Headquarters:

1150 Locust Street, Suite 101, Des Moines, IA 50309

Year founded:

1995

Number of employees:

922

Phone:

888 647 1371

Email:

sales@american-equity.com

Website:

american-equity.com

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/american-equity

Aaron Boushek

Chief Financial Officer

Alex Locke

Chief Product Officer

Curtis Lawhorn

Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer

Leadership

Aaron Boushek, CPA, joined American Equity in 2017 and currently serves as chief financial officer. Prior to joining the company, he worked for 14 years as a senior manager with Ernst & Young, where he performed audit and advisory work for clients in the insurance and financial services sectors. He received his bachelor’s degree in accounting and economics from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN.

Chief Financial Officer

Aaron Boushek

Alex Locke, chief product officer for American Equity, sets the competitive product strategy for in-force and new business to help achieve product profitability and risk metrics. He also determines strategies and executes tactics to meet the company’s cost-of-funds goals for in-force and new business, driving the organization’s free cash flow. He previously worked at Brookfield Wealth Solutions’ North End Re entity in the Cayman Islands as Actuarial Director for Pricing. Locke holds a master’s degree in actuarial science from Cass Business School and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Leeds, both in the UK.

Chief Product Officer

Alex Locke

Curtis Lawhorn is the senior vice president and chief technology officer at American Equity, leading the company’s technology strategy, execution, and modernization to support growth and operational excellence. He oversees enterprise technology, including architecture, development, infrastructure, security, data, and project management. He plays a key leadership role in modernizing core platforms, enabling scalable distribution capabilities, and strengthening execution discipline across the technology organization. Lawhorn’s focus is on delivering stable, secure, and scalable solutions that support both near-term business outcomes and long-term strategic objectives. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems from Iowa State University.

Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer

Curtis Lawhorn

Daniel Biagini

Senior Vice President and Head of Independent Sales

Daniel Biagini is senior vice president and head of independent sales for American Equity. He leads the annuity team, focusing on strategic growth targets. Driven by innovation and adaptability, he takes pride in helping financial professionals and industry partners realize growth opportunities in their businesses. A financial services executive with more than 15 years of industry success, Biagini has held multiple leadership roles in the insurance and asset management industries. He graduated with a double major, earning a Bachelor of Science in real estate and a Bachelor of Arts in business from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN.

Senior Vice President and Head of Independent Sales

Daniel Biagini

Jeff Lorenzen

President and Chief Executive Officer

Jeff Lorenzen, CFA, is President and CEO of American Equity. With more than 30 years of experience across the investment and life insurance industries, he has a strong record of executive leadership. He joined American Equity in 2009 and previously served as chief investment officer. He also served as executive vice president and chief risk officer, where he was instrumental in the company’s strategic and financial direction. Lorenzen received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from the University of Iowa, his Master of Business Administration degree from Drake University, and earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Jeff Lorenzen

Jeff Varisco

Senior Vice President and President of Annuity Operations

Shari Wood

Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer

Tara Banks

General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Pam Chhabra

Manager – Residential Strata

Jeff Varisco is senior vice president of annuity operations at American Equity. In this role, he partners with financial professionals to help clients access a comprehensive range of annuity product solutions. He has been with the company for nearly 15 years and leads its operational teams. Varisco earned his undergraduate degree from Upper Iowa University and holds both a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Financial Management from Drake University. He also holds several industry-related designations and has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry.

Senior Vice President and President of Annuity Operations

Jeff Varisco

Shari Wood is executive vice president and chief administrative officer at American Equity. She manages the company’s administrative functions, including oversight of facilities, human resources, marketing, community affairs, charitable giving, internal and external communications, and corporate and employee events. She joined American Equity in 2016 and previously served as chief of staff, collaborating with the executive leadership team, overseeing strategic business initiatives, and driving special projects. Wood also worked closely with the board of directors, focusing on corporate governance matters and board support. He graduated from Drake University with a bachelor’s degree in law and politics.

Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer

Shari Wood

Tara Banks is general counsel and corporate secretary at American Equity. As a member of the company’s executive leadership team, her responsibilities include legal, regulatory, and compliance support for sales and distribution, product, and operations. She leads the legal and compliance teams and works in partnership with leaders of affiliated companies on legal and compliance matters. Banks maintains an advisory role for all business and legal aspects related to employment, contracts, and corporate governance matters. She received her Juris Doctor from Drake University Law School and her bachelor’s degree from Simpson College.

General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Tara Banks

Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager. As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.

Commercial Manager

Stephen McMillan

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American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company: protecting and building retirement income

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Adam Basaldella

Manager – Claims

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Claire Watson

Commercial Manager

Stephen McMillan

“If we focus on our talent, then we know our clients will feel the RPS difference and choose us as their first call every time”

Adam Mazan, Risk Placement Services

“Our associates are our number one audience for engagement and support”

Adam Mazan, Risk Placement Services

Ivan Verescuk

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

Shaun O’Brien

Head of Underwriting

Emily Walker

Head of Strata and Development

Rex Oakman

Head of Operations and Risk

Sandy Newton

Head of Underwriting

Andrew Mitchell

Manager – NSW

Michael Prokopis

Manager – Southern Region

Pam Chhabra

Manager – Residential Strata

Jeffrey Valdivia

Manager – Commercial Strata

Adam Basaldella

Manager – Claims

American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company is a leading annuity provider headquartered in Des Moines, IA, focused on helping Americans protect, grow, and sustain their retirement income. Founded in the mid-1990s by industry veteran David Noble, the firm was created to address a clear gap in the market. Many large carriers had moved away from personal service and straightforward, customer-focused products. At the same time, individuals were being asked to take on more responsibility for their own retirement outcomes. Noble set out to build a company that paired simple, guarantee-oriented annuities with a culture that treated contract owners and advisers as long-term partners rather than one-time transactions. From day one, the firm’s mission has been to provide contractually guaranteed solutions that help clients protect principal, grow assets prudently, and secure income they cannot outlive. That focus has shaped its emphasis on fixed index annuities, alongside fixed and immediate annuities, as practical tools for the central challenge facing the 401(k) generation: turning accumulated savings into sustainable, tax-deferred income in the face of market volatility, longer lifespans, and shrinking access to traditional pensions. Its products are not designed to replace market investments. They are built to sit alongside them, buffering downside risk while offering competitive, index-linked growth potential. What sets American Equity apart is its commitment to long-term alignment with financial professionals and contract owners through a combination of product integrity and service excellence. The firm focuses on renewal rate integrity, structuring products so crediting terms remain competitive throughout the full surrender period, not just at issue, even if that means not offering the highest headline rate on any given day. Combined with a preference for clarity over complexity, including the use of broad, recognizable indices and a carefully selected range of rider features, this approach is designed to build transparency, trust, and confidence over the life of a contract. Equally important is the company’s commitment to delivering exceptional service through a combination of people and technology. Customer calls are answered in under 60 seconds, while financial professional calls are answered in an average of 30 seconds. Post-issue transactions are typically completed within 24 hours, and contracts submitted in good order are generally issued within 48 hours. Mobile-friendly self-service portals and the company’s MyApp platform, which features the EZ Suit pre-suitability tool, help streamline processes, reduce errors, and accelerate contract issuance, while AI-enabled service capabilities support representatives in delivering faster, more accurate assistance. Together, these capabilities help ensure financial professionals and contract owners receive responsive support and a seamless experience throughout the life of their contract. American Equity is strengthening its role as a retirement income partner in three key ways. First, it continues to refine fixed index annuity and income solutions that separate accumulation and payout phases, allowing clients to participate in index-linked growth potential while securing a protected income floor tailored to individual and joint spousal needs through lifetime income benefit riders. Second, the firm is investing in digital capabilities, including a next-generation eApplication platform, data-driven suitability tools, and AI-enabled service support, making annuities easier to explain, purchase, and manage. Third, it is responding to evolving demographic trends through enhanced education around the key risks clients face in retirement, including sequence-of-returns risk, longevity risk, and the need for reliable income once a regular paycheck ends. Financial strength and service remain central as the business has grown to support hundreds of thousands of retirements nationwide. The company and its insurance subsidiaries hold A-level financial strength ratings from AM Best, S&P Global, and Fitch, reflecting conservative balance sheet management and a focus on long-term obligations to contract owners. American Equity has also been recognized in independent rankings of trustworthy companies, reinforcing its identity as a specialist provider rather than a broad-line conglomerate.

“Our associates are our number one audience for engagement and support,” says president Adam Mazan. “If we focus on our talent, then we know our clients will feel the RPS difference and choose us as their first call every time.” The firm has built robust programs for early talent, including college internships and mentoring relationships. The learning and development (L&D) program at RPS is another cornerstone of its employee support system. Through tailored learning paths, associates are empowered to take charge of their careers, broaden their experiences and advance within the organization. RPS places a high value on employee retention, investing in the growth and training of all employees – from early career professionals to seasoned experts. This investment is not just about skills development, but about setting employees up for long, fulfilling careers within the firm. Employee satisfaction is continuously gauged, ensuring that the company remains responsive to the needs and aspirations of its workforce. For clients and partners, RPS is a strategic ally committed to delivering successful outcomes. The company’s professionals leverage their deep expertise to craft customized solutions, handling each risk with care and precision. This same commitment to excellence is reflected internally, where employees are supported, valued, and given every opportunity to succeed. By prioritizing the human element of the insurance business, RPS proves that a company’s strongest asset is not its portfolio, but the collective talent and morale of its people.

Product overview

American Equity offers a suite of fixed and fixed index annuities designed to help clients protect assets, grow retirement savings, and generate reliable income. The portfolio includes accumulation-focused products, income-focused solutions, and legacy-oriented strategies. Each product is designed to address client goals throughout the retirement journey.

Key features and capabilities

American Equity AssetShield fixed index annuities Accumulation-focused products designed to help clients secure growth opportunities while safeguarding retirement assets from market downturns through the following key benefits: Protect: Designed to help protect retirement savings from market downturns. These annuities offer protected index-linked growth potential. Principal is not directly invested in any stock or index, and money allocated to an index-linked crediting strategy cannot be lost due to index volatility, meaning assets have growth potential without having to wait for the underlying index to recover from a loss. Choices: Provides both bonus and non-bonus product options across multiple time horizons, including 5-, 7-, and 10-year surrender charge schedules. This range allows individuals to choose a product that aligns with their retirement timeline and accumulation goals. For clients seeking an immediate boost to assets, bonus products offer an increase applied to first-year premiums that vests over time according to a premium bonus vesting schedule. Opportunities: Offers access to a diversified selection of crediting strategies and indexes, creating multiple opportunities to pursue potential growth across different markets. With both bonus and non-bonus products, contract owners can choose from multiple index options and crediting strategies, allowing for tailored growth opportunities. American Equity IncomeShield fixed index annuities Income-focused products designed to help clients protect assets, build value predictably, and generate guaranteed income for life. The product offers the following features: Protect: Designed to help protect accumulation-focused clients’ hard-earned assets from index volatility, as the principal is not directly invested in the market and any credited interest is locked in. Build: Offers a fixed strategy and a variety of index options with multiple interest-crediting strategies, providing the potential for index-linked interest to help build contract value. On any contract anniversary, if interest credits result in a contract value that exceeds the Income Account Value, which is used to calculate lifetime income payments, the Income Account Value is increased to match the contract value.¹ Generate: The Lifetime Income Benefit Rider (LIBR) provides guaranteed income benefits for life, with payouts increasing the longer they are deferred. The LIBR is built into the annuity and carries an annual cost.² American Equity IncomeShield Bonus 10 offers a first-year premium bonus and guaranteed daily growth on the Income Account Value at a locked-in rate for either 10 or 20 years, as long as income is deferred. American Equity IncomeShield 10 provides guaranteed daily growth on the Income Account Value at a guaranteed rate for up to 10 years. Wellbeing benefit: Included with the LIBR, this benefit can increase income for up to five years if clients face unexpected health challenges. It can only be activated once after a two-year waiting period. The contract owner must be unable to perform two of six (seven in CA) ADLs and requires annual certification by a qualified physician. Enhanced benefit rider: Applied in the second year of the contract, this rider is automatically included at no additional cost for contract owners aged 75 and younger. If needed, it allows a one-time withdrawal of up to 100% of the contract value without penalty if the client is confined to a qualified care facility for a minimum of 90 days or is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Legacy benefit: In the event of death, the surviving owner or beneficiary receives the entire contract value without surrender charges. Different payout options are available. American Equity EstateShield fixed index annuities An income- and estate-focused product designed to help clients generate guaranteed lifetime income with a built-in LIBR while preserving value for beneficiaries through the following key benefits: Protect: Designed to help protect retirement income and legacy assets from market volatility. Assets are not directly invested in the market, so principal is protected from index losses, and any credited interest is locked in – helping preserve value for clients and beneficiaries through market cycles. Income: Provides guaranteed lifetime income through a built-in LIBR, included automatically at no additional cost. A first-year benefits account value (BAV) bonus and ongoing BAV multiplier are used to calculate income, creating the potential for income payments to grow over time. Income may begin after a 10-year deferral period and is guaranteed for life.³ A well-being benefit is included with the LIBR and can increase income for up to five years if clients face unexpected health challenges. This benefit can be activated only once after a 10-year waiting period. The contract owner must be unable to perform two of six (seven in CA) ADLs and requires annual certification by a qualified physician. Built to support intentional wealth transfer through enhanced death benefit options tied to the BAV. Beneficiaries may elect to receive legacy value as a lump sum or as a series of equal payments over five years, potentially increasing the amount passed on compared with the base contract benefit. ¹ Income account value is used only to calculate lifetime income. It is not part of the underlying contract value and is not available as a lump-sum payment. ² Rider cost is calculated based on the income account value and deducted from the contract value on each contract anniversary as long as the rider is attached to the contract. ³ Benefits account value is used only to calculate income payments and/or the enhanced death benefit amount. It is not part of the underlying contract value and is not available for partial withdrawal or as a lump-sum payment.

Integrations

Connects seamlessly with leading custodians, wealth platforms, and technology providers, including Morningstar, Orion, Envestnet, UBS, Tamarac, SmartX, Pershing, Charles Schwab, Nitrogen, Archer, Advyzon, Clearwater Analytics, Telement, Intelliflo, and d1g1t.

A fixed index annuity is a long-term financial contract with an insurance company, where, in exchange for premium, the annuity guarantees a set of benefits.

How our product works

After-sales and customer services

American Equity supports financial professionals and their clients through a service model that combines personalized service with deep annuity expertise. Regional teams of internal and external wholesalers work closely with financial professionals to provide hands-on support, complemented by customer service and call center teams based in Des Moines, IA. This service experience is reinforced by modern digital capabilities designed to make doing business easier. The company’s next-generation application platform, MyApp, includes EZ Suit, a built-in pre-suitability feature that helps reduce errors and streamline the submission process. Combined with mobile-friendly self-service portals, these tools enable financial professionals and clients to efficiently manage transactions while maintaining access to live support when needed. For eligible partners, American Equity offers a dedicated Concierge Service program that provides a higher level of personalized support. Through this program, financial professionals work with a dedicated specialist who understands their business and helps deliver expedited service and tailored solutions for more complex needs. This additional layer of support enables financial professionals to operate more efficiently while enhancing the overall client experience.

sales@american-equity.com

Where industry knowledge meets enterprise architecture Born from over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, INTX emerged from the operational realities of underwriting, reinsurance, and insurance program management – combined with a dedicated software engineering team capable of translating those real-world challenges into modern platform architecture. Rather than starting as a technology experiment, the platform was developed as an enterprise system capable of supporting complex, multi-entity insurance organizations. Built by insurers for insurers, INTX reflects how insurance actually operates, where underwriting, capital management, accounting, accumulation monitoring, and compliance must function as a single coordinated system. The result? A system built from real industry experience, architected for scale across the global insurance market. Built by insurers for insurers, INTX was designed to reflect how insurance actually operates, where underwriting, capital management, accounting, accumulation monitoring, and compliance must function as a single coordinated system. Over time, this foundation evolved into what INTX defines as the InsurOS, a unified control layer designed to eliminate operating model fragmentation, reduce reinsurance leakage, and provide leadership with real-time visibility into financial and underwriting performance. These are areas where traditional policy administration systems were never designed to operate. INTX supports a wide range of organizations, including P&C carriers, MGAs, reinsurers, fronting insurers, program administrators, mutuals, captives, and organizations managing structural complexity across programs, jurisdictions, and capital providers. Integrated features for measurable impact Unlike traditional systems that separate underwriting operations from capital and financial management, INTX enables insurers to operate these functions within a unified environment, delivering measurable operational and financial impact, including: automated treaty allocation and recoverables 12,000–22,000 employee hours reclaimed annually reduced FTE dependency elimination of reinsurance leakage faster product launch velocity improved combined ratio performance through operational alignment deployment measured in weeks rather than years elimination of value and margin erosion caused by manual processes and layers INTX is AI-ready by design, enabling insurers to ingest and operationalize actuarial, compliance and client-specific models directly inside underwriting and claims workflows, not as external overlays. Looking ahead, INTX continues to focus on advancing the capabilities required for the next generation of insurance enterprises, including: advanced embedded AI and continuous learning capabilities expanding capital orchestration and reinsurance automation open-API ecosystem interoperability accelerating time-to-value through streamlined implementation models infrastructure designed for modern global insurance operations As insurers confront growing operational complexity, many are recognizing that fragmented legacy platforms can no longer support modern insurance economics. INTX was designed to solve that challenge by operating the entire insurance enterprise through a unified InsurOS.

Annuity contract and Rider(s) issued under form series for American Equity AssetShield fixed index annuities: ICC22 BASE-IDX-B, ICC24 BASE-IDX-B, ICC22 BASE-IDX, ICC22 IDX-11-10, ICC24 IDX-11-5, ICC22 IDX-10-10, ICC22 IDX-10-7, ICC22 IDX-10-5, ICC20 E-PTP-C, ICC20 E-MPTP-C, ICC20 E-PTP-PR, ICC24 E-BPT, ICC20 R-EBR, ICC20 R-ERR, 21 R-ERR, ICC16 R-MVA, ICC25 R-EBL; for American Equity IncomeShield fixed index annuities: ICC24 BASE-IDX-B, ICC23 BASE-IDX, ICC22 BASE-IDX, ICC24 IDX-11-10, ICC23 IDX-10-10, ICC22 IDX-10-7, ICC20 E-PTP-C, ICC20 E-PTP-PR, ICC20 E-MPTP-C, ICC24 E-BPT, ICC20 R-EBR, ICC16 R-MVA, ICC20 R-LIBR-FCP, ICC20 R-LIBR-FSP, ICC20 R-LIBR-W-FCP, ICC20 R-LIBR-W-FSP, ICC25 R-LIBR-W-FSP, ICC25 R-LIBR-W-FCP; for American Equity Estateshield 10 fixed index annuity: ICC21 BASE-IDX-MSP, ICC20 MSP-10, ICC20 E-PTP-C, ICC20 E-PTP-PR, ICC20 E-MPTP-C, ICC20 R-EBR, ICC16 R-MVA, ICC21 R-LIBR-W-BAV and state variations thereof. Availability may vary by product and state. For complete details, please see product-specific sales brochure(s) and disclosure(s). This material is for informational purposes only, and is not a recommendation to buy, sell, hold, or rollover any asset. It does not take into account the specific financial circumstances, investment objectives, risk tolerance, or needs of any specific person. In providing this information, American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company is not acting as your fiduciary as defined by the Department of Labor. American Equity does not offer legal, investment, or tax advice or make recommendations regarding insurance or investment products. Please consult a qualified professional. Surrender charges may apply to excess withdrawals that, in addition to the LIB payment, exceed the annual free withdrawal available under the contract. You may be subject to a 10% federal penalty if you make withdrawals before age 59 1/2. Important Disclosures Regarding Wellbeing Benefit in CA: The well-being benefit provided under this rider is not intended to provide, and will never provide, long-term care insurance, nursing home insurance, or home care insurance. If you are interested in long-term care or nursing home care insurance, you should consult with an insurance agent licensed to sell that insurance or visit the California Department of Insurance website (www.insurance.ca.gov) section regarding long-term care insurance. The well-being benefit is not a substitute for or comparable to long-term care insurance. If you are replacing existing long-term care insurance with this wellbeing benefit, you should first discuss the intended replacement with your long-term care or economic advisor. Possible interest credits for money allocated to an index-linked crediting strategy are based upon the performance of the specific index; however, fixed index annuities are not an investment, but an insurance product, and do not directly invest in the stock market or the index itself. Surrender charges may be higher in contracts with a premium bonus than in contracts without a premium bonus and may exceed the premium bonus. Caps and participation rates may also be lower in contracts with a premium bonus. Guarantees are based on the financial strength and claims-paying ability of American Equity and are not guaranteed by any bank or insured by the FDIC. A.M. Best has assigned American Equity an “A” (Excellent) rating, reflecting their current opinion of American Equity’s financial strength and its ability to meet its ongoing contractual obligations relative to the norms of the life/health insurance industry. A.M. Best utilizes 15 rating categories ranging from A++ to F. An “A” rating from A.M. Best is its third highest rating. For the latest rating, access ambest.com. Rating effective 11/27/2024. Standard and Poor’s rating service has recognized American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company with an “A” rating. An insurer rated “A” has strong financial security characteristics, but is somewhat more likely to be affected by adverse effects of changing circumstances or economic conditions than are insurers with higher ratings. Ratings from ‘AA’ to ‘CCC’ may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories. Rating effective 5/6/2024. Fitch Ratings assigned American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company an Insurer Financial Strength rating of “A”. Fitch Ratings utilizes 19 rating categories ranging from “AAA” to “C.” An “A” rating is the sixth highest rating. An insurer with an “A” rating is considered to have a strong capacity for payment of financial commitments, but may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than insurers with higher ratings. Outlooks indicate the direction a rating is likely to move over a one- to two-year period if current financial or other trends continue. For more information, please visit fitchratings.com. Rating effective 7/18/2025.