About Us

We’re BuddyIns, a community of experts who are on a mission to help people understand their long term care planning options.

Our Story

More than ten percent of the U.S. population is caring for a family member who is in the midst of a health crisis. It can be one of the most stressful life events and often leaves the caregiver and the person in need of care with an enormous financial burden.

We are real people who are passionate about long term care planning. Why? Because we’ve been there. Some of us have watched loved ones become caregivers. Some of us have become caregivers of loved ones. Some of us have heard stories from clients who have cared for loved ones, and don’t want to place that burden on their families. We understand that every situation is unique when it comes to planning for extended care.

We’ll answer your questions, help you weigh your options, and give you the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family.

A Note From BuddyIns CEO

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As an actuary, I have seen the sobering long term care statistics. As an agent and someone who works with long term care specialists, I have seen the real-world scenarios play out in many families, including my own – with widely different outcomes.

The one thing that makes the biggest positive difference is having an actual long term care plan in place. That’s why I started BuddyIns. I wanted my friends and family to find some peace of mind through a personalized plan that helps them secure their financial futures.

I hope you’ll take a moment to view this short video that explains why I believe so passionately about having a plan, then consider what it would be like to activate your own long term care plan.

All of us at BuddyIns are here to cheer you on and make sure that you have the information and tools that you need to make the best decision for you and your family.

Welcome to BuddyIns!

- Marc Glickman, CEO

Our Mission and Purpose

Our company is dedicated to the 50+ million family caregivers providing extended care to a loved one.

Those aren’t just words. It’s a shared purpose based on real-life experiences. Our mission is to educate people in a community environment and connect those looking to implement an LTC plan with our specialist partners.

Education & Honesty

We respect relationships and have found that the best experience stems from a transparent process. We believe it is important for everyone to understand what they are buying and why they are buying it.

Service & Value

We carefully evaluate each client’s situation then apply a value-based approach to every planning opportunity. With LTCi, the true value is derived from weighing overall cost versus the benefit of the LTC plan. Our expertise is provided at no additional cost. Clients can rest easy knowing that they have a team of specialists looking out for their best interest.

Teamwork & Accountability

We believe in a team-based approach, both internally and externally. Our partners and community members each bring a unique expertise and they work collaboratively to provide a better experience and outcomes for clients.

BuddyIns Leadership Team

We invite you to meet the unique individuals who make up our team here at BuddyIns. Bringing together diverse backgrounds, unique skill sets, and common core values and principles, we collaborate to provide more predictable, successful outcomes for our clients, community partners, and specialists.

Marc Glickman, FSA, CLTC, CEO and co-founder of BuddyIns. Marc is a speaker, author, and influencer on LTC insurance. As an actuary, Marc has served as the Chief Investment Officer and Chief Sales Officer for a major LTC insurance company and helped design several long-term care insurance products. Marc earned his degree in economics from Yale University. In 2019, was named one of the top 20 innovators in the insurance brokerage space.

Gretchen Barry, CMO, is instrumental in shaping the company's identity as a leading LTCi education, marketing, sales, and technology company. With over 20 years of experience in marketing leadership across financial services and tech start-ups, Gretchen brings a wealth of expertise and passion to her work. She oversees a diverse and talented team that delivers innovative and effective solutions for BuddyIns' clients and partners.

Sandy Dougherty, Virtual COO, leads BuddyIns’ systems development. As a former operations executive with OneAmerica Insurance Company, Sandy’s experience gives her the unique perspective of understanding both the needs of the field and the constraints of the corporate office. Sandy is also host of the “Beyond the Challenge,” a podcast that features insurance executives discussing the opportunities and challenges facing the insurance industry.

Sharada Glickman, FSA, CFO, and co-founder of BuddyIns, is an actuary who wears multiple hats, including finance, licensing, managing legal requirements, and taxes. Sharada also acts as the corporate secretary and helps to manage the day-to-day operations of the business. Sharada is an accomplished musician and serves as principal saxophone in the Los Angeles Symphonic Winds.

Jason Dutra, Director of Partner Success, shares the tools and processes that each partner needs to make their experience with BuddyIns a positive one. As a LTC insurance specialist, Jason’s experience and vital interaction with partners are often some of the first impressions of BuddyIns, so he approaches the hybrid role of tech innovator and onboarding advisor as a privilege.

BuddyIns Strategic Partners

Wendy Boglioli, National Account Executive, Olympic gold medalist, U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame inductee, and featured speaker. Wendy’s positive message and riveting personal story encourage everyone to take a holistic approach to their physical and financial outlook. As a BuddyIns national account executive, Wendy focuses on educating consumers and agents about the power of creating a long-term care plan.

Petar Vukasinovic, Virtual CTO, CEO and Founder of Agilno. Petar has over 10 years of experience building custom software that is highly scalable, data-driven, and using cutting-edge technologies. His personal goal is to lead high-impact teams of smart engineers and project managers delivering successful products that customers are genuinely excited about. Petar’s team helped build BuddyIns’ broker sales tools and training platform.

Surya Jakhotia, Virtual CTO, CEO and Founder of Uniblox. Surya has experience in building carrier-enabled systems for group and individual insurance solutions. Surya has over 15 years of experience building scalable distributed systems, big data analytics, and enterprise software. Surya is passionate about delighting customers through the power of software. Surya’s team helped build BuddyIns’ carrier-enabled enrollment platform.

Joe Filipanko, Marketing Consultant, is one of the company’s key marketing team members focused on creating compelling content for varied audiences. Joe is skilled in a variety of digital tools that bring marketing ideas to life. With a passion for producing collateral that delights, Joe continues to lead BuddyIns in its mission to expand the information available through the BuddyIns community.