers through multichannel efforts including direct mail
campaigns, wine tasting events, and other promotional efforts.
• Packaged and sold the business in 2011.
3. _________________________________________________________________________________________________
EDUCATION
TUNXIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE – Farmington, Connecticut
Associate in Science, Business Administration, 1999 Dean’s List
CONNECTICUT SCHOOL OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Certificate, Banking, 2012
Curriculum
Completed this rigorous, multi-disciplinary two-year program. Areas of study included banking theory, practices and
procedures, capital markets and management functions.
Professional Development
Hundreds of hours of courses, workshops, seminars, conferences and self-study throughout career. Details available upon
request.
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ACTIVITIES
Relay for Life (2010-Present)
Special Olympics Summer Volunteer (2013-Present)
Special Olympics Winter Volunteer (2001-2004)
Simsbury Travel Basketball League Coach (1998-2001)
Simsbury Little League Girls Softball Coach (1997-2001)
Girls Scouts of America Assistant Leader (1992-1995)
Bristol Little League Girls Softball Coach (1994-1997)
Bristol Boys & Girls Club Basketball League Coach (1994-1997)
The Bunk Bed Project Team (2014 – 2015), Guatemala