Our Executive Staff

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The most authoritative source of consulting, information, training and conferences on international benefits and human resources in the world.

Our Executive Staff

RICHARD POLAK
President and CEO
+1.323.954.7000

For over 38 years, IBIS has provided multinational organizations with information, research, and advice on global benefits and HR issues. During the past decade, the company has grown to include offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC, and Hartford in the United States. In addition IBIS has opened offices in Mexico and The Netherlands and has affiliates in over 90 countries.

Mr. Polak’s firm provides international benefits and HR solutions to meet the demands of international organizations that are undergoing rapid global change. Mr. Polak has advised over 300 of the world’s most innovative multinational companies in areas of international benefits including healthcare and pensions.

IBIS is the international helpline for the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) and advises some of the country’s largest and most respected healthcare consulting firms on international issues.

Mr. Polak was a subject matter expert for SHRM’s Global Learning System. He has presented at many conferences for organizations around the world, including the International Labor Organization in Geneva, Social Security Reform in Bulgaria, the Compensation and Benefits Association, the National Conference on Pension Reform, SHRM Global Forum, WIPA, ORC, and the IBIS Academy. Richard Polak’s article in WorldatWork on Global Benefit Strategies earned him an award as one of four best articles for the year 2003. He has been interviewed in and has had articles published in Employee Benefits Adviser, Workspan, Benefits and Compensation International, Employee Benefits News, Compensation and Benefits Management,HR.com, SHRM's HR News, and dozens of Business Journals.

Mr. Polak holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Mathematics from Alfred University in New York, with continued studies at Columbia University, The New School for Social Research, and UCLA. He is also a published playwright, having 7 plays produced internationally. Mr. Polak serves as CFO and on the board of the California Dance Institute and is also a member of the board of the Open Fist Theatre Company in Los Angeles.

Date	Event	Location
Jan 2009	Lockton Navigator – article on trends on global benefits	Publication, Kansas, USA
Nov 2008	SouthWest Benefits Association – Presentation to members on global benefits issues	Dallas, TX
Oct 2008	Business Across Borders – Presentation on global healthcare issues	Washingon, DC
May 2008	CCH Publications – Interview for global magazine on International Benefits	Publication
Apr 2008	IBIS Academy – Keynote Speaker on Global Employee Benefits	Dublin, Ireland
Feb 2008	Webpod interview for online benefits publication Employee Benefits News	Publication
Jul 2007	American Benefits Council – Update on China to committee members	Washington, DC
Aug. 2007	The Expat Zone – Play dramatizing the challenges faced by expatriate employees Employee Benefit Adviser	Publication
Apr 2007	IBIS Academy – Speaker at the premiere IBIS Academy ABD Int'l Benefits and Compensation Seminar – Keynote Speaker	Paris, France
Oct 2006	• HR.Com Employers of Excellence – Speaker at IBIS Benefits Track • Atlanta Annual HR Conference – Opening in New Territories, An HR Perspective • Self Insurance Industry of America – Keynote Speaker on Global Self-insurance Challenges • IPAS Conference on International Compensation – Trends in International HR	Las Vegas, NV Scottsdale, AZ San Diego, CA
Jun 2006	National Foreign Trade Council – Update on War & Terrorism Issues Around the World	New York, NY
May 2006	World at Work Annual Conference – The Goldilocks Approach to International Benefits	Anaheim, CA Fairfax, VA
April 2006	IBIS Conference – Owner of and Speaker at 36th Annual Conference: reflecting international benefit trends throughout the world	Berlin, Germany
Mar 2006	SHRM Global Conference – How to Spin Straw into International Benefits Gold	Las Vegas, NV
Feb 2006	Culture in a Box – Article on 10 Steps to a Successful Company through Culture. World at Work	Publication
Sep 2005	Insuring for War and Terrorism in Iraq and Other High-Risk areas. World at Work	Publication
May 2005	IBIS Annual Conference – The ABCs of IEBs	Budapest, Hungary
May 2005	Cornerstone Annual Conference – Keynote Speaker on the HR Employment Lifecycle	Merida, Mexico
Apr 2005	SHRM Annual Conference – Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Europe: Top cities from an HR Perspective.	Chicago, IL
Feb 2005	National Foreign Trade Council – Meeting with members on "Insuring Iraq and Other High Risk Areas"	Long Beach, CA
Jan 2005	WEB NOVA Chapter – The 7 Deadly Sins of International Benefits	Washington, DC
Jan 2005	Westchester SHRM Chapter – The 7 Deadly Sins of International Benefits	White Plains, NY
Nov 2004	SHRM Webinar – Going International: Steps Every Company Should Know	Internet Webcast
Oct 2004	HR Leaders Summit – Industry Thought Leader at three–day Conference	Palm Desert, CA
Oct 2004	National Foreign Trade Council – Meeting with members on "Insuring Iraq and Other High Risk Areas"	New York, NY
Sep 2004	N. Virginia HR Association – Meeting with HR executives to discuss the best cities for human capital in Europe.	Fairfax, VA
Jun 2004	Washington, D.C – Briefed group of government contractors on the issues concerning insuring employees in Iraq and other high risk areas	Washington, D.C.
May 2004	World at Work Conference – Awarded one of the four best articles written in WorkForce Magazine	Boston, MA
May 2004	IBF Conference – Moderator of Global Panel on Reducing Healthcare Costs	Fairfax, VA
Apr 2004	North Texas Compensation Association – "How to Spin Straw into International Compensation & Benefits Gold"	Dallas, TX
Mar 2004	SHRM Global Conference – Introduction to International Compensation & Benefits; four hours	Miami, FL
Feb 2004	IBF Conference on Controlling Healthcare Costs – Panelist for Global Healthcare issues	Marina del Rey, CA
Nov 2003	Society of Actuaries – Conference for Multinational Employers; member of panel on expatriates and also workshop leader on Asia/Pacific Pension plans	New York, NY
Nov 2003	Houston International HR Conf. – The 7 Deadly Sins of International Benefits	Houston, TX
Oct 2003	Participated as one of three Subject Matter Experts for SHRM's new Global Learning System	Washington, DC
May 2003	Achieved status on the SHRM Speaker Directory: Each presenter has been ranked a 3.50 or better on a 4-point scale (with 4 representing a perfect score)	Virginia
Oct 2003	Southwest HR Conference – Spinning Int'l Comp & Benefits into Gold	Dallas, TX
Oct 2003	Virginia Global HR Conference – Spinning Int'l Comp & Benefits into Gold	Falls Church, VA
Apr 2003	UCLA Workshop on Int'l HR	Los Angeles, CA
Apr 2003	World at Work Annual Conference – Introduction to International Compensation & Benefits	San Diego, CA
Mar 2003	SHRM Global Conference – Introduction to International Compensation & Benefits; 4 hrs	Los Angeles, CA
Mar 2003	Segal/Sibson Seminar – Preserving Your Bottom Line	Los Angeles, CA
Feb 2003	IBIS Institute – Presentation on International Pension plans	Brussels, Belgium
Feb 2003	NCHRA Conference – Up–to–date with International Benefits	San Jose, CA
Publication Feb 2003	Workspan (magazine of World at Work) – Finding a Path to Global Benefits	US Nationwide publication
Sep 2002	Annual Conference for HR Assn. of Northern California: "Align Technology's Experience in Doing Business in International Markets, an HR perspective." Presented by Richard Polak and Jo–Ann Byrne, Dir. of HR at Align Technology	Oakland, CA
Jun 2002	"Key Note speaker": HR Assn. of the Midlands plus technical sessions on "Global Team Development and Intercultural Training"	Omaha, Nebraska
Publication: May 2002	Compensation & Benefits Management Magazine: Retirement Programs for Cross Border Transfers	US Nationwide publication
May 2002	Annual IBIS Conference: "International Hybrid Pension Plans"	Prague, Czech Republic
Feb 2002	Continuing Education class for Silicon Valley Health Insurers Assn: "Insuring Local Nationals"	San Jose, CA
Publication: Jun 2002	NYU School of Law: "Cross Border Transfers" – Chapter on Pension Plans	Publication
Nov 2001	WIPA: "Doing Business in New Markets"	San Francisco, CA
Feb 2001	ORC Roundtable: "Benefit programs for Global employees"	Scottsdale, AZ
Mar 2001	SHRM & University of Dallas Graduate School Presentation: "Insuring Local Nationals"	Dallas & Houston
May 2001	NYU School of Law: Conf. Of Cross Border Human Resources issues: "Cross Border Pension Plans"	New York, NY
Sep 2000	Named "Who's Who of American Executives"	Washington, DC
Jul 2000	International Labor Organization annual meeting: "Worldwide Retirement Plans" to members of over 40 countries	Geneva, Switzerland
May 2000	Bulgaria: National Conf. on Pension Reform: "Social Security Systems Around the World"	Sofia, Bulgaria
Jun 2000	Western International Personnel Association: "Worldwide Retirement Benefits"	SF, CA & LA, CA
Apr 2000	Los Angeles Comp & Benefits Assn.: (LACABA) "Design International Compensation and Benefit Programs"	Los Angeles, CA

Frank Monsma
Executive VP, Marketing
+31 455 717 490

Frank Monsma is currently head of marketing for IBIS Advisors. He is located in The Netherlands and joined IBIS after 36 years with ING. Prior to joining IBIS, Mr. Monsma was Regional Director of Sales for Nationale-Nederlanden (before the ING merger), one of Europe’s largest Life Insurance companies, where he was responsible for managing 200 employees/agents with sales in excess of $200 million premium. He was so successful he was asked to head the Product Management & Advertising department. His responsibilities included promoting and supporting sales campaigns, product development, national advertising (radio / tv/ news papers, magazines etc.). He was in charge of a budget of $10 million with a staff of 45 employees. After the merger between the bank and the insurer, when "ING" was formed, Mr. Monsma position was to develop, build and manage international relationships between ING and large financial institutions (mainly banks and insurers). In addition, he set up two companies for ING aimed at servicing small to medium sized enterprises with financial products (financial planning and consultancy services).

Melissa Ruchhoeft, J.D.
Technical Unit Manager
+1.323.954.7000

Melissa Ruchhoeft is a lawyer and heads the Technical Unit at IBIS Advisors. Over the last seven years, she has concentrated on Employment, Benefits, Legal, and Expatriate issues at IBIS while working with companies in numerous industries. Melissa has performed multinational pooling studies and multi-country policy comparisons, conducted benefits reviews, and consulted and conducted studies on the design and implementation of pension and benefits programs for local nationals, third country nationals, and expatriates. Melissa also produces Country Reference Manuals, custom surveys, International Assignment policies, Handbooks, Work Rules, and other communication and administrative documents.

Melissa has implemented several total set-up solutions for companies; in one instance, she helped a company establish legal entities, employment contracts, benefits and compensation designs and implementation, and payroll in 11 countries simultaneously.

Ms. Ruchhoeft joined IBIS after leaving a legal career. Melissa spent several years with Chrysalis Management Group, a financial consulting firm, where she performed compliance work involving local, state, and federal licensure, tax, and banking. Melissa holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Wellesley College and a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Keith J. Goodell, FSA
International Pension Actuary
+1.860.657.1093

Keith joined IBIS Advisors with 30 years of actuarial experience in the retirement benefits field, including a focus on international benefits in the last 20 years. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA). He graduated with a BA from Hiram College in Ohio.

His employment history includes a variety of actuarial assignments in a large insurance company, employment as the manager of actuarial services for a Fortune 50 company with major international operations, and working in consulting firms, including managing his own consulting firm prior to joining IBIS Advisors.

This work experience afforded exposure to benefits structures and financing arrangements in a broad range of countries. Keith regularly assists clients in education about international benefits practices and measurement of retirement benefit obligations. Using his broad experience, he helps clients bridge the communication gap about employee benefits between local country managers and US HQ benefits managers.

Nicholas Dobelbower, Ph.D.
Senior Editor
+1.323.954.7000

Nick Dobelbower manages the research and editorial department of IBIS Advisors. He directly oversees the production of IBIS Country Profiles and the IBIS e-Visor monthly news and compliance alerts system.

Prior to joining IBIS Advisors, Nick Dobelbower worked as a consultant and editor at the OECD in Paris. He also had an academic career, teaching Literature and Critical Theory at Duke University, Bucknell University, and Macalester College. He holds a B.A. from George Washington University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Duke University in European Literature and Languages.

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