Company Overview | Empyrean Benefit Solutions

Richard Wolfe co-founded Empyrean in 2006, building on his over 20 years of senior-level management expertise in HR outsourcing. Previously serving as Empyrean’s Chief Operating Officer, Richard took over as CEO in 2011, and brings a wealth of expertise in business process outsourcing, benefits administration, and systems implementation from his experience working with some of the largest firms in the industry.

Prior to founding Empyrean, Richard was Senior Director for outsourcing firm Synhrgy HR Technologies, where he provided business operation and product development leadership. Synhrgy was later acquired by Mercer, where Richard served as Senior Operations Director and Principal, responsible for solution architecture and service delivery to large outsourcing clients. Richard also served as Senior Implementation Manager at Hewitt, implementing outsourcing services for large clients.

Richard has been named an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist three years in a row, was recognized as one of Employee Benefit News’ Technology Innovators (2017), and was listed as one of Employee Benefit Adviser’s Top Benefit IT Power Players (2016).

Richard earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance and Economics from The University of Pittsburgh.

Colleen Waymel | Chief Operating Officer

Colleen Waymel brings over 30 years of expertise in leveraging outsourcing solutions to help organizations achieve strategic benefit goals. As Empyrean’s COO since 2011, she focuses on enhancing client satisfaction, driving growth, and scaling operations while launching new products and services. Previously, Colleen held senior roles at Aon Hewitt, where she led teams, implemented best practices, and delivered outsourcing solutions across various industries.

Jim Priebe | Chief Strategy Officer

Jim leads Empyrean’s Sales, Marketing, and Product teams, driving solutions that simplify benefits and enrich lives. With 30 years of experience in the employee benefits industry, Jim has developed successful market solutions, new businesses, and product lines, reflecting his commitment to streamlining and educating all users of the insurance and benefits ecosystem. He's also played key roles in shaping legislative change at both state and federal levels. Before joining Empyrean, Jim held executive roles at Bloom Health, UnitedHealth Group (Optum), Mayo Clinic, and Acclaris.

Trey Noel | Chief Financial Officer

Trey oversees Empyrean’s finance and accounting strategies as Chief Financial Officer, leveraging 25 years of experience across consumer goods, medical devices, and healthcare. Before joining Empyrean in 2016, Trey served as CFO and Head of Operations at NextGxDx, leading capital raises, organizational development, and service delivery. He also held senior roles at McKesson, managing pharmaceutical relationships, federal vaccine programs, and supply chain operations.

Keith Wilson | Chief Client Officer

Keith Wilson leads Empyrean’s Client Experience team, ensuring a seamless, service-first journey for clients from onboarding through the entire relationship. Acting as a client advocate, he brings their feedback to inform executive decisions, fostering a unified approach across all interactions to build strong market relationships. With over 20 years of expertise in operations management, Keith’s career spans implementations, administration operations, corporate strategy, and channel partner development.

Kelly L. Clark | Chief Information & Technology Officer

Kelly Clark, Chief Information & Technology Officer, leads Empyrean’s strategic technology innovation initiatives, providing the strategic vision for digital transformation across the organization. For over two decades, Kelly has been a proven technology leader in the HR and employee benefits space, driving business transformation through IT modernization while improving people and process knowledge. His collaborative mindset and philosophies have enabled him to build high-performing teams, achieve alignment across business groups, and develop strategic relationships that elevate brands. Prior to joining the Empyrean team, Kelly held several c-level positions at organizations like Maximus, OptumHealth, and OptumHealth Financial Services, and most recently served as the Chief Information & Digital Office at Alight Solutions. There, he led digital transformation to solve highly complex business needs while improving technology capabilities and overall operational excellence.

Karen Bailey, JD | Compliance Officer

Karen Bailey serves as Empyrean’s Compliance Officer, ensuring all Empyrean solutions and services adhere fully with the legal landscape governing health and welfare benefits. Karen’s responsibilities include HIPAA privacy and security matters, contracting, and general legal and compliance support for Empyrean’s teams. She also provides consulting services to Empyrean clients regarding health and welfare compliance matters. Karen joined Empyrean with over a decade of experience managing regulations in health and welfare benefits. Her previous experience includes serving as General Counsel/ERISA attorney for Hewitt Associates, managing legal outsourcing delivery for defined contribution, defined benefits, and health and welfare practice areas. Karen also served as Health and Welfare Requirements Consultant at Hewitt and Health and Welfare Domain Manager at Aon Hewitt. Karen holds a Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where she was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award.

Angel Seufert | Executive VP, Human Resources

Angel Seufert leads Empyrean's strategic and administrative HR function as Executive Vice President, Human Resources. She leads the charge at identifying and developing people-centric strategics, programs, and systems that support Empyrean employees both inside and outside of work. Angel's diverse HR experience spans total rewards, L&D, and HR systems and technology. She began as a Benefits Administrator at Smart Online, Inc. and ExxonMobil before spending six years as Manager of Flexible Employee Benefits at SCL Health, a 24,000-employee healthcare system. Throughout her time at Empyrean, Angel's increasing responsibilities have given her valuable insight and institutional knowledge, enhancing her leadership. She is an Empyrean thought leader and regularly serves as a subject matter expert in the areas of benefits, compensation, talent management, compliance, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Angel earned an M.S.M. from Baker University.

About Empyrean

Company Snapshot

Company Snapshot

Our Mission:
Connecting Benefits, Enriching Lives