The PBI Team

Richard H. Gutcheon

Dick began his career as a life insurance agent in 1970 with State Mutual of America Company. In 1971, Dick became the Agent of the Year and qualified as a member of the Million Dollar Round Table. He joined Mass Mutual in 1986 as a life and group medical insurance agent. In 1987, founded PBI and quickly grew the Company to become one of the largest employee benefit firms to businesses in Connecticut. Dick serves on the CBIA agent advisory committee and United Healthcare’s strategic advisory board. He is also a member of the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce. He devotes many resources to Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp as well as many other charities. Dick attended Central Connecticut State University. He currently resides in Bloomfield, CT and is married with four children.

Jason T. Gutcheon

Jason began his career in Public Finance at Lehman Brothers in New York City. As an Associate, Jason was responsible for proposal development, municipal new issue pricing and refunding analysis. Over six years, Jason assisted in over 35 municipal issues totaling $20 billion. In 1998, Jason joined PBI as an employee benefit specialist. As a partner of the Firm, Jason is primarily responsible for new business development, account service and client retention. He also provides the Firm’s employees with emerging product trends and issues, contribution strategies, marketing materials and legislative updates. Jason provides his clients with the education, sales implementation and day-to-day service of all insurance products that comprise employee benefit plans. In addition, Jason is a fully licensed investment advisor representative, providing companies with qualified retirement planning and other securities related products. Jason serves on CBIA and ConnectiCares strategic advisory boards as well as being an active leader in the greater Hartford community. He serves on the board of directors for; The Greater Hartford Arts Council, Junior Achievement and the Manchester Community College Foundation. Jason is a graduate of New York University’s Stern School of Business with a degree in Finance.

James Gentile

Jim graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1983 and immediately started a career in professional golf. Jim played on multiple professional tours as a fully exempt player and as a part time participant. In 1991 Jim was reinstated by the U.S.G.A. to amateur golf, he still competes and coaches. Jim started his business career on Wall street as a foreign exchange broker for Tullet & Tokyo. Jim also worked for Dean Witter, E. F. Hutton, and Advest as a stockbroker. In 1999 Jim joined R.C. Knox and Company as a commercial property and casualty producer. Jim was responsible for new business development, negotiations, account service, and retention. In 2001 Jim decided to join PBI so he could take advantage of all of his security and insurance experiences. At PBI Jim has implemented his vast and diverse product knowledge to implement various complex insurance and investment products for both individual and commercial clients. For any business owner Jim is a great asset pertaining to most financial, insurance, and benefit products. Jim is actively involved in all points of the sale and service for all benefit plans for fully insured and self insured plans.

Stephen Bacon

Stephen is a licensed investment advisor representative, providing comprehensive financial plans to help achieve his clients’ financial goals. His licenses include Series 24, Series 6, Series 7, Series 65 and Series 63. He also holds various insurance licenses including Life, Variable Life and Accident and Health. Stephen is certified to sell long-term care insurance approved by the Connecticut Partnership for Long-Term Care. Steve graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a Bachelors of Science in Accounting. He also attended the University of Hartford’s Masters of Taxation program. Steve resides in West Hartford, CT, with his wife and two sons.

Lynn Mut

Lynn has been in the insurance industry for over 24 years. She began her career with M.D. Health Plan/Health Net where she had successfully managed the State of Connecticut Employee benefits. She and has also been a successful Account Manager with MedSpan. Lynn brings to PBI excellent background knowledge of the insurance industry as well as the fundamentals within the insurance companies. As a Broker/Consultant, Lynn provides her clients and their employees with emerging and innovative product trends. She is hands on with all issues, contribution strategies, marketing materials, and legislative updates. She also provides her clients with benefit education, sales implementation and day-to-day service of all products that comprise employee benefit plans. Lynn received her Bachelors of Business Management from Albertus Magnus College. She lives in Hamden with her husband and two children.

Christine Manzone

Sydney L. Hayden

Syd has been in the insurance industry for over 30 years.  She began her insurance carrier at The Prudential in the New Jersey Regional Group Office.  At the Regional Group Office Syd was a Dividend Consultant and a Small Group Team Leader in the underwriting department.  Syd continued her career at the Prudential in Group Systems as an Information Resource Management Consultant and a Business Systems Analyst supporting national claim and case management systems.  For the last fifteen years Syd has been an Account Executive in the Employee Benefits industry.  Syd has a proven track record for outstanding customer service and retention.  Syd joined Professional Business Insurers in October of 2013.  Syd received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Vermont.  Syd lives in Simsbury with her husband.

Krista Kennedy

Krista has been an employee benefits consultant with PBI since 2008. Krista has over 14 years of experience in the field of employee benefits. She is responsible for new business sales as well as account management. Krista provides her clients with personal ongoing customer service as well as careful analysis of issues relating to renewals, contribution strategies and total employee benefit integration. She started her career with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield as an account service representative. At Anthem, she worked with the broker community and organized enrollment meetings for small employers. Krista assisted brokers with employee benefit presentations, renewals and education. Krista also worked as a small group sales representative with ConnectiCare, Inc., whereby she was solely responsible for increasing ConnectiCare’s market share through the broker community. Krista earned her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Connecticut and her Masters of Business Administration from Quinnipiac University. She lives in West Hartford with her husband and four children.

David Gendreau

David is a licensed investment advisor representative. His licenses include Series 7, Series 65 and Series 63. He also holds various insurance licenses including Life, Variable Life and Accident and Health. David is certified to sell long-term care insurance approved by the Connecticut Partnership for Long-Term Care. David graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a Bachelors of Science in Accounting. He also attended the University of Hartford’s Masters of Taxation program. David resides with his wife, Mary Alice in Hebron, CT and is very active in his local church, Church of the Holy Family.

Peter C. George

Peter is a licensed advisor representative. His licenses include Series 6 and 63. He also holds various insurance licenses including Life, Variable Life and Variable Annuities. Peter has specialized in group and individual retirement planning (design, administration and sales) for over 30 years with Cigna Group and Citigroup before joining PBI in 2011. Born and raised in West Hartford, Peter now resides there with his wife Monique.

Michelle Melendez-Aniello