LICONY Staff

Thomas E. Workman  (President & CEO) 
   Download Bio  |  (212) 986-6181  |  tworkman@licony.org 

Tom became President and Chief Executive Officer of the Life Insurance Council of New York, Inc., in September of 1999. LICONY is the trade association representing life insurance companies based or otherwise operating in New York State, as well as allied professional firms (law, actuarial, & accounting). LICONY has four officers and five support staff with offices in New York City and Albany.

Prior to that time, Tom served as Chair of the Insurance Law Department in the Ohio law firm of Bricker & Eckler LLP, based in Columbus. He had been affiliated with Bricker & Eckler LLP since 1969 and had been a partner since 1977. Tom received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and his Juris Doctor degree from The Ohio State University. He is admitted to the bars of the State of New York, the State of Ohio, the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Military Appeals, and the United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division. Tom served as a Captain in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps from 1970 to 1973. He served as Legislative Counsel to the Association of Ohio Life Insurance Companies from 1973 to 1999.

Tom recently served as the Delegate representing the Association of Life Insurance Counsel in the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association, and he is a past member of the Board of the Association of Life Insurance Counsel. He is a Past Chair of the Life Insurance Law Committee of the American Bar Association, and a Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Regulatory Counsel. Tom is a member of the Insurance Law Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, and a member of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation. He is also a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Ohio State Bar Association. In addition, he serves as a Trustee of The Griffith Foundation for Insurance Education. Tom also serves on the Board of Directors of the Westfield Companies, a leading, regional family of property-casualty insurance companies headquartered in Westfield Center, Ohio. Tom and his wife, Pam, reside in New York City.

Diane D. Stuto (Executive Vice President)
   Download Bio | (518) 436-8417 | dstuto@licony.org 

Diane joined LICONY in 1990 as an Assistant Vice President. She was appointed to Vice President in 1995, Senior Vice President in 1999, and to her current position in 2003. Diane is located in the Albany office of LICONY, where her focus is primarily on the legislative issues of importance to the life insurance industry of New York. She also has responsibility for certain regulatory issues, including replacements and suitability. She is the primary contact for LICONY to the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL). Prior to joining LICONY, Diane had worked for several years in the New York State Senate, her last position as Legislative Director to the ranking member of the Senate Insurance Committee. She graduated cum laude from the State University of New York at Albany in 1983. Diane and her husband reside in Menands with their triplet children.

Jana Lee Pruitt (Executive Vice President)
   Download Bio | (212) 986-6181 | jlpruitt@licony.org

Jana Lee joined LICONY in July 2007 as Senior Vice President.  She is located in the New York City office of LICONY, where her focus is primarily on regulatory issues of importance to the life insurance industry of New York.

Prior to joining LICONY, Jana Lee worked for the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) for many years, as well as for the Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA) and the American Insurance Association (AIA).  Jana Lee also served as a senior regulatory officer and government relations attorney for Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company and ULLICO, Inc., was a partner at the law firm of Baker & Daniels and was Of Counsel at Winstead, Sechrest & Minick.  Jana Lee is a member of the Board of Governors of the Association of Life Insurance Counsel (ALIC), and a former member of the American Bar Association TIPS Federal Involvement in Insurance Regulation Modernization Task Force.

Jana Lee received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Kentucky, and her law degree from the University of Louisville School of Law.  She is admitted to the bars of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the District of Columbia, and the State of Texas.  Jana Lee also holds the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designations from The American College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Jana Lee resides in New York City.

John M. Kissoon (Vice President)
   Download Bio | (212) 986-6181 | jkissoon@licony.org

John joined LICONY in August 2003 after stints at Washington Mutual Bank and Chase Auto Finance. His major responsibilities include coordinating all aspects of the community investing program; preparing annual LICONY budgets and periodic financial status reports; managing the membership dues assessment process; and, assisting in the work of the Technical Investments Subcommittee and the Strategic Planning Committee. He came to LICONY with extensive international experience in managing development projects, economic and social research, trade negotiations and small business facilitation. He has also worked in the insurance industry. John holds a Master of Arts degree in economics from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada and a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Economics) degree summa cum laude from the University of Guyana. He is also a Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI) and more recently earned a Certificate in Financial Analysis from New York University. John is currently a candidate in the CFA program. John and his wife reside in Queens with their four children.

Donna D. Seon (Office Manager)
   (212) 986-6181  |  dseon@licony.org

Linda M. Nusbaum (Legislative Assistant)
    (518) 436-8417  |  lnusbaum@licony.org

Marie Papandrea (Accounts & Technical Support Manager)
    (212) 986-6181  |  mpapandrea@licony.org

Mary C. Sanford (Administrative Assistant)
    (518) 436-8417  |  msanford@licony.org

Elly-Anne Ehrman (Administrative Assistant)
   (212) 986-6181   |   eaehrman@licony.org