Piilani Benz - Chief Operating Officer/ Sales & Operations Leader - Alliance West Insurance

Summary

Strategic sales and operations leader with 10+ years of experience driving revenue growth, managing high-performing sales teams, and leading complex client relationships within highly regulated environments. Proven success in consultative selling, executive stakeholder engagement, and long-term account management across personal, commercial, and government sectors. Recognized for building trusted partnerships, improving performance metrics, and developing top-producing talent—now seeking to bring relationship-driven sales expertise and compliance fluency into pharmaceutical sales leadership.

Overview

12

years of professional experience

1

Certification

Work History

Chief Operating Officer/ Sales & Operations Leader

Alliance West Insurance

Tacoma, WA

01.2016 - Current

Lead sales, operations, and compliance for a multi-state, regulated agency overseeing 3,500–4,000 active accounts and $8.5M in written premium across personal and commercial lines.
Directly manage and develop 10–15 licensed sales professionals, driving year-over-year revenue growth through structured coaching, performance management, and strategic goal setting.
Own agency-wide sales strategy, including quota setting, producer performance tracking, forecasting, and incentive attainment tied to carrier profit-sharing and bonus programs.
Serve as executive owner of 30+ carrier partnerships, maintaining senior-level relationships with territory representatives, regional managers, and executive leadership.
Successfully negotiated profit-sharing agreements and mid-term incentive programs, while improving overall loss ratios from >100% to under 55% within one year through disciplined portfolio management and underwriting alignment.
Led strategic transformation of the agency’s personal lines book from predominantly non-standard to a 60% preferred / 40% non-standard mix, improving profitability, retention, and long-term growth.
Drove commercial expansion by securing and managing federal and institutional contracts, including:
Winning and retaining a multi-year (5-year) U.S. Air Force base commercial auto insurance contract following a competitive rebid process.
Securing a government contract to insure shipments for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, including high-value scientific equipment (GRETA gamma ray tracking system).
Act as final authority on regulatory compliance across 37 operating states, overseeing licensing, continuing education, carrier appointments, audits, and E&O matters.
Represented agency and client interests at the Washington State Capitol, speaking during regulatory proceedings related to insurance credit scoring reform; additionally served as a media subject-matter expert interviewed by KOMO 4 on statewide regulatory changes.
Design and implement sales scripts, training programs, and operational workflows to support complex client conversations, risk assessment, and ethical selling in a highly regulated environment.
Personally manage key accounts and complex commercial relationships, including nonprofits, government entities, and high-value clients, with a focus on long-term retention and relationship-based growth.
Partner with ownership on strategic decisions including carrier appointments/exits, product mix optimization, staffing models, and operational efficiency initiatives — including data-driven restructuring of office hours to maximize profitability.

Client Experience & Sales Specialist

Nordstorm

Tacoma, WA

12.2013 - 06.2016

Delivered personalized, consultative sales experiences by assessing client needs, preferences, and objections—paralleling focused selling and solution positioning.
Established and maintained long-term client relationships, driving repeat business through trust, product education, and consistent follow-up.
Demonstrated strong product knowledge mastery, translating features and benefits into client-relevant value—similar to clinical and product messaging in pharma sales.
Managed multiple client interactions simultaneously while maintaining service excellence, accuracy, and professionalism in a high-volume retail setting.
Represented a premium brand with a strong emphasis on compliance, presentation standards, and customer experience, aligning with regulated sales environments.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration

University of Washington

Seattle, WA

06-2019

Skills

Consultative & Relationship-Based Selling
Key Account & Territory Management
Executive-Level Stakeholder Engagement
Contract Negotiation & Revenue Growth Strategy
Sales Team Leadership & Performance Coaching

Quota, KPI & Forecast Management
Regulatory Compliance in Highly Regulated Environments
Risk Management & Audit Readiness
Strategic Partnerships & Market Expansion
Client Education, Presentation & Objection Handling