People that stick to their New Year's resolutions are about as few and far between as those that believe in Santa Claus. Given the fragile (read: tanking) economy and incoming president, it's only natural to assume that a significant amount of change is on the horizon.

The question remains - is your business ready for that change, and are your 2009 goals achievable?

We asked industry experts, from carriers to employers, to share their thoughts on what they learned in 2008 and how they hope to proceed in the coming year. While some we're ready to go with their lists of goals, predictions and recollections of what was, others questioned the resolution process, saying simply, "Why put off 'til tomorrow, what you know should've been done yesterday."

Overwhelmingly, though, respondents spoke positively about their 2008 achievements and most are seeking greater focus on generating revenue and marketing their products and programs in 2009. While economic worries dominate their concerns, they also remain focused on keeping clients and employees happy.

Dennis Healy - vice president of group long-term care for John Hancock

"We're looking for ways to penetrate the small employer market. [We want] to make the benefit broker community aware that you can offer this benefit to smaller employers and have it be something they can add to their overall practice, as well as to make HR directors aware that they can make a program available at little impact to them," Healy says.

He adds that an LTC program is one that clients will benefit from, as it's easy for brokers to install and has a built-in support system. Healy believes that his company will succeed in tough economic times if they methodically find new products that meet the needs of brokers and clients alike.

Owen Wingate - broker with Wingate Insurance, a full-service benefit agency

Throughout 2008, Wingate Insurance saw a "tremendous surge" in high-deductible health accounts, Wingate says. "Employer groups continued to look for ways to cover employees despite the economy and premiums increases." What didn't go so well, he says, is that premiums kept rising. But out of 100 clients, only one dropped coverage, so Wingate considers 2008 a success.

In 2009, "we are definitely keeping an eye on legislation ... but we are also looking to take advantage of some opportunities and sell [more of our online] services." By the end of the year, he hopes for 30% greater revenue, mostly through additional clients. In order to get there, he plans on spending money on advertising, something he's never done before.

"We have to think out of the box for ways we can save money and help employers communicate ... to their employees better," he says. They need to do that without further burdening already strapped and stressed HR units. The trick, he says, will be to "get organized!"

Jason Hochstadt - certified financial planner and vice president of Jedi Management

Hochstadt is committed to taking a big-picture look at his business. "What can we do to provide more value-add to clients," he wonders. It's important to consider strategic initiatives before launching individual projects, he explains.

On a project-by-project level, Hochstadt hopes that a greater understanding of the overall business landscape for his firm translates into greater revenues and reduced costs for clients, which in turn funnels more business into the company through positive referrals.

Craig Massey - director of human resources for Piggly Wiggly

"We, like tons of employers ... are focusing on tightening up. [We want to know] where we can find efficiencies that do not affect our guest experience. At the same time, we're trying to grow our business ... and that's going to be a difficult thing," Massey says.

Over the last year, Piggly Wiggly has implemented a robust wellness program aimed at helping employees manage their health. Overall, Massey says, "we know that what we're doing relates to the bottom line of health care." Over the next year, Piggly Wiggly won't remove any benefits, "but we are looking at things to say 'is this benefit as great as it was ten years ago?' But the C-suite says if it's bringing value, it's something that needs to stay."

Michael Shunney - senior vice president and general manager of Sun Life Financial's employee benefits group

"2008 certainly brought more challenges than other years and more than we anticipated, but [in return] we're sticking to the fundamentals that are critical to success in this business, like offering competitive products and pricing," Shunney says.

Instead of considering goals for just the coming year, Shunney says his team is looking at "broader strategic objectives set out in three- to five-year chunks. The most important supplement for our focus for 2009 is assuming that we maintain a strong and clear focus on the external environment."

Pat E. O'Neill - independent broker

"I'm looking to get my business better organized," she says.

In order to do so, O'Neill has hired a business coach to help her write a business plan and understand different marketing strategies. "Because I will be better organized, I can contact the people who want to be contacted in a timely manner and they won't fall through the cracks," she explains.

Michael Barone - president of Intercare Insurance Solutions

Barone was on the spot with focused, direct goals for the coming year. First, he wants to improve year over year results for 75% of the 14 risk factors identified in biometrically driven HRA's for his clients. Second, he intends to launch an award with the San Diego Business Journal for the healthiest companies in the city.

He's also pretty sure '09 will bring a major merger out west. "A multi-billion dollar acquisition of a health plan will take place in the western U.S. and further reduce the supply-side playing field," he says.

Corporate pairings is also the theme of his sleeper moment for 2008. "Although it is very local, the acquisition of Sharp Mission Park Medical Group by Scripps and the resulting change from capitated medical care to discounted fee for service. This puts San Diego one step closer to the end of delegated managed care and we are likely to see in the next five years the phasing out of HMOs. The end of an era," according to Barone.

Fran Ruderman - senior director of benefits and compensation for Leviton

"2008 was an extraordinary year for us," says Ruderman. "We did a lot of things right." The company's wellness program made great strides, with its U.S. employees losing over 1,000 pounds through a WeightWatchers initiative. "We've gotten employees off of medications and put certain chronic conditions into more normal ranges," she says.

In 2009, Ruderman says that Leviton will focus on improving open enrollment communications.

"We always struggle with preparing so much material in print that nobody reads and continue to get so many questions about finding answers," she says. A video program and audio component greatly improved employee experiences in 2008, and she hopes to take that program even farther in 2009 through "brainsharking."

"We want people to be able to listen, see and read all of our materials," she says. Additionally, Ruderman says that she will focus on having more planned activities surrounding benefits as well as introducing quarterly employee initiatives to eliminate all communications being around open enrollment.

Steff Chalk - president and founder of CHALK Advisory Board

"Over the years, I have come to the realization that if a change to my behavior will produce a more favorable outcome for either me or a client, why then, should I (or they) wait for the passing of a date before I implement the change," Chalk says.

Still, he's got a prediction for '09 and a sleeper for the year that was.

For this year, he says that American's recent familiarity with dropping financial and hard asset values will be enhanced as citizens "learn the ramifications of the global re-pricing of our currency."

In the hindsight column, he says that America's recent economic vulnerability may help reshape the way the U.S. is viewed throughout the world.

"As America's economy has stumbled, others around the globe have been educated to the benefits associated with having financially stable trading partners. Perhaps the global economic downturn can serve to transmit an unwritten message across the globe - 'If my trading partner is not doing well, my country, my family and I feel the pain,'" Chalk says.