CLI DOC Janet Freisenhahn.txt
English (US)

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F r I e s e n h a h n.


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Interim Director of Sales, VP.


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I understand you started as a receptionist. Is that correct? I did, yes. Did your journey through Catholic life? Well, I would say my journey through Catholic life was in 1984 again when I started as a receptionist. I have a brother who is a agent for Catholic Life Insurance as well as a sister. I have another sister who was a board of director.

Um, so very family. Besides the Christian family that I have now with all the members and agents. But I get started as a receptionist in 84 and got to sales as fast as I could, which was in 86 and been there ever since. And the rest is history. But you were not a member. I was a member when I was born. Not after that.

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Tell me about that. Absolutely. Uh, again. Been a member, uh, ever since. Um, I was on this earth, and that was most likely written by my brother Kenneth. Again, who, uh, you know, brought me to to Catholic Life Insurance. I again mentioned a few. I have another brother, and the closest one to me is ten years.

So there's 18 years difference between my sister and I, uh, the oldest. So when I got out of high school, you know, brother Kenneth, who was already out and on his own, it's like, you know, you can't live underneath Mom and Dad's roof the whole time. What are you doing? I said I don't know yet. Um, so he said, well, there's an opening at Catholic Life Insurance.

I think you should go up there and apply. So that is what I did. And, um, the records say that Mr. Bell's. Uh, he just newly came on as president of Catholic Life Insurance at that time, and I was his first hire as president of Catholic Life. Wow. And you told you. You said that when you became a receptionist, you knew you wanted to head the sales pretty quickly.

As soon as I could. Yes, because I do enjoy, um, you know, working with people, helping people out, making a difference in their lives and being there for them. You know, it's one of my daily prayers is to make a difference in someone's life and help them out for the day. Uh, again, as I stated, I was ten years behind everybody.

So once my mom was a waitress at a restaurant in Marion, Texas. Turkeys country tavern. And, um, so there was nobody to watch me when she went to work. So I went with and actually watched that business grow from one building, uh, to what it is. Well, what it was until they sold it, uh, the party room and everything.

So it really had a lot of interaction with customers. Um, on a, on a, I guess, a favorable basis because everybody loves to eat and drink. So it was always nice to serve those individuals and to help them out. So I really enjoyed doing that. And I guess you could say that's where I got most of my education was from when I was nine until I was 16 when I left there.

Um, got to meet Tom Landry there too, also, which was one of my idols. Tom Landry came in one afternoon with his family. So you're not a Jerry Jones fan?


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Yeah, I got to meet Tom Landry. You know, one of my favorite coaches.


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You know, you talk about making people's lives better. We just talked to Peggy, who's in customer service, who has to, you know, go right back and answer phone calls. Tell me how being in sales helps people's lives. I mean, what's your what's your motivation when you when you want to sell policies,


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you know in your heart that you're not selling a product. You're helping an individual, right? Tell me that. Absolutely. Well, again, we worked directly with our agents. You know, I have a great team in sales with me, and we work with them. And we know they're the ones out there that are visiting with these individuals and helping them with their needs, whatever their whether their life insurance or their retirement needs.

They are helping them with that. And um, again, we you know, there's the sales process, there's different, uh, tools that we have for our agents so they can be able to go out and visit with their clients, um, our members and help them, you know, with their needs and, you know, their single needs selling. And then there's total needs selling.

So do you just want to give me that distinction? Explain that. Right. Do you just want to take care of maybe the final need? We all know that we're all going to need a a death certificate. We're all not getting out of here alive. Um, so we know that, you know, there's a final needs. And then also there's, you know, someone just purchased a home, and they need a mortgage protection plan.

So we have some great term plans that our agents can put in place with their financial plan. And then obviously, you know, our whole life portfolio as well. We've got a great final expense product. We just entered into that world. Um, I would say we've had final expense products, but we just entered into a company, a relationship with a company called I cover that does an instant issue so our agents can sit in front of their clients, walk them through that application, and they get an instant underwriting decision.

So that's the only product that we have that with and really is excited to have that, you know, you know, we've come a long way. And so that's one of our other products is a final expense small policy. And then obviously we have some great tax deferred fixed annuities, uh, for either non-qualified annuities or qualified accounts if someone's moving some retirement money to Catholic life.

Uh, so we have a tax deferred fixed annuity products as well. So that's our portfolio is whole life term and tax deferred fixed annuities. And again all of those products are put in place and the agent goes out visits with their clients and we walk them through a total needs analysis. There's several different ones of them.

Some agents have their own. We have three of them that are available for them to use and to walk through again, that individual's financial situation to get the total needs to make sure that they have covered all of their needs. And then, you know, it depends on what they can afford at the end is what product is recommended, whether it's term, whole life, or if for some reason they can't, you know, pass underwriting, then obviously we have those great tax deferred fixed annuities that they can, um, offer to their, um, clients.

And


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can I do every bit of that with Catholic Life Online and never talk to a human. Uh, no, I mean you. Yeah. I don't mean right. No spring on you question. I'm going to try and make you make a point about human. You know, there are a lot of people out there today who don't know how to make human contact longer, and they want to do it all online.

Right. That's the changing of the world. Sure. Um, now we do. Again, we have electronic app to where? Um, if, uh, you know, an agent may have a client that's further away. Uh, they can definitely hop on a teams or a zoom meeting and visit with them and, um, you know, be able to collect their information that way and complete the application electronically online so they can do it that, you know, um, in person.

Uh, we do like, uh, as far as the life insurance, we do like the agents to be in front of their clients, to be able to see them physically and make sure that they're all in good shape and and able to qualify. We do have some exceptions once in a while where again, someone who's not close to our agent and they have to get on a teams meeting.

They do have a couple of requirements that they have to fulfill in order to, you know, let the underwriter know that they didn't see them actually personally, but they did conduct it through a team's or a zoom meeting. So they do follow some of those procedures as well. Is that is that a competitive advantage?

It is. I mean, the fact that you are able to offer such


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human interaction, if the if the if the client wants that or remember once that you're able to do that where once again going back to Peggy. Peggy says they got, you know, five minute cutoff time with Prudential or New York Live or they're, you know, it's all about not being human. Right. Your competitive advantage is being.

Yes, absolutely. And that's where relationships because again um, life insurance you know, is not bought. It's sold by that agent. That agent has to, um, open their eyes as to what their needs are. A lot of people don't know their needs. A lot of people don't know expenses. And, um, you know, they don't believe in life insurance.

Um, and they don't need it. You know, they can do a go fund me. Uh, so a lot of people just don't understand, um, you know how precious life insurance is to families when that time comes around where they they lose a loved one. Uh, so our agents are out there selling that to them, pitching them the company and our 125 years and our great Am best rating of A-minus excellence.

Uh, so they're having to sell, you know, the company and sell themself and and build those relationships. And sometimes those relationships are hard to build, uh, through a screen or over the phone. So it is important, you know, as much as possible that our agents do get in front of their, their clients.

I think it's fair to say with with health care in the future.


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Uh,


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it's a little uncertain where things are going. What now? I'm talking about health insurance. But whether or not you're going to be covered or not with a preexisting condition. But one of the things a product you offer is a way to assure that you can buy life insurance when you come to that point without having to pre-qualify through a doctor.

If you're if you get a policy when you're born, if somebody buys a policy. Am I saying that right? Because I'm not from the insurance world just for kids, right? Just for sure. Absolutely sure. Absolutely. Yeah, we have JFK. JFK. That's okay. I gotta tell you, that's not the first thing you would think. Somebody says JFK, right?

You mean just for kids library, right? Yeah, absolutely. And that just for kids was actually, um, Designed for a lead program for our agents. A lot of times when the agents come on board, they do have leads. It's like, no, we don't have leads, you know? They purchase leads, but no, we don't have any leads.

Uh, so Mr. Belz and the group, uh, got together and, um, reviewed several different policies out there, right? You know, the Gerber policy and everything and kind of tailored it to that. Again, it's a just for kids program where the child has to be at least 14 days old, uh, to age 17. 0 to 17. They purchased either 10,000 or 20,000.

And at age 22, that converts to five times five times the face amount. Uh, inappropriate plan of insurance. So. And at that time, it just converts. Again, conversion. You don't have to worry about insure ability at that particular age. Like our term policies. We also have term policies where they convert at a certain period of time.

And again, no health questions answered at that time. So it's always wise. I Always encourage our agents, you know, obviously, to purchase it. Uh, you know, earlier in life when there is not many as many health issues. Um, you know, that some people face, you know, later on in their lives and not and then they can't purchase it when they really need it.

Janet, I'm going to ask you. Um, I'd like for you to explain that again, not that you didn't do it right. That was perfect. I want to add one element to it. Can you. Um, one of the things that I found amazing about this product is, you know, most people think of us. You're you're thinking your kids are going to die in this day and age with so many kids on medication.

I'm not sure if you say it this way. I know you have a better way to explain it to some, but to be able to get your small grandchild on it and let's say they come up with something like diabetes or something like that later on when they get to 20, when they turn 22, they can convert their insurance and get it term or whole life.

Yes. Correct. Correct. Well, that term. But it's whole life. It's Its whole life without a medical exam. So there are 22. And the rates are going to be they could lock in a lot lower. And it's a sure ability. Yes. That's the big thing is the ensure ability. And that they can lock in at a rate because let's say they get a rate of making up that standard rate.

Right. Whatever. That's the rate forever. Right. Okay. Right. Absolutely not. Because that is the selling point, especially with so many kids on so many scripts these days. Right. That goes against you when you go in for. Right. Um, life insurance. Sure. Absolutely. So can you kind of explain, because I want to use that in a video.

I, I can I can do that. Okay. Um, but again, the just for kids policy again is a certificate for journals, column certificates, insurance companies column policies, but a policy. So they purchase a policy anywhere from the ages of 0 to 17. Uh, they can purchase 10,000 Thousand or 20,000, and that's term insurance.

And then at age 22, they could convert it to five times the face amount to a permanent plan of insurance. And again, no medical questions are asked. So they don't have to prove insure ability. They get a standard rate at that time at age 22 for either a male or a female. And again, that's very beneficial. Again, you never know with childhood diseases or situations that may come up where that individual may not be insurable anymore.

At age 22, I have a niece that had an issue earlier in life and, uh, thank God her grandmother, uh, Sandy, my sister, which was a board of director for Catholic Life Insurance, purchased that just for kids on her. So now when she turns 22, she can definitely convert that to a permanent plan of insurance and have that for life.

And even though, There may be some complications later on in life. For her to purchase insurance.


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Perfect. Thank you. I needed that. Yeah, because it was kind of designed at first. It was originally, you know, we didn't have kids. Really? On a lot of drugs. You know, 30 years from when it came out. And now that's a real thing. Oh, right. It's a real thing because the scripts that some of these kids are on are pretty serious.

Yes. Yeah. And, you know, the other day, um, we had an agent and with this just for kids plan, uh, when they turn 22, they can they actually have 30 days after to convert it. So the agent, just in case they can't get with them 30 days before they do have 30 days after. And, you know, we had a situation where, I mean, it went through, but it's like just ask the medical questions, you know, 22 year old, why not?

But unfortunately, there was just some additional questionnaires that had to be filled out that wouldn't have if she would have been in the conversion period. So it's like, okay, you know, so it does happen more often than we think it does. So tell me, let me ask you a couple of questions. I'm going to jump in here.

Okay? Okay. Um,


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as you think about, um, what you know, I know you're always looking for great talent, right? And tell me, what is it that you think that, um, when you're talking to someone who you're trying to think they try to come on and represent. And when I say, come on, I mean, I have Catholic life as a resource for them to sell as an agent.

What are some of the things that you would want people who might be watching this as an agent for another company or something? Why would they might consider Catholic Life Insurance? Um, again, the family that we have, it's a fraternal, um, you're not just a number, even though you do get a number at Catholic Life Insurance.

So we know who to pay the commissions to. But we're personal. Uh, we we understand the challenges sometimes that agents may have getting in front of, of clients. So we're there to help them with, again, several different tools and resources that we have established through the years that are there for them to, um, you know, help them with those day to day sales or day to day cases.

Um, again, I believe it's the family atmosphere that, um, again, just saying, you know, that that they're not a number. Um, we we treat them like family. We get to know them. Uh, we have a recruiter, you know, Greg Covino, who brings them on, who actually does the fishing. And once he catches them and and we, you know, have the paperwork filled out and they become agents with Catholic life, we do what we call a high touch program to where I reach out to them and we go through a set of new agent onboarding items just to let them know about the commissions and how we pay commissions on a weekly basis.

We have some bonus programs that they can be a part of. And also we have a trip once a year that we take them on an incentive trip, spent 4 to 5 days with them, and this year we're going to Ireland. In April we've had 14 agents qualify for a trip, so we'll be going to Ireland in April, in April. So again, that's another incentive.

Again, these agents are not captive with Catholic life insurance, so there's no benefits. So what do we have to offer to get them to say yes. Is the commissions plus the bonuses plus the extra trips. You know, once a year.


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Okay, I'm switching gears here. She's a branch president, too, you know. Also, I wanted to get I wanted to get you too. Just give me a quick little glossary of terms. You said policy versus certificate and it's branch versus office or something. You don't have to happen right now. I just want to ask that circle back to that.

Right. Yeah. Tell us about, um. What is what? Uh, you know, one of the big,


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beautiful things about Catholic life insurance is that we give back to our community. And I know your branch. What what is your branch do in your community? Um, to give back. Right. We have several activities that we do for the year again. My branch is a Selma commerce branch. Branch number 14. It's not far from the home office.

Uh, I'm the president. My daughter is the secretary. And then I have a cousin who's a vice president, all from Selma. Though we're all parishioners at OLF. We do hold our brand social, uh, at Selma, uh, usually in March and throughout the year. There's different activities that we do to give back to the community.

And also one of the other churches is the good Shepherd Church and Church, and we participate in a food bank. Saint Vincent de Paul does a food bank every Monday. They have, um, I think there's over 300 and something families that they help provide food to, uh, every Monday at the good Shepherd Church in Schertz.

So we do a couple of Mondays, and then also we do do some donations to Saint Vincent de Paul, uh, and then also at Christmas, we have almost 600 students at OLF and the Saint Monica's Church in Converse, which we also help support. Uh, so there's students that, uh, they have Saint Nick or, uh, Santa Claus or when they're getting ready to go on their Christmas break, uh, they hand out bags.

So we do Christmas bags with fruit and candy and, uh, there's some times that we stick that just for kids application in that packet as well to hopefully get some business for the local agent. Uh, that is there at the churches. So we, uh, do again Christmas bags for our students at OLF and Saint Monica's Catholic churches of schools.

Excuse me. Uh, and then also do some donation to, uh, there's, uh, Catholic life, uh, through Shana in the communications department. The fraternal communications department. Uh, she, uh, they give us different activities to do, and there's some for the, um, uh, lay, uh, I just lost that. You forget that one.

Um, the, um, Monsignor Hank is fun. And my senior droll. So there's different, uh, donations that we can do for these different, um, committees and organizations and tell, you know, what we've not talked about in any of our interviews is why do we have branch socials? We have branch socials to keep those members, uh, involved and informed.

Again, Catholic Life is a member owned company, so it's owned by the members. I think of Fraternal Mutual. When I think of Catholic Life Insurance, so the members own Catholic life insurance, and we have those socials once a year to keep them informed, to know the state of the company, and then also to give our agents, again, an opportunity to meet with their clients on an annual basis.

Um, can you also mention that it's part of being a fraternal, that we're required to have meetings with our members because we are a member of. Right. And that that that is something that we as part of that and not only have a social, but we also have to do so many hours and we have to give so much money back to the can you kind of talk a little bit about why that fraternal, the kind of requirements of being a fraternity, right.

Again, um, we again, being that the the company is member owned. So the members need to know what we're doing with their money. And you know how the company is, uh, strategizing to meet the goals for the year. So again, it is a requirement that we do meet with our members at least once a year. And again, those are done through branch socials.

We have the board of directors who participate in that meeting. We have the branch officers and then also the agents who participate in those socials. Usually there's a mass or a meal and then a meeting again, and that helps keep the members informed on what is going on with the the company. Those officers are also delegates to the conventions and at the conventions.

If there's any bylaw changes, those are voted on. And then also, um, if you know, they have a board of director that's, uh, has to be reappointed. That is all done through the delegates. And again, those are the delegates who are represented at each branch and get elected by each branch to be a delegate at the convention.

So again at at the meeting at the branch social there's a part. On the agenda where the officers have to let them know that, you know, there's a convention coming up and that usually the officers decide on who the delegate is, or they can have somebody from the floor who wants to, you know, volunteer to come to the convention.

And then obviously, depending on the size of the branch as to how many delegates can come to the convention to represent that branch. So that has to be voted on. And then obviously those individuals who get voted in, uh, you know, for the delegate position, will will make the convention. And again, they're the voice of that social excuse me.

They're the voice of that branch. Uh, when there's convention bylaw committees, uh, bylaws that need to be voted on. Yeah, yeah, that's some of those words. Yeah. That's right. Between you and I'll get the whole thing right together. But no, that you did well, right? Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.


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Because some of the folks we've interviewed, you know, they live in a in a very rural area that hasn't changed a whole lot. And they bring a certain perspective. But here you are from Selma and the Selma. You know, turkeys, Marian, the the whole McSweeney, all that used to be so rural and now it's part of San Antonio for all.

Yes. You know, I mean, it's just one continuous sprawl. Does that pose any particular challenge to us to sell in this product or to trying to continue with socials? And, you know, I know y'all don't do quilt quilting bees or anybody. There's a certain thing that you do, but there's growth and modernization.

And this is swept through this region. Is that a challenge? Um, actually, I think it's more opportunities Communities for our agents in the area to visit with those individuals. We do have a several agents actually in the area you just mentioned that, um, that are very well known as my as well as myself and have been around as long as I have in those communities and those cities.

So, uh, it's a great opportunity for them to visit with those individuals, uh, about their needs, because everybody has needs. If you love somebody and you owe somebody, you need life insurance. Um, and also retirement as well, because you have to, you know, plan for your retirement.


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I'm good.


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Janet, you did fantastic. Thank you. You


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did it out of the park? Yep.


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Absolutely


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did. Yeah. Well, I just I just I was thinking just I mean, I don't know if there's anything for the convention, um, you know, video that would be on there. But we're going to this is going to be so so what I, what I just a few what I like to, you know, say um, again uh,


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my business career with Catholic Life Insurance started in 1984, and I've been a member of Catholic Life all my life. Um,


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and, um, you know, it's a blessing to be a part of this 125 year old company. Um, I've built many relationships with individuals through the 41 years that I've been at Catholic Life. And those individuals that I've built these relationships with, I can now call my Christian family. So Catholic life. When I think of Catholic life insurance family, the word family comes to mind, uh, because it's just the relationships that I have built through, built throughout these 41 years are just priceless.

And it's just a blessing to be a part of an organization. And and one that's 125 years old. And it's just an amazing profession to be in, because what we do is, again, help individuals, uh, during times of difficulty and when they need us the most, we're there for them. There's a lot of companies that and a lot of organizations, uh, they're looking for the check, and we're the one handing out the check during that time of need.

So it's just a great organization to be part of and look forward to several more years of being a part of the organization, uh, as an employee and many more years as a member.


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So thank you. I like that. Yeah, yeah, I mean, Janet, the check stuff is really great too. I think you want the check and we're the ones giving it, right? That's absolutely right.


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Yeah. That isn't. That's a wrap. Okay.