Meet Our Leadership Team

Brian J. Craig, LUTCF®, CLU®, ChFC®, FSCP®

Managing Partner

Brian began his career with New York Life as an agent in the Dallas General Office in 2009, where he frequently had a high case rate, achieved numerous awards, and he qualified for Executive Council two years in a row. 

After being promoted to Partner in 2012, Brian qualified for View From the Top in 2013, as well as Gathering of Eagles in 2013 & 2015.  Brian was promoted to Senior Partner in September 2015 and Managing Partner of the Montana General office in April 2016.  Under his leadership the Montana General Office won the New Org Retention Award in 2016 & 2017. 

In 2022 Brian was promoted to Corporate Vice President of the West Central Zone where he was responsible for coaching and developing Partners and helping General Offices achieve their goals.

Brian was promoted to his current role of Managing Partner of the Minnesota General Office in January 2024.  He looks forward to working with the team here to impact the communities in a positive way, and help grow this office into a Group 1 status within organization!

In his spare time Brian enjoys traveling, golf, concerts, and live sporting events.  His favorite teams are the San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants, LSU Tigers and Minnesota Wild.


John D. Garnett, MBA, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, MSFS, CAP

Corporate Vice President - Agency Standards

John D. Garnett is the Director of Agency Standards for the Minnesota, Wisconsin and Milwaukee General Offices of the New York Life Insurance Company.

Mr. Garnett began his career with New York Life in 1986 as an Agent & Registered Representative.  Over the years he has held various positions of increasing responsibility throughout the Agency Department.  Currently, he supervises roughly 160 agents, registered representatives, financial advisors and managers in their daily operations growing our business in key market segments, including the middle-income market, the advance (high-net-worth) market, select cultural markets and the women’s markets.

Mr. Garnett received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin, a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh and a Master’s of Science Financial Services from the American College.  Additionally, he has obtained the Chartered Life Underwriter, the Chartered Financial Consultant, the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy and the Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow designations.

Mr. Garnett holds life & health insurance licenses along with FINRA Series 7, 24, 51 and 63 registrations.

John, is married to his wife Mary Lou of 34 years.  They have 4 children and two grandchildren. They reside in Madison, Wisconsin.


Corrie A. Haux, CLU®, ChFC®, CLF®, CASL®, CAP®, LUTCF®
Director of Development

Corrie Haux is the Director of Development at the New York Life Insurance Minnesota General Office. He is responsible for the training and development of new agents and for facilitating advanced business and estate planning classes for the Minnesota General Office.

Corrie started his career with New York Life North Dakota General Office in July of 2000 as an agent after working the previous 5 years in the field of charitable giving. As an agent, he achieved Executive Council during his second year which opened the door to management opportunities within New York Life. Corrie has been a Sales Development Manager for New York Life Insurance since 2002. (North Dakota General Office 2002-2010 and Minnesota General Office 2010—Present) and has received several promotions during that time.

In addition to his duties here in the Minnesota General Office, he is one of a handful of Development Managers in our Company teach annually at New York Life’s national training center in Dallas.  Some of the courses that he has facilitated there are: the New York Life Career Development Conferences, New York Life Business Planning Graduate Path Capstone and Leaders for Life Conference. Corrie has obtained several professional designations including:  LUTCF®, CLTC®, CLU®, ChFC®, CASL®, CLF® and CAP® from The American College and a current member of Minnesota NAIFA.

One of the greatest rewards I have found in this career is the ability to help shape and guide our agents’ careers. During my tenure I have seen agents progress on to bigger and better goals in their New York Life careers. I have been fortunate to see agents in my GO’s achieved various goals:   Council levels and Million Dollar Round Table membership, five agent have gone on to become Managing Partners in other New York Life General Office, six additional agents became Partners and four have become Sales Development Manager in other New York Life General Office. It has been a pleasure for me to help these individuals pursue and attain their goals. Corrie is married to Michelle and resides in Bloomington, MN. They have two wonderful children, Alayna and Gregory.


Benjamin Eby

Partner

Ben, a seasoned financial professional, embarked on his career journey with New York Life in 2022, assuming the role of Registered Representative at the Minnesota General Office. Demonstrating a steadfast commitment to financial well-being, Ben crafted a comprehensive planning model tailored to the unique needs of nearly 175 clients, with a notable focus on serving Veterans.

Prior to joining New York Life, Ben's dedication to service unfolded during his active-duty tenure with the Air Force from 2015 to 2022. Stationed in both Alaska and Texas, he encountered two deployments that fortified his skills and resilience.

In an expedited career progression, Ben attained the position of Partner at New York Life in 2023. Here, he seamlessly fused his passions for training and development, honed during his military service, to mentor and foster growth within the financial industry. This underscores his enduring commitment to service and achievement, bridging the realms of his military and professional endeavors.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Ben discovers joy in family moments and indulges in his love for golf. Recognizing the significance of giving back, he actively devotes his time to various Veteran organizations in the Twin Cities, including Project Got Your Back and United Hero’s League, embodying a spirit of service in both his personal and professional life.


Teresa Gutoske

Service Leader

Teresa (Terry) Gutoske joined New York Life as the Service Leader in the Minnesota General Office (GO) in 2023.  She brings extensive experience in operations management for national and regional financial service organizations, most specifically within the mortgage services segment.  Terry has a keen appreciation for the criticality that service functions and teams provide in creating world-class customer service. She enjoys mentoring and talent development within her leadership roles.

In her spare time, Terry spends time outdoors in all seasons; biking, hiking, and boating are a few of the activities she enjoys.