bWise bswift Podcast Series
Insights / Podcasts

bswift’s podcast series

Join our hosts, Don Garlitz and Sharon Morrissey, as they connect with founders, CEOs and executives of some of our industry’s greatest companies. Listen in to hear exciting discussions on entrepreneurship, management and what it takes to build, sustain and grow a successful company and career.


Meet your hosts

Don Garlitz

Don Garlitz
Senior Vice President, Channel Partners

Don leads business development and carrier partner relationships for bswift’s marketplace and contributes to the development of consumer-facing technology, including bswift’s Ask Emma decision support tool.

Sharon Morrissey

Sharon Morrissey
Vice President, Business Development

As a VP of business development, Sharon is responsible for driving growth across the channel partner division. In addition, she contributes to bswift marketing and sales enablement programs as well as new development initiatives.


Recent Episodes

 

EPISODE 27:
Streamlining Benefits Admin: Real-World Wisdom from Industry Vet Maria Yao

Overwhelmed by the accelerating pace of change in benefits administration? The latest episode of the bWise Podcast is a master class in optimizing operations. Listen in as industry heavyweight and bswift advisory council member Maria Yao distills 30+ years of frontline expertise. In this insightful interview, you’ll uncover her three pillars of operational excellence – comprehensive training, rigorous documentation, and continuous simplification – and gain insights into fostering healthy team dynamics. Maria also offers a grounded perspective on leveraging automation and AI in HR tech while maintaining the critical human touch. Tune in for Maria’s straight-shooting advice and elevate your operational capabilities.

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EPISODE 26:
Achieving Liftoff: Lana Hillebrand’s Journey From Astronaut Aspirations to HR Industry Leader

In this episode, hosts Don and Sharon sit down with HR and benefits administration leader Lana Hillebrand, former Chief Administrative Officer at American Electric Power Company, Inc., who recently joined bswift’s advisory council. Lana shares her early career aspirations—which began with a bold declaration as a young girl that she wanted to be an astronaut—and what ultimately led her to a successful career in HR. Based on her experiences consulting and leading HR, she offers invaluable advice to consultants, vendors, job seekers, and anyone else in the industry. Listen in as Lana discusses the importance of relationship building, thought leadership, flexibility, and more. You’ll walk away with practical tips for navigating change and thriving in this fast-paced field.

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EPISODE 25:
Navigating the Future of Ben Admin: A Conversation With Scott Millson

On this episode, benefit administration insider Scott Millson shares his unique perspective on his over three decades in the employee benefits field. Listen in as Scott reflects on major industry transformations, from the rise of online enrollment to emerging technologies like AI. He also offers a look into writing his upcoming book and why he was drawn to joining the bswift Advisory Council. Listeners will walk away with practical advice on thriving in this fast-evolving business landscape.

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EPISODE 24:
Ice Baths to Client Service Excellence: A Conversation With bswift COO Amit Jain

Listen in as bswift Chief Operating Officer, Amit Jain, talks about his passion for client service, his unique approach to leadership, and his vision for the future. Amit also shares his love for cold therapy (Wim Hof, anyone?), and how it influences his work ethic and dedication to delivering results. He dives deep into the challenges and opportunities in the benefits administration industry, and outlines bswift’s strategy for consistently exceeding client expectations. You’ll also hear about Amit’s commitment to building a culture of “higher standards,” “greater accountability,” and yes, even “more fun” at bswift.

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EPISODE 23:
Shaping Culture and Service: A People-First Approach to HR with bswift’s Natalie Atwood

How can HR professionals be true people partners that empower and shape company culture? bswift’s Chief People Officer Natalie Atwood talks with bWise hosts Don and Sharon about her passion for putting people first. Learn how she’s guiding bswift’s cultural evolution—focusing on talent, transparency, engagement, and wellbeing. Natalie also discusses key elements of bswift’s benefits admin success like speed, simplicity, and creating a culture of connection in a remote-first world. Tune in for an uplifting discussion on leading with care, trust, and fun.

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Adam Hostetter

EPISODE 22:
Driving Operational Excellence at bswift With Adam Hostetter

Get an insider’s look at how bswift’s Head of Operational Excellence, Adam Hostetter, is driving major improvements. Learn how his team is enhancing service delivery, upgrading technology, and aligning workstreams to accelerate growth. Adam shares insights on creating organizational alignment through visibility and communication. Hear how he employs urgency, quick wins, and constant iteration to lead successful change management. He also talks through balancing data-driven decisions with leadership instincts, maintaining work-life balance, and not losing sight of core entrepreneurial truths. Tune in for an illuminating discussion on how Adam’s operational leadership expertise is propelling bswift’s world-class benefits administration.

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EPISODE 21:
bswift’s Bright Future, Mission, and Passion, With bswift CEO Ted Bloomberg

Join hosts Don and Sharon as they speak with Ted Bloomberg, bswift’s CEO, about bswift’s bright future as we emerge as a standalone organization. In this episode, you’ll learn more about bswift’s leadership, what fuels our passion for our clients and partners, and our commitment to deliver excellent technology and service to all those we serve. Don and Sharon will discuss how the fundamentals of transparency, communication, and accountability are the foundational elements bswift roots itself in to drive the business. Settle in for fun and fast-paced dialogue that even includes a baseball story or two!

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Mark Rieder - bWise Guest

EPISODE 20:
Digital Transformation: HR and Employee Engagement, With NFP’s Mark Rieder

Join hosts Don and Sharon live from bswift’s Idea Exchange conference in sunny Orlando, Florida, as they speak with Mark Rieder, NFP’s head of innovation, about digital transformation! In this episode, we’ll explore how digital transformation can improve the employee experience, boost customer satisfaction, increase productivity, and drive greater profitability for the company. They’ll discuss cutting-edge technologies like AI, blockchain, ChatGPT, and other digital tools that are changing benefits administration and HR. Plus they share tips for navigating the challenges of change. Don’t miss this insightful conversation about the future of business.

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Podcast Library

Looking to catch up on past episodes of the bswift podcast series? We have an extensive library of previous episodes that you can access anytime, anywhere, on your preferred platform. Simply search for the bWise podcast on popular podcast platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or iHeart.


The views expressed by guests of the bWise podcast series are theirs alone and not endorsed by nor necessarily reflect the views of bswift, its affiliates or their employees. The podcast recordings and all rights are owned and retained by bswift. Reproduction, duplication or reposting of podcasts or any portion thereof without the express written consent of bswift is prohibited.