A series of interviews with our council members, the engines of our organization

We recently interviewed Giorgio Follegati, one of our CPBI Ontario Council volunteers, and our 2021 CPBI Regional Volunteer of the Year Award Recipient - CPBI Ontario.

Giorgio is Senior Consultant at Benchmark Benefit Solutions.

He’s been on Council since January 2020 and since then he has brought a high level of enthusiasm and insight into different initiatives, especially all his work with the HRPA partnership program. His hard work and dedication are outstanding.

Interviewer:  How did you get started in this industry?

Giorgio:  As the youngest sibling of three, I learned about the industry as I watched my brother and sister build successful careers within it. After pursuing aspirations in hospitality & events, I decided to explore working in employee benefits, which offered opportunities to positively impact the lives of Canadians and their families.

Interviewer:  Tell us about your yourself, your hobbies, and passions, Gio?

Giorgio:  Passionate community builder, I enjoy spending my time volunteering with people who strive to build an environment of learning and professional development. This hobby spans across several interests of technology, benefits, and world of work. As a first generation Canadian, born from a Peruvian immigrant family, I value the importance of supporting your community members with their professional endeavours.

Interviewer:  What do you enjoy most about your involvement with CPBI?

Giorgio:  CPBI has offered a unique opportunity to further my professional development while supporting the same for others. The Ontario Council exemplified a group who strived to build a community of supporters while offering unique programming and events that furthers the industry.

Interviewer:  Congratulations on being our 2021 CPBI Regional Volunteer of the Year Award Recipient - CPBI Ontario! Can you share with us some of the CPBI initiatives you participated in?

Giorgio:  My involvement with CPBI Ontario has primarily been focused on partnerships and programming. As an early volunteer in the CPBI & HRPA Benefits Certificate Program, I’ve taken a lead with this partnership which later included the Canadian Pension Certificate program as well. I continue to focus on new partnerships that mutually benefit members from all parties in the benefits, pension, investments, and human resources space.

Interviewer:  What is one of the most exciting things going on in the group benefits industry right now?

Giorgio:  Organizations are recognizing the importance of aligning their benefits & total rewards philosophies with their own culture, vision, and mission statements. Identifying the direct correlation of saying what you will do, with what you deliver to your staff has never been more important. It’s exciting to play a part in what organizations promise and deliver to employees and their families.