John Relich
Elk Grove,CA
Summary
A highly regarded and detail-oriented benefits professional with a proven track record in leadership and team management, certified as a CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist). Adept at recognizing and addressing business needs, I excel in incorporating innovative leadership skills to achieve defined objectives. I am skilled in designing and implementing policies that enhance productivity and efficiency. Known for my personal integrity and commitment to best practices, I consistently deliver above-average results. My exceptional analytical skills enable me to understand and meet the stringent expectations of external groups, while my ability to plan, create, and implement innovative strategies drives overall organizational success.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Manager Health & Welfare Consultants, Total Rewards
Sutter Health
01.2016 - Current
- Manage the benefits strategy and delivery, including four senior consultants, for the development and implementation of the company’s health and welfare, leave, and voluntary benefits. Oversee a benefits budget of $1.3 billion, impacting 24 acute care hospitals, 100+ medical centers, urgent care facilities, and ambulatory surgery centers, covering over 55,000 personnel.
- Developed a long-term benefits strategy aligned with the organization’s goals, budget, and labor needs.
- Collaborated with Finance and Operations Senior Leadership to ensure benefits delivery and costs align with organizational expectations.
- Designed, implemented, and managed a Flexible Time Off program for managers and executives, effectively reducing the company’s financial liability by $55 million. This initiative also served as a strategic asset for talent acquisition and retention.
- Maintained open lines of communication with hospitals, clinics, specialty centers, and administrative offices to meet workforce requirements and ensure plan design and legal compliance.
- Continuously improved employee benefit delivery and increased company cost savings by collaborating with the Labor Relations team to develop new Health and Welfare bargaining strategies.
- Led the company’s transition to Workday ERP, including vendor carrier integrations, audit scenario creation, testing environment implementation, and final sign-off.
- Prevented data errors and drove efficient benefit operations by serving as a knowledge base for the Workday implementation, with expertise in Health and Welfare processes, legal compliance, and payroll cost execution.
Risk Management Benefits Coordinator (Assistant Director)
Long Beach Unified School District
01.2007 - 01.2016
- Oversaw all aspects of the open enrollment, resulting in savings of over $80K through a cost-effective communication strategy. Coordinated the implementation of the district’s health and welfare plans, including four health plans, three dental plans, vision, and life insurance, with combined budgets exceeding $100M.
- Played a key role in decreasing grievance related reports by 95% from the year prior by increasing trust between the union and management regarding and resolving employee complaints directly with Union leadership rather than instigating a combative grievance process.
- Decreased the overall benefit expenses by $220K per month by leading the restructuring and cleanup of the benefit database.
Benefits Manager
The Cheesecake Factory, Inc.
01.2005 - 01.2007
- Directed the activities of a six-person team and spearheaded the transition from a manual entry system to an automated, paperless system that oversaw the operations of health, welfare, and financial benefits.
- Played a key role in designing and implementing an interactive database focused on managing the open enrollment process for over 16,000 eligible employees.
- Directed the redesign of the annual open enrollment process including the development of an access program eliminating over 1,200 labor hours from the process.
Education
Master of Business Administration - Emphasis in Human Resources
California State University
Long Beach, CASkills
- Strategic Planning
- Leadership
- Benefits Administration
- Plan Design
- Compliance
- Financial Acumen
- Vendor Management
- Labor Collaboration
- Communications
- Performance Management
- Problem Solving
- Employee Engagement
- Analytical Skills
- Project Management
- Innovation
Affiliations
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Member
Certification
Certified Employee Benefit Specialist
Timeline
Manager Health & Welfare Consultants, Total Rewards
Sutter Health
01.2016 - Current
Risk Management Benefits Coordinator (Assistant Director)
Long Beach Unified School District
01.2007 - 01.2016
Benefits Manager
The Cheesecake Factory, Inc.
01.2005 - 01.2007
Master of Business Administration - Emphasis in Human Resources
California State University
Additional Experience
- Benefits Administration Supervisor, Valero Energy Corporation, San Antonio, TX
- Senior Human Resources Specialist, Fluor Corporation, Aliso Viejo, CA
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