A Bethesda, Md.-based agency has stepped up its agent recruitment efforts, part of a national effort to boost the ranks of agents working for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co.

The Washington Group, a MassMutual agency, has begun offering “significant incentives to attract top financial services professionals,” the agency said in a statement. The company has agents throughout Maryland.

“We’re recruiting dozens of new agents right now and we’re working hard to attract top talent,” said Scott Rich, vice president of field force development for MassMutual.

MassMutual says it set a record in the first quarter, with 470 financial services professionals joining the insurance-based financial services firm nationally.

MassMutual agencies from New York to Virginia have been among those successful at recruiting during the first quarter, company officials said.
Among those new recruits are 138 from the mid-Atlantic region, including 71 in New York, 33 in Virginia, 16 in Pennsylvania, 11 in Maryland and seven in New Jersey, according to a spokeswoman.

Jim Van Eperen

Overall, the company’s sales force grew by 24% over the last three years, Rich said.

Incentives include MassMutual paying the tuition and fees for agents who earn industry designations and college degrees, up to and including a Masters of Science Degree in Financial Services.

Jim Van Eperen, general agent of The Washington Group, also is offering office space, product specialists, marketing and administrative staff support and utilities to agents as they build their financial service practice at his agency.

Eligible agents also receive an income subsidy for up to three years.

MassMutual also offers a full match of annual Social Security & Medicare contributions, performance-based incentive compensation, and bonuses and awards, the company said.