PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 13, 2026--
Reliance Matrix, an employee benefits and absence management leader, has announced James Huebner has been promoted to Vice President of Client Management. In this role, Huebner will advance the company’s enterprise-wide Customer Experience (CX) strategy, driving innovation and consistency across its national service and account management organization.
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With responsibility for more than 150 team members nationwide, Huebner will focus on enhancing client satisfaction, strengthening relationships, and improving retention through a unified approach to service excellence. His leadership marks a significant investment by Reliance Matrix in delivering a differentiated, customer-centric experience for brokers, employers, and employees alike.
“Jim has been instrumental in shaping how we engage with clients and partners,” said Todd Elliott, Senior Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer. “His deep understanding of our business and relentless commitment to service make him the ideal leader to advance our CX strategy and elevate the experience for every stakeholder.”
Huebner joined Reliance Matrix as a Senior Sales Representative in 2001, based in the New York City sales office. He left the organization in 2008, returning in 2015 as the company’s Disability and Absence Practice Leader for the Northeast US Region. Huebner’s unique achievements have earned him recognition as a member of the Reliance Matrix President’s Panel, as well as the prestigious global Tokio Marine award, conveyed for values-based performance across stakeholder groups.
“Jim brings decades of consultative expertise, a proven ability to solve complex challenges, and a passion for aligning teams to achieve outcomes that matter most to employers, brokers, and employees,” Elliott said. “In an industry increasingly defined by speed and automation, he has consistently promoted human interaction, accountability and trust – hallmarks we believe represent our unique value and approach to the market.”
About Reliance Matrix
Reliance Matrix delivers employee benefit, absence management, and workforce productivity solutions through the financial stability of a top-rated insurance carrier, the proven innovation of an absence TPA, and the daily commitment of thousands of team members across America.
Reliance Matrix is a member of the Tokio Marine Group. Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc., the ultimate holding company of the Tokio Marine Group, is incorporated in Japan and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The Tokio Marine Group operates in the property and casualty insurance, reinsurance, and life insurance sectors globally.
Reliance Matrix is a branding name. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company (Home Office Schaumburg, IL) is licensed in all states (except New York), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. Absence services are provided by Matrix Absence Management, Inc. Product features and availability may vary by state.
Jim Huebner, Vice President Client Management, Reliance Matrix
WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation cooled a bit last month as prices for gas and used cars fell, a sign that stubbornly elevated cost pressures are slowly easing.
Consumer prices rose 0.3% in December from the prior month, the Labor Department said Tuesday, the same as in November. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.2%, also matching November's figure. Increases at that pace, over time, would bring inflation closer to the Federal Reserve's target of 2%.
Many economists had expected inflation to jump last month as the government resumed normal data collection after the six-week shutdown last fall, so the modest increases that matched the November figures came as a relief. The price of manufactured goods was flat in December, a sign that the impact of tariffs may be starting to fade.
“Distortions caused by the government shutdown have made the inflation data harder to interpret, but the recent run of figures suggests inflation has peaked,” Michael Pearce, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, wrote in a note to clients.
Signs that inflation is cooling could make it more likely that the Federal Reserve will reduce its key interest rate later this year, which could translate into lower borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards.
Even so, the large price increases in recent years for necessities such as groceries, rent, and utilities have left many American households feeling squeezed, turning “affordability” issues into high-profile political concerns. Food prices have jumped about 25% since the pandemic.
President Donald Trump, stung by last year's election results that suggested voters are souring on his handling of the economy, has responded with an array of initiatives intended to address rising costs, including a proposed ban on Wall Street firms buying homes, a 10% cap on credit card interest rates, and the suspension of many tariffs on imported foods, such as coffee and pasta.
Tuesday's report is the first clear measure of inflation since September. The six-week government shutdown last fall suspended the collection of price data used to compile the inflation rate, and the government didn't issue a report in October and November's figures were partially distorted by the impact of the closure.
Most prices in November were collected in the second half of the month, after the government reopened, when holiday discounts kicked in, which may have biased November inflation lower. And since rental prices weren’t fully collected in October, the agency that prepares the inflation reports used placeholder estimates in November, that may have biased prices lower, economists said.
Still, Tuesday's report suggested that inflation didn't change even with newer, more comprehensive figures. Consumer prices rose 2.7% in December, compared with a year ago, the same figure as November, while core prices increased 2.6% from a year earlier, also unchanged.
Inflation has come down significantly from the four-decade peak of 9.1% that it reached in June 2022, but it has been stubbornly close to 3% since late 2023. The cost of necessities such as groceries is about 25% higher than it was before the pandemic, and other necessities such as rent and clothing have also gotten more expensive, fueling dissatisfaction with the economy that both President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden have sought to address, though with limited success.
The Federal Reserve has struggled to balance its goal of fighting inflation by keeping borrowing costs high, while also supporting hiring by cutting interest rates when unemployment worsens. As long as inflation remains above its target of 2%, the Fed will likely be reluctant to cut rates much more.
The Fed reduced its key rate by a quarter-point in December, but Chair Jerome Powell, at a press conference explaining its decision, said the Fed would probably hold off on further cuts to see how the economy evolves.
Trump, meanwhile, has harshly criticized the Fed for not cutting its key short-term rate more sharply, a move he has said would reduce mortgage rates and the government's borrowing costs for its huge debt pile. Yet the Fed doesn't directly control mortgage rates, which are set by financial markets.
In a move that cast a shadow over the ability of the Fed to fight inflation in the future, the Department of Justice served the central bank last Friday with subpoenas related to Powell's congressional testimony in June about a $2.5 billion renovation of two Fed office buildings. Trump administration officials have suggested that Powell either lied about changes to the building or altered plans in ways that are inconsistent with those approved by planning commissions.
In a blunt response, Powell said Sunday those claims were “pretexts” for an effort by the White House to assert more control over the Fed.
“The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President,” Powell said.
FILE -American Giant clothing is displayed at the company's showroom in San Francisco, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
FILE -A cashier rings up groceries in Dallas, Aug. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
