CRISTIE SAMS
Clarksville
Summary
Senior Operations Specialist with a strong background in regulatory compliance and claims processing. Led audit readiness initiatives and educated teams on complex workflows, delivering high accuracy and fostering collaboration across departments to enhance operational efficiency and client retention.
Overview
1
1
Certification
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Operations Specialist
Mutual of America
Boca Raton
01.2021 - Current
- Acted as the primary escalation point for executive leadership, swiftly resolving complex operational issues and high-risk client matters.
- Acted as the cross-departmental subject matter expert (SME), educating internal teams on end-to-end claims workflows, systems, and system updates.
- Managed strict SLAs and ensured regulatory compliance while earning trust of senior leadership.
- Oversaw annual audit readiness as primary liaison to internal and external auditors for compliance documentation.
- Prepared, compiled, and delivered annual audit materials to facilitate thorough review.
Processing Center Supervisor | Manager
Mutual of America
Boca Raton
01.2017 - 01.2021
- Steered operations through major organizational restructuring and the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining uninterrupted transaction processing, team stability, and 100% regulatory compliance.
- Managed end-to-end processing of company claims and financial transactions, ensuring regulatory compliance and data accuracy across all operations.
- Led a core team of 10 specialists in executing daily claims and financial transactions, fostering high accuracy, accountability, and team productivity.
- De-escalated sensitive processing disputes with clients, providing swift, policy-compliant resolutions within established timeframes.
Second Vice President | Regional Service Manager
Mutual of America
Florence
01.2008 - 01.2017
- Oversaw end-to-end delivery of client retirement services for regional territory, optimizing account management processes to enhance client satisfaction and retention.
- Directed withdrawal administration, regulatory updates, and client training—driving high client retention and operational precision.
- Conducted regular on-site client consultations to guide HR and benefits administrators through complex plan requirements, policy changes, system training and ongoing operational management.
- Coordinated translation of retirement plan document parameters, ensuring operational alignment with plan specifications and supporting IRS filings and testing requirements for client HR administrators and plan sponsors.
Correspondent | Senior Correspondent
Mutual of America
Florence
01.2001 - 01.2008
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Art History
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH06-1999
Skills
- Regulatory Compliance
- Claims Processing
- Retirement Operations Management
- Audit management
- Operational Documentation
- Process improvement
- Workflow management
- Client relationship management
- Cross-functional team leadership
- Training development
- Problem solving
Certification
- FINRA Series 6 license
- Life & Health Insurance license
Accomplishments
- Streamlined operational workflows and procedures, significantly improving turnaround times and maintaining accuracy within strict SLA environments.
- Mastered newly implemented organization-wide software and developed cross-departmental training programs to ensure seamless transition and adoption.
- Played a key role in driving client retention by ensuring retirement plans strictly adhered to regulatory filings, testing standards, and compliance guidelines.
- Educated and guided client bases on critical plan amendments, emerging industry regulations, and custom plan requirements.
- Managed end-to-end withdrawal processing, plan administration, and high-level escalations while maintaining top-tier customer satisfaction.
Technology And Systems
- Salesforce
- Payment Platforms, including OMNI DC, OMNI Pay, OMNI Workflow, OMNI Dben, Mid Atlantic Trust Company website
- OnBase
- OnDemand
- Plaid
- GIACT
- Accurint
- InContact
- SOVOS
- Twilio
Timeline
Senior Operations Specialist
Mutual of America
01.2021 - Current
Processing Center Supervisor | Manager
Mutual of America
01.2017 - 01.2021
Second Vice President | Regional Service Manager
Mutual of America
01.2008 - 01.2017
Correspondent | Senior Correspondent
Mutual of America
01.2001 - 01.2008
Bachelor of Arts - Art History
The Ohio State University