About Matrix Direct

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Management


Matrix Direct hires only the best and the brightest. The Matrix Direct management team has the combined strength of more than 150 years of experience in all of the key disciplines required to deliver on our mission of identifying and meeting rapidly-evolving consumer preferences regarding the purchase of life insurance. This unprecedented blend of marketing expertise and insurance knowledge offers customers the opportunity to purchase life insurance directly.

Ron Harris

President and CEO

Ron founded Matrix Direct based on more than two decades of experience in the insurance industry. He began in 1971, as an agent and sales manager for Metropolitan Life. He later built a successful nationwide brokerage and distribution system, and in the early '90s, he conceptualized and pioneered the whole concept of direct response term life insurance sales and marketing by founding Zurich Direct. In 1995, Ron applied his considerable knowledge, experience and desire to better serve individuals' needs by creating a dynamic, totally customer-focused direct sales life insurance company -- Matrix Direct.


Laura Huffman

Executive Vice President

Laura's 20 plus years experience in strategic planning, marketing and consumer research effectively complements Ron's extensive insurance background. Prior to her Vice Presidency at Equity Management Inc., the nation's leading corporate trademark licensing firm, Laura spent 11 years as Senior Vice President at Phillips-Ramsey Advertising and Public Relations -- a division of the world's largest marketing communications and advertising company, McCann-Erickson Worldwide.


Paul Frederickson, M.B.A, C.P.A.

Controller/IT Director

With Matrix Direct since 1996.  30 years of financial and operational experience and 20 years of database design and implementation experience.


Brad Johnson

Director, Software Development

More than 19 years working in the aerospace and engineering industries with such companies as General Dynamics, Daimler Benz and Rohr.


Kevin Wilshusen

Sales Director

More than 13 years of successful sales and management experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Matrix Direct, Kevin spent four years as a financial representative with New England Financial, a Metropolitan Life affiliate.


Terre Remington

Director of Administration

Joined Matrix Direct in October 2000 with over 20 years of successful sales and operational experience.


Andy Voggenthaler

Director, Business Development

Over 19 years experience in new business development.  Andy has worked closely with General Motors, American Airlines, DuPont, and Nabisco to develop strategic trademark licensing programs for these companies: Former Vice President of Worldwide Licensing at Hang Ten


Patty Karstein

Media Director

An expert campaign strategist with 20-plus years of media advertising planning, buying and management experience, including work on such national brands as Fairmont Hotels, Fisher-Price and Stri-dex.   With extensive knowledge of all on-line and off-line media channels, Patty manages Matrix Direct's wide-ranging direct response program


Valerie Aiello, FLMI

Director, Direct Mail & Database Marketing

Over 20 years experience in the insurance industry.  Valerie has managed direct to consumer and corporate marketing for brands such as Zurich Life and Chase Insurance, and manages Matrix Direct’s database marketing efforts and creative development.


Riddhish Trivedi

Director of e-Commerce & Internet Operations

Over 10 years of experience in Internet & Media, starting with J. Walter Thompson and MphasiS/EDS. Worked with such companies as Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase and The World Bank. Former Director of Usability at AIG Corporate eBusiness.